How are we linked to ecosystems?
“Health of People, Places and Planet Reflections” is a powerful read. Chapter 15 is written by Econutrition pioneer, Professor Mark Wahlqvist and is titled “Eco-nutrition, Ecosystems and Health”. If you have time, it's worth having a look.Wahlqvist says, “Eco-nutrition conceptualises how we and other living things can acquire the nutrients we need to optimise our well-being, health and lifespan in ways that are sustainable and respectful of the animate and inanimate. The sense of connectedness and the need for diversity now, in the past and in the future, characterise eco-nutrition.”Ways in which biodiversity might contribute to health include (but are not limited to):
- A varied food supply for human health
- A range of diverse food sources as security against natural disaster, climate change and pestilence
- A rich source of medicinals, many yet unknown
- A buffering against invasive plants and animals, and of pathogens and toxins; and a ‘spiritual’ value in diversity
- Mental health benefits and the feeling of ‘belonging to the landscape’
- Seasons further add diversity and vigour
To add to this, here is an image showing some of the ways we're intricately linked to ecosystems:
As the rate of biodiversity loss and ecosystem damage is occurring at a rapid rate, we risk losing ourselves, since these systems are part of us.WHAT CAN WE DO?As Wahlqvist says, the solution is “Identification with our locale, its food, health and cognate systems should help us to act locally while we think and advocate globally. It is not too late!”.
