Nature is
nutritionTime by the sea

Why the coast?

There's a specific quality to time spent along our coasts and, I will add here, lakelands. And some reliable research to go with it. Certainly Crohn's and Colitis sufferers can find a real peace in these areas. The gut needs peace. To be honest, they're a gift.

We talk a lot about what goes on your plate. But your gut is also fed by where you spend your days. Screens, traffic, artificial light and four walls all keep the body on high alert. A beach, a seafront path or a cliff walk does the opposite: wide sky, moving water, fresh salty air.

That's what I mean by nature is nutrition. Not a replacement for food or medicine. Another kind of nourishment, alongside them.

It's about calming your nervous system.

Make a mental note. Your gut and your brain are constantly in conversation mode. Your gut needs peace, as do you.

“You need to allow yourself to relax. Away from the crowds.”

The modern places, the very environments we humans exist inside of, do not serve our well-being. Our environments can create stress. Often a kind of subtle stress we've gotten used to. And the numerous screens that we stare at are also environments. Turn them off and get outside. For people with IBD, stress matters. Even in a mild form, stress is clearly a trigger to kick our gut into a negative mode.

Our coasts help us slow down in several gentle ways. Use our shorelines as a physical and mental nutrition. And please don't forget to breathe.

Breath: 4 seconds in and 4 seconds out, and repeat.

• Walking. People who live near the sea tend to walk more, and that explains part of the health link.
• Daylight and sun. Light on your skin helps your body make vitamin D. In hospital data, lower sun exposure has gone with worse IBD outcomes.
• Awe. When we view a vast horizon, our minds are loosened into a peaceful state. In one study, awe was the emotion most closely tied to lower levels of inflammation. And yes, there is science to back this up.
• Salty air. Moving water, like breaking waves, puts more negative ions into the air. They are often said to lift mood, but the evidence is mixed.
• Sound and rhythm. The slow, repeating pattern of waves is often described as calming. A small trial found nature sounds calmed the body in healthy adults. We haven't found IBD research on waves.

What the research says

The science is young, but it points the same way: more water, more daylight, less artificial overload, calmer body.

Time near water is linked to better mental health. A review of 35 studies found fairly consistent links between outdoor blue space (sea, lakes, rivers) and better mental wellbeing and more physical activity. Links with general health, weight and heart outcomes were less consistent. (Gascon et al., 2017)

Water near home is linked to lower IBD risk. A large UK study followed about 217,000 adults for almost 12 years. People with the most water near home had about 21% lower risk of developing IBD than people with the least. The link was strongest in more deprived areas. (Zhang et al., 2022)

Going to the coast matters, not just living near it. In an 18-country survey of over 16,000 people, those who visited the coast more often reported higher wellbeing and less mental distress. The link with simply living by the sea mostly faded once visits were counted. (White et al., 2021)

In England, living nearer the coast goes with better health. Among over 21,000 adults, people who lived closer to the sea rated their general and mental health higher. Part of the link was explained by more walking outdoors. (Pasanen et al., 2019)

More sun goes with better IBD outcomes in hospital data. Two US studies of hospital records found that places and times with lower UV exposure had more IBD admissions and more bowel surgery. In Crohn's patients, each step up in UV exposure went with about 9% lower odds of needing surgery. (Limketkai et al., 2014) (Govani et al., 2014)

Awe is tied to lower inflammation. In two studies of healthy people, awe was the positive emotion most strongly linked to lower levels of IL-6, a marker of inflammation. The studies did not test the seaside, but open sea and sky are places many people feel it. (Stellar et al., 2015)

Nature sounds calm the body. In a trial of 53 healthy adults, ten minutes of a nature soundscape (nature sounds blended with music) improved heart rate variability and lowered heart and breathing rates, compared with a calm cafe sound. Those are signs of a calmer nervous system. It was not ocean waves specifically. (Kumpulainen et al., 2025)

Sea air and seawater have a long history, but little gut research. A review of 16 clinical studies of seawater and coastal climate treatment (thalassotherapy) found benefits for skin and joint conditions such as psoriasis and fibromyalgia, not gut conditions. A separate review found negative air ions are often credited with better wellbeing, but the evidence is not consistent. (Antonelli & Donelli, 2024) (Jiang et al., 2018)

Gentle ways to start

You don't need a beach holiday. A seafront, a harbour wall, a river mouth or a canal bank all count as water.

• Start small. Ten or fifteen minutes by the water is a good beginning. Build up as energy allows.
• Go slow. This isn't exercise. Wander, sit on a bench, watch the horizon and listen.
• Try some breath work. Be still for a moment. Breathe in for 4 seconds, out for 4 seconds, and repeat.
• Leave the phone in your pocket. Let your eyes rest on sea and sky rather than a screen.
• Plan around your gut. On flare days, choose a spot close to home with toilets nearby. A short sit counts. And aye, I often take some loo roll.
• Take the sun gently. Daylight helps, but burning does not. Ask your IBD team if any of your medicines make your skin more sensitive to sun.
• Dress for the wind. Sea air can be cold and damp even on a bright day. Layers and a flask of something warm keep the visit comfortable.
• Bring it home. On days you can't get out, sit by a window with a view of the sky, or play a recording of waves for ten minutes.

An honest note

Time by the sea supports your health. It does not replace your medication or your care team.

Think of it as one strand in a rope, alongside food, sleep, movement and managing stress. On its own, one strand is modest. Woven together, they hold more weight. If you're in a flare or unsure what's right for you, speak to your IBD team first.

Written by Colin - not AI.