Humans and trees have a pretty long-standing relationship. Trees provide the wood to build our homes, purify our air, make fire to cook and keep warm—along with thousands of other uses. And now we know that trees are also essential for our physical health:
- Prescriptions for time spent in nature are on the rise around the world. More and more, research is demonstrating that time spent in “blue” or “green” space can improve symptoms ranging from anxiety, depression, ADHD and loneliness to diabetes and high blood pressure (Forbes). Doctors in the USA have been able to prescribe time in nature via the ParkRx program for over a decade, and now doctors in the UK, Canada, Japan and Australia are catching up (The Guardian). Canadians can even receive free park passes with a prescription from their doctor!
- Forest Bathing can significantly improve immune functioning, sometimes for up to a month! According to NurtitionFacts.org on YouTube, when people breathe in a-Pinene which is released by various trees, their bodies show significant decreases in stress hormones and experience immune-boosting qualities that have even been shown to fight cancerous cells. What’s more, some of the cancer-fighting benefits can even be seen simply by introducing the essential oils from certain trees to cancerous cells in a petri dish. Watch the full video below.
- Forest Bathing is the practice of spending time in the forest with the purpose of experiencing mental, emotional and physical wellness benefits. National Geographic