A recent study from Cornell University links the pleasure of nature to a particular biological condition called inflammation.

The results of the study demonstrated an independent relationship between reduced levels of three distinct inflammatory markers in the bloodstream and increased frequency of good interactions with nature.

“By focusing on these inflammation markers, the study provides a biological explanation for why nature might improve health,” said Anthony Ong, professor of psychology, “particularly showing how it might prevent or manage diseases linked to chronic inflammation, like heart disease and diabetes.”

For their study, the team used the second wave of the Midlife in the U.S. (MIDUS) survey, a longitudinal study of health and aging in the United States. Ong’s analyses focused on a subset of individuals – 1,244 participants, 57% women, with a mean age of 54.5.