A walk in the woods a day, keeps the doctor away.

 

We are in the middle of a pandemic and to insure safety we are wearing, masks, keeping socially distant from one another and washing our hands like crazy. It might be time to add a forest walk to reinforce your immune system. Trees produce antimicrobial chemicals called phytoncides which protects them from insects and germs. Phyton in Latin means ‘plant’ and cide means to ‘exterminate’.  That’s right germ, you will be exterminated by a plant.  So how does this help us?

In a landmark scientific study (Li Q, Morimoto K, Nakadai A, et al. Forest bathing enhances human natural killer activity and expression of anti-cancer proteins. Int 1 Immunopathol Pharmacol 2007; 20(S):3-8.) phytoncides improved natural killer cell activity in human subjects. Our natural killer cells are lymphocytes that respond to virus-infected cells and tumors. Aside from the immune system boost, phyoncides have numerous other benefits, illustrated in Li Q.’s book, Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness, such benefits includes lowering blood pressure, reducing stress levels, and enhancing your creativity to name a few improvements.

While you’re pining away about not being able to go out to a bar for a drink, why not exchange a bar for being near a tree bark? Visit your local forest. Most local parks allow for social distancing and you may consider a picnic rather than going to a restaurant. Arrive at your local well-maintained forest trail, put your phone down, away, or turn it off, and take a slow walk in silence if you can. At the end of the walk, don’t forget to thank the forest.