As most people these days are spending all their time indoors and away from nature, the effects on their health becomes quite pronounced. For many people, spending time with trees seems too simple an intervention in our high-tech modern world to have any significant effect. Dr Qing Li, from the Nippon Medical School, has been practicing Forest Medicine for over 30 years and performed some excellent studies verifying the benefits, including improved sleep, mood, and immune function to fight off infections and cancer (see links and chart below). I highly recommend his book, "Into The Forest," for everyone, as he also provides many ways that you can bring the practice of Shinrin-Yoku, or forest bathing, into your own home or office. With so many people spending more time indoors in front of a device, reconnecting with forests and trees is essential now more than ever before.
by Dr SJ NANA, DrNana.co.za
For more information:
- The Art and Science of Forest Bathing with Dr Qing Li
- Forest Bathing | Shinrin-Yoku | Healing in Nature | Short Documentary
- Why Does Forest Bathing Boost Natural Killer Cell Function?
- Forest bathing enhances human natural killer activity and expression of anti-cancer proteins
- Effect of forest bathing trips on human immune function
- Visiting a forest, but not a city, increases human natural killer activity and expression of anti-cancer proteins
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| One of the highlights this year was our visit to the home of a giant tree that's over a thousand years old. (The Big Tree, Tsitsikamma National Park.) |
