Get Healthy: Walk in a Park or Forest
Posted: Thursday, July 22, 2010
by Joel Hirschhorn
http://www.delusionaldemocracy.com
We hear so much these days about what makes us healthy or unhealthy. But now comes solid scientific
Besides calming people down and providing pleasure, exposure to plants and trees produces increased immune function. That is both amazing and incredibly good medical news.
Scientists have discovered that this benefit is caused by exposure to phytoncides, the airborne chemicals that plants emit to protect them from rotting and insects and which also seem to benefit humans. More than 5,000 of these volatile organic substances defend the surrounding plants from bacteria, fungi and insects. Various spices, onion, and garlic also give off such chemicals. They have also been called wood essential oils.
One study obtained data on 280 healthy people in , where visiting nature parks for therapeutic effect has become a popular practice called "forest bathing," which is also practiced in and On one day, the researchers had some people walk through a forest or wooded area for a few hours, while others walked through a city area. On the second day, they traded places. The scientists found that being among plants produced "lower concentrations of cortisol, lower pulse rate, and lower blood pressure," among other things.
Cortisol is also known as hydrocortisone, which is produced by the adrenal gland. It is released in response to stress and it increases blood sugar and blood pressure, and it suppresses the immune system. Even worse, it increases abdominal fat, which is associated with a greater amount of health problems than fat deposited in other areas of the body. Some of the health problems associated with increased stomach fat are heart attacks, strokes, the development of metabolic syndrome, higher levels of "bad" cholesterol (LDL) and lower levels of "good" cholesterol (HDL), which can lead to other health problems!
In other words, cortisol is bad, and spending time in a natural setting reduces it and makes you healthier.
Other studies have found that visiting parks and forests seems to raise levels of white blood cells, including one in 2007 in which men who took two-hour walks in a forest over two days had a 50-percent spike in levels of natural killer cells. Other research found an increase in white blood cells that lasted a week in women exposed to phytoncides in forest air.
Whether you walk, run, bicycle or play is up to you, but the bottom line is that you have every good reason to spend substantial time in parks or wooded areas. Breathe in the air and appreciate that in addition to muscular and cardio activity you are getting another healthy benefit. Get into forest bathing!
Also note that having all kinds of indoor plants and small trees is also likely to provide some health benefits. Ditto for spending time in your backyard or doing gardening. Maybe we should speak of nature bathing.
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Top-level comments on this article: (6 total)This is fascinating, Joel. I've lived by the beach for quite a long time now, and just don't ever walk in parks or forests, even though there are plenty here. Your article is good incentive to reconnect with that part of nature again. Thanks. Love the idea of nature bathing...
I agree with Jennifer! This is fascinating stuff. A friend of mine walks everywhere throughout the city we live, and he is forever sick. I told him that I believed the toxins in the air that are left behind by the garbage trucks are the cause. Tuesday is trash day on my street, and I seem to experience sore throats and mild headaches by mid-week.I think it's time for me to begin hiking in the parks and woods! Thanks Joel, great info,
Getting harder and harder to find these type areas around the cities where most people live, but excellent advice. Now if we can just keep them from over polluting our waterways, forest bathing is an exciting idea, but could lead to population explosion. lol
Thanks Joel. If more people spent time in nature, alone, there would be fewer problems on the world.
Well written. Good points. People tend to view "exercise" as a painful chore which somehow produces health benefits. However, just like so many other things in life, where, when, how, and why you do things can make the results even better...or worse.
Next time I run across a forest, I think I'll walk in it- but I'll be danged if I'm going to bathe out there! LOL- Good article Joel- Thanks - Always- Ella
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