fitbody
sunshine. Taking a nature walk—afford- ing plenty of fresh air and exercise in a quiet setting—has traditionally been prescribed for good health. That raises a question: How much natural healing are we sacrificing when we spend most of our days indoors? In Japan, a group of medical re-
searchers and government-affiliated for- est organizations support the creation of forest therapy centers, where people en- joy the trails and guided walks and also receive free medical checkups under the trees. Since 1984, they have been study- ing the health benefits of walking in the woods, termed shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing. There are now more than 30 such officially designated sites. In related studies, scientists
FOREST BATHING “N
The Healing Power of a Walk in the Woods by Maggie Spilner
ature doesn’t bang any drums when she bursts forth into flow- ers, nor play any dirges when the trees let go of their leaves in the fall. But when we approach her in the right spirit, she
has many secrets to share. If you haven’t heard nature whispering to you lately, now is a good time to give her the opportunity.”
~ Osho, in Osho Zen Tarot: the Transcendental Game of Zen As we all innately know, spending time in nature is good for our body, mind
and spirit. It’s why we’re attracted to green places, flowers, lakes, fresh air and
from Japan’s Nippon Medical School and Chiba University tracked positive physiological changes in individuals walking in the woods compared with city walkers. Early results were pub- lished in the International Journal of Immunopathology and Pharmacology, European Journal of Applied Physiol- ogy and Journal of Biological Regula- tors and Homeostatic Agents. Forest walkers showed:
n Lower concentrations of salivary corti- sol, known as the stress hormone n Lower blood pressure and heart rate n Reduction of adrenaline and noradrenalin, also stress-related hor- mones n Increase in immunity-boosting natural killer (NK) cell activity, and the numbers of NK cells and anti-cancer proteins known to combat cancer
Newest Findings The researchers theorized that organic compounds called phytoncides, pro- duced by trees and other plants as a pro- tection from disease, insects and fungus, were also producing beneficial natural killer cells in people in the forests. In a study that exposed participants to phyt- oncides via aromatic oils fed through a humidifier in a hotel room, the research- ers found similar increases in NK levels. A 2011 study by Nippon Medi-
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cal School’s department of hygiene and public health showed that the resulting increase in NK cells lasted for 30 days. They concluded that a monthly walk in
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