Book Review: Losing Eden
09 August 2025
The KOPI Book CLUB!
As an Osteopath, I specialise in the bio-mechanics of the beautiful human body. I am the eternal student of the body, an absolute privilege.
My book reviews are written to help you better understand and nurture your physical body. I hope you enjoy reading them, and if you have any books to suggest, I would be very interested to hear about them.
Book Review: Losing Eden by Lucy Jones
"Why our minds need the wild"
- Lucy Jones
Losing Eden is a powerful and incredibly informative read, a deep exploration into “why our minds need the wild” at all stages of life.
In her brilliantly researched and referenced book, Lucy Jones collates incredibly complex scientific research and presents the findings in a way that will leave the reader recounting shocking facts and statistics.
A few of my standouts are below:
- Studies into soil microbiology show that a specific bacteria (M. Vacce) could help reduce stress responses in the body, by stimulating the brain to produce serotonin (a natural “happy hormone”). This is now being researched and trialled in PTSD studies.
- In Japan, nature prescriptions are routinely issued to patients – forest bathing is a proven form of healing and medicine for the mind. Studies show that just 2 hours in a forest can significantly reduce cytokine levels in the blood, which in turn reduces inflammation. This could be due to exposure to microorganisms, something which is limited in our sterile world. This is being reproduced in hospitals with views and interactions with nature – the Khoo Teck Puat Hospital in Singapore is a stunning example of this (check it out online!)
- By the age of 18, children will have spent approximately 12,000 hours in a classroom – is it any wonder they are often so disconnected from nature, viewing the natural environment as entirely separate from themselves?
The evidence is not just convincing, it is proof that our minds need the wild.
We are witnessing the rise of activities like wild swimming, which will also boost our physical well-being through the glorious benefits of movement and exercise.
It is not just our minds and bodies that benefit from the wild; our very existence depends on it.
We are seeing an unprecedented decline in insects, for example, and trees. This has the potential to leave the reader feeling forlorn, but Jones presents some fantastic initiatives that show us that things can change; humans can (and must) coexist with nature, rather than dominate it.
There are fantastic examples of what we can do, too, as individuals. This will not only boost your mind and physical health, but also your tummy (potentially), as well as the natural world.
For example, linking in with your community garden (these are fantastic for those who are more isolated, or perhaps struggling to keep up with the demands of a garden alone), growing your food possibly on an allotment or in your garden, and taking that forest walk (once a month for 2 hours is shown to have huge benefits).
Lucy Jones does not declare that nature/spending time in nature is a total panacea, but she does detail how it helped her when recovering from addiction and in becoming a mother.
This book is about how to improve our own lives, as well as literally save the planet collectively. As Jones so beautifully writes, “we need the rest of nature both for our lives and for our sanity”.
You may also be interested in:
- This is not a book I have reviewed for work; however, Enchantment by Katherine May is a fantastic read, encouraging us to slow down, notice and take real pleasure in the small things. Katherine May explores what it is to feel and find genuine awe (in nature), and the powerful impact this has upon us.
- Book Review: Yoga for Stiff Birds by Mario Deuchars
- Book Review: 52 Ways to Walk
- Book Review: The Immune Mind