Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada
June/July, 2014 issue
Last year at this time, my column in The Scoop dealt with how the natural world promotes good health and longevity. How some on our guided hikes have health issues, while others do not. Arthritis comes up frequently during conversations behind me, and another has Parkinson’s. Others may have different health issues, but say nothing, for today, there are no health concerns, as they consume whatever medication they need, and forge bravely ahead, refusing to give in. These people will live forever because they exercise and are always in a positive frame of mind. You will never see any on our hikes seek out the nearest handicapped parking spot at the supermarket and sprint into the grocery store. They embrace exercise.
I have mentioned Frontenac Provincial Park in past columns, and I will surely do so again. It is one of my favourite provincial parks, primarily because of its remoteness. I have been on 15 km trails where I’ve walked all day and not seen a soul, have not heard a cell phone, received a text message or heard the distinctive beep of a computer when an e-mail message has come in. No motor boats, no cars, and rarely an airplane.
I am alone with only the sound of nature around me – the diagnostic clucking of a chipmunk, or the explosion of wings as a ruffed grouse takes off, or a wood thrush with his flute like melodies echoing through the trees. Sometimes there is nothing. Absolute quiet. The air is fresh and invigorating, punctuated with the fragrance of the forest – of leaves, mosses, and dank wood. I close my eyes and a feeling of absolute peace washes over me, as invoices, deadlines, and unanswered e-mails fade away and become lost in the morning haze over a distant wetland. I am rejuvenated, and I emerge from these walks in the forest with my batteries fully charged.
The Japanese refer to this experience as “shinrin-yoku” or “forest bathing”. They firmly believe that the scent of trees, the sound of brooks, and the feel of sunshine have a calming effect. Beyond the obvious soothing result, it also has been found that essential wood oils, known as phytoncides (natural preservatives), as well as fungicides emitted by many plants, can actually increase natural killer cells in humans, thus enhancing our immune systems. The chemical compounds emitted by trees, released from pockets between the leaf cells, produce fragrances that have been shown to prevent, and even cure, cancer. Biologist Joan Maloof says, “When we breathe them in (these fragrances), they become part of our bodies, the forest becomes part of us … we are increasingly cutting ourselves off from Nature’s drugs, which are free, and handing our health care over to the drug companies, which are not.”
Research into “forest bathing” suggests that we benefit from breathing in ‘phytoncides’, the volatile organic compounds plants emit to protect themselves from bacteria, fungi and insects. There have been 120 airborne volatile chemicals discovered in these beneficial emissions, of which only 70 have actually been identified. Results compiled from several related studies show a wide range of positive benefits from just a mere stroll in the woods. These benefits include decreased blood glucose levels in diabetic patients, a decrease in stress hormones, heart rate, blood pressure, depression, anger, fatigue, and depression, while psychological vigour increases. One acquaintance has had ovarian cancer for eight years, and attributes her longevity to her walks in her backyard forest along the waters of the Moira River.
Japan, who we can thank for opening our eyes, has many conditions that favour the practice of forest bathing. Forests occupy 67 per cent of the land in Japan and are easily accessible. Japanese tree species including Japanese cypress, Japanese cedar, Japanese beech and Japanese oak are all proven to be effective in raising natural killer cells activity. The Japanese government now officially recognizes certain forests by granting them designations of Forest Therapy Base and Forest Therapy Road. While forest bathing, it’s not important to power walk, but rather, to simply absorb the forest through the five senses: the murmuring of a stream, birds singing, the colours and fragrance of the forest, even taste in some cases.
Given the evidence, it seems that there is something to all this, that our exposure to the woods makes us more healthy. Those who have suffered no illnesses will invariably admit to having spent time in the woods, whether working there, or just enjoying a leisurely walk. If I can be considered any kind of an example, I can’t recall the last time I have suffered a case of the flu. And I can’t remember the last time I actually had a cold. The only time I was in a hospital overnight in almost 70 years was for appendicitis at the age of 5 and a tonsillectomy when I was 12. Is this coincidental, or has a lifetime exposure to trees actually benefited me in some way?
Still not convinced? I wrote about forest bathing in a local newspaper some time ago. Here is what one reader said, “I wasn’t aware of the ‘Phytoncides’ until reading your article. Throughout the years, I have indulged in ‘vacations’ of being in remote woods and forests, back at an old family camp on crown land, northern areas of the province, and back at a little log cabin we own, ‘north of 7’, surrounded by swamps, woods and inland lakes. The stressors of the work place, the ‘rat-race’, dissipate and evaporate. Marsh sounds/songs and the fragrance of the forest floor not only calm, and refresh one, but an odd side effect occurs, one returns looking over 10 years younger, as the skin glows and lines seem to disappear from our faces. Flushed with colour, eyes clear, and physically fit. Is this the elixir of the elusive ‘fountain of youth’? Discovering little creatures gives a delight that we had as children. Neither I nor my husband have ever been in hospital, neither of us are on any prescribed medication. I am almost 60, and my husband is mid sixties. We have a couple of friends who have lived in that environment all their lives, both are in their 70’s, no health issues, and physically seemed to have defied ageing. Recently I took a friend of mine on a nature outing, I couldn’t believe it!! We were looking for wildflowers, wild turkeys and anything else we might find, the whole time, she was ‘texting’ on her cell phone, receiving messages, and talking on it! What is wrong with people?!”
I have talked in past columns about how walking keeps us fit. As we get older, it keeps us limber and it keeps us active so we don`t fall victim to learned helplessness. We need to keep moving. Now with new evidence pointing to forests being able to neutralize toxins in our environment, thereby benefitting us in still other ways, it would behoove us to concentrate our hiking efforts to wooded trails so we can glean even more benefits from the effort. According to the experts, the concept makes sense. We have spent much of our evolutionary history in natural environments, so returning to Nature is almost like a physiological homecoming of sorts.