We all know gay men can be kinky, so let’s make room for one more fetish—biophilia. Unlike other peccadilloes that require tolerance of pain, oversized props or unfortunate smells, biophilia is one I recommend everyone get into and engage in as frequently as possible. Sure, it’s also the name of a Björk album, and if you listen to it, she illustrates the word’s meaning: attraction or affinity for life itself. But it’s not just the selfish desire to be alive so we can engage in all the fun things that eventually kill us; it’s the connection to a greater life than us, nature in all its glory—forests, mountains, rivers, lakes, oceans and the like.

Trees and plants are big reasons why these places are so beneficial. They aren’t just pretty to look at, but they better our health by giving us oxygen to breathe, by making nutritious foods and by producing medicinal substances. They provide protection from the sun and give us wood to build things. But perhaps their most unknown benefit is that exposure to places with lots of flora is associated with better mental health.

The Japanese have a word for it—shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing”—referring to the well-being found by spending time in nature. But it isn’t just the beautiful things we see that help us feel better. (Otherwise we could surround ourselves with ‘70s forest wallpaper and Star Trek holograms.) It’s also the things we inhale.

The key may be negative ions. (If you just winced, chances are you were hoodwinked into buying a negative ion machine from an airplane catalog, only to be left with a thin layer of black particles on your curtains, walls and furniture.) Negative ions are odorless, tasteless and, except for the residue they create, invisible. Still, they pack a wallop. Ion researcher Michael Terman, PhD, of New York’s Columbia University, has found that negative ions relieve depression just as well as antidepressants in those with Seasonal Affective Disorder or chronic depression.

But the amount you need to lift your mood is unlikely to come from any machine. Most machines sold in those catalogs don’t produce enough negative ions to have an effect. So rather than shopping for a solution, unplug and go to the source—forests, parks and moving water, especially rivers, waves and waterfalls. That’s where negative ions are highest—where life is thriving.

Center for Applied Cognitive Sciences researcher and Owners Manual for the Brain author Pierce J. Howard, PhD, says, “Negative ions increase the flow of oxygen to the brain; resulting in higher alertness, decreased drowsiness and more mental energy.” Some even say it stimulates sexual desire and behavior.

Maybe that’s why gay groups for hiking, camping and rafting, and events like gay ski weeks, do so well. They bring hot, sexy, outdoors-minded men together to have fun and enjoy nature as only a gay biophiliac can.

Because most of us live in a concrete jungle, getting away to a place where nature is bigger than ourselves can bring us back to the source. So before you make an appointment with your doctor to get an antidepressant, maybe you should first call up your travel agent and set up two weeks in nature to see if that helps. Too shy to join your fellow men on a group vacation? Grab a sleeping bag and go enjoy nature on your own. If time is a problem, or perhaps even between vacations, local tree-covered spots like Griffith Park and Fryman Canyon can give you that biophilic fix to keep you feeling good.

Last, keep in mind that you have a natural negative ion producer at your disposal anytime: your shower. Every time you rinse off, stop and take a deep negative ion-filled breath, thanking nature for providing the water that cleanses, fuels and heals you. Let’s just hope the drought police don’t get wind of your new fetish.