advancedhomewellness01
Biophilia, Phytoncides & the Ultimate Stress Relief for the Modern Urban Life: Forest Bathing
Web Link:
advancedhomewellness.com/biophilia-phytoncides-ultimate-s...
www.natureandforesttherapy.org/
Biophilia, Phytoncides & the Ultimate Stress Relief for the Modern Urban Life: Forest Bathing
A relaxing exploration of humans’ naturally healing biophilic response to nature, and the new scientific understandings of phytoncides as one of the mechanisms behind the immune boosting effects of being immersed in nature.
Today we are exploring the practice known as Forest Bathing, which is scientifically backed with lots of compelling scientific research now coming mostly out of Japan.
The word “biophilia” means the love of nature, and the idea of humans having a naturally healing biophilic response when in the presence of nature has been a popular theory for decades, especially in architecture and design.
This is the reason why it has long been fashionable to put indoor gardens, fountains and potted plants in office buildings, as many studies have demonstrated this investment actually pays off in employee wellness and productivity.
The basic idea of a biophilic response is that when we are in the presence of nature, living plants, running water, as well as natural shapes and patterns, then our body can much more easily go into a parasympathetic state, wherein we can easily relax, digest and focus, and wherein our immune system is supported.
In contrast, if we in a sympathetic stress response, then we have adrenaline pumping which pressurize us and injects intense levels of energy into our system, while also suppressing our immune system. Stress can easily happen at work, in offices and we can be affected by the stress of other people working with us. This is then exacerbated even more by the lack of natural environment: the artificial florescent lights, the metal, dry wall and plastic, the straight lines and 90 degree angles, none of which exist in nature.
Creating natural environments indoors in order to induce a biophilic response has been used with moderation to improve employee wellness for many decades. But the new research now coming mostly out of Japan is taking the power of nature to new levels.
With Forest Bathing, not only do you get a powerful biophilic response, because you are immersed in nature, but new research shows that forest air contain compounds called phytoncides which dramatically boost immune function.
So Forest Bathing actually combines multiple effective mechanisms to produce a synergistic effect which greatly reduces stress levels and boost immune function.
The Association of Nature and Forest Therapy has developed many different programs for people wanting to use nature as therapy, from 3 hour protocols to multi-day programs which promise increased levels of physical, mental and emotional wellness.
I feel very blessed to live in a mixed forest with redwoods, pines, oaks, madrones and other types of trees right in my backyard, and I also am not too far from the ocean, which is another excellent place to go to receive the deep rejuvenation that nature offers. Though there are no phytoncides at the beach like in forest air, so the rejuvenation we get at the beach is more about the electrons we receive from the negative ions produced by crashing waves as well as from the direct access to the Earth’s 8hz charge.
Check out the AHW episode on Grounding for more information about that.
Biophilia, Phytoncides & the Ultimate Stress Relief for the Modern Urban Life: Forest Bathing
Web Link:
advancedhomewellness.com/biophilia-phytoncides-ultimate-s...
www.natureandforesttherapy.org/
Biophilia, Phytoncides & the Ultimate Stress Relief for the Modern Urban Life: Forest Bathing
A relaxing exploration of humans’ naturally healing biophilic response to nature, and the new scientific understandings of phytoncides as one of the mechanisms behind the immune boosting effects of being immersed in nature.
Today we are exploring the practice known as Forest Bathing, which is scientifically backed with lots of compelling scientific research now coming mostly out of Japan.
The word “biophilia” means the love of nature, and the idea of humans having a naturally healing biophilic response when in the presence of nature has been a popular theory for decades, especially in architecture and design.
This is the reason why it has long been fashionable to put indoor gardens, fountains and potted plants in office buildings, as many studies have demonstrated this investment actually pays off in employee wellness and productivity.
The basic idea of a biophilic response is that when we are in the presence of nature, living plants, running water, as well as natural shapes and patterns, then our body can much more easily go into a parasympathetic state, wherein we can easily relax, digest and focus, and wherein our immune system is supported.
In contrast, if we in a sympathetic stress response, then we have adrenaline pumping which pressurize us and injects intense levels of energy into our system, while also suppressing our immune system. Stress can easily happen at work, in offices and we can be affected by the stress of other people working with us. This is then exacerbated even more by the lack of natural environment: the artificial florescent lights, the metal, dry wall and plastic, the straight lines and 90 degree angles, none of which exist in nature.
Creating natural environments indoors in order to induce a biophilic response has been used with moderation to improve employee wellness for many decades. But the new research now coming mostly out of Japan is taking the power of nature to new levels.
With Forest Bathing, not only do you get a powerful biophilic response, because you are immersed in nature, but new research shows that forest air contain compounds called phytoncides which dramatically boost immune function.
So Forest Bathing actually combines multiple effective mechanisms to produce a synergistic effect which greatly reduces stress levels and boost immune function.
The Association of Nature and Forest Therapy has developed many different programs for people wanting to use nature as therapy, from 3 hour protocols to multi-day programs which promise increased levels of physical, mental and emotional wellness.
I feel very blessed to live in a mixed forest with redwoods, pines, oaks, madrones and other types of trees right in my backyard, and I also am not too far from the ocean, which is another excellent place to go to receive the deep rejuvenation that nature offers. Though there are no phytoncides at the beach like in forest air, so the rejuvenation we get at the beach is more about the electrons we receive from the negative ions produced by crashing waves as well as from the direct access to the Earth’s 8hz charge.
Check out the AHW episode on Grounding for more information about that.