Is Off-Grid Living Healthier?
Is Off-Grid Living Healthier?
The increasing interest in off-grid living suggests a larger truth: modern urban life may be lacking in something essential for our well-being. Today, I’ll share five aspects of off-grid life that have positively impacted my own health and wellness. You may find these aspects resonate with you, and perhaps even inspire you to explore off-grid living for yourself.
1. Soil Quality and Its Impact on Health
Why Soil Quality Matters
Nutrient-Rich Soil: The farther away you get from cities and industrial agriculture, the more likely the soil will be rich in vital nutrients. This directly impacts the food grown in that soil and, ultimately, our health.
Monoculture and Soil Depletion: In modern urban areas, much of the soil has been stripped of nutrients due to years of monoculture farming. This means even if you’re eating fruits and vegetables, they may lack the nutrients they once had.
Our Soil Experience in the Yucatan
Tierra Preta: In the Yucatan Peninsula, much of the soil on our land is rich in carbon and organic material from centuries of planned burning by local agriculturalists. This has led to the creation of Tierra Preta, a nutrient-dense soil that helps grow healthy, nourishing food.
Community and Bartering: Even if you're not growing your own food, neighbors who do may offer opportunities for bartering. Even non-organic food from small farmers is often healthier than mass-produced industrial crops.
2. Pace of Life & Reduced Stress
A Slower, More Intentional Way of Living
Natural Rhythms: Living closer to nature means adopting a slower pace of life. Away from the chaos of urban spaces, life feels less rushed and more in tune with natural rhythms.
Empowering Stress: While off-grid life isn’t without its challenges (e.g., dealing with livestock issues or managing natural resources), the stress tends to be more solvable and empowering. It encourages focus, intention, and problem-solving, often grounding us in the present moment.
Comparison with Urban Stress
Chronic, Atmospheric Stress: In urban settings, much of the stress we experience is ongoing and inescapable. The pressure of daily life in busy cities can feel chronic, often unrelated to specific problems we can solve.
Healthier Stress Management: Off-grid life, while not stress-free, often teaches us how to manage stress in a healthier, more proactive way.
3. Proximity to Animals and Nature
Strengthening the Immune System
Health Benefits of Nature: Research shows that living closer to animals and nature, especially from childhood, can strengthen the immune system and reduce allergies.
Life and Death: Living closely with animals means experiencing both the beauty of life (e.g., births) and the inevitability of death (e.g., harvesting animals or dealing with predators). These events bring us into the present moment and remind us of life’s fragility.
Connection with Life’s Rhythms
Experiencing Birth and Death: Having animals on our farm means regularly engaging with life’s cycles. Births of chicks, ducklings, puppies, and even a baby horse on our land have deepened my connection to the rhythms of nature and the preciousness of life.
A Healthier Perspective on Death: This intimate connection to life and death has felt far healthier than the way modern media sensationalizes death, violence, and suffering.
4. Less Screen Exposure
Fewer Distractions, More Connection
Limited Internet Access: Living off-grid means intentional choices about technology. We’ve made Wi-Fi available only in one part of the property, ensuring a more intentional and mindful use of screens.
Time for Real Connection: With fewer screens around, our family and visitors spend more time connecting in person, engaging in activities like playing music, making art, or simply sharing meals together.
Protecting Mental Health
Breaking Free from Constant Ads and Screens: Modern life bombards us with ads and constant screen exposure, even in the most unexpected places. Off-grid living helps protect against this by providing more control over screen time and information overload.
Intentional Screen Use: When we do watch movies or shows, it’s an intentional choice, not a default habit. For instance, we enjoy outdoor movie nights, projecting films surrounded by nature.
5. Less Time Lost to Traffic and "Busyness"
The Hidden Cost of Commuting
Time Spent in Traffic: The average American spends four years of their life in traffic. This time adds up, and even small commutes can feel like a significant drain.
A More Fulfilling Use of Time: In contrast, life off-grid means more time for the things you love—whether that’s working on the land, building something with your hands, or pursuing creative hobbies.
More Control Over Daily Routine
Less Commute, More Freedom: Living off-grid reduces the need for long commutes. For example, our daily drive to town is only fifteen minutes, freeing up more time for productive and fulfilling activities.
A Healthier Morning Routine: Off-grid life allows for a more leisurely, mindful start to the day. I can wake up early, practice yoga, meditate, and even check on the farm before the day begins.
Is Off-Grid Living Healthier?
The Personal Benefits of Off-Grid Life
Increased Health and Well-Being: For me, living off-grid has significantly improved my health and overall sense of well-being. It has given me more freedom, control over my time, and connection to nature.
Adjusting to Urban Life: After living off-grid, I find urban environments overstimulating and chaotic. However, I do miss the cultural opportunities that cities offer, like museums, live music, and the exposure and access to multiculturalism, diversity, and spontaneity.
Finding Balance
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
A Lifestyle Choice: Off-grid living isn’t for everyone, but if you value more control over your time and a deeper connection to your environment, it may feel like a healthier lifestyle. The most important thing is to listen to your own desires and find the balance that works for you in your pursuit of health and well-being.
I hope you now have enough information to be able to answer this for yourself based on your personal visions for your life and time. Personally, I feel life off-grid has been a godsend for my own health and wellbeing, and has instilled in me a profound sense of freedom.
That said, I think there is a balance to be struck with all of life’s deep contrasts. If you are someone looking for more power over how you spend your time and more control over what comes into contact with your energy, you may feel healthier or more well in an off-grid lifestyle.
