yogopathy Have you heard of the benefits of forest bathing ? Forest bathing, also known as Shinrin-yoku in Japanese, is a wellness practice that involves immersing oneself in a forest or natural environment and mindfully engaging with the sights, sounds, and smells of the natural world. It is a practice that originated in Japan in the 1980s and has since gained popularity as a means of promoting physical and mental well-being.
🍃Forest Bathing promotes mindfulness by engaging our senses and paying close attention to the sights, sounds, textures, and scents of the forest. It also helps us in Deep breathing, inhaling the clean fresh air of the forest can have a calming and rejuvenating effect. Additionally unplugging from electronic devises, contributes to stress reduction and has a positive impact on our Mental health .
🍃Studies have shown that forest bathing (going to the forest and breathing it’s air) increased our immunity. It increases our Natural killer cells , and it’s effect lasts for a month.
🍃Another study showed that because NK cells can kill tumor cells by releasing anti-cancer proteins, and visiting forests increase NK cells activity , visiting more forests parks can have a preventive effect on cancer progression and generation !
🍃the amount of adrenaline (stress hormones) significantly decrease after spending a few days in the forest 🌳 VS a few days in a busy city 🏙 can significantly increase adrenaline levels on the blood.
🍃a significant decrease in Salivary and Blood Cortisol (another stress hormone) is seen after spending a day in the forest !
🍃Aroma Therapy: trees produce aromatic compounds like Phytoncides such as alpha pinene & beta pinene . These compounds are detected in Forest air but not City air . 1 hour in the woods and the blood circulating Pinene 🌲 levels increases by 6X folds!!! And guess what Phytoncides Hunan Natural Killer cells activaty (boost our immune system).
🍃Funfact Phytoncides are naturally produced by trees for their own immunity. These compounds are natural volatile antibiotics produced by plants, we could use its benefits by getting essential oils like Cypress stem oil and using it to vaporize our homes.
Not only does hiking/trekking reduce stress and cortisol levels but it also boost our immunity and has a protective effect against Cancer. Nature is a wonderful medicine 🤗🍃🌳🌱💚💙💛🥰
