Wednesday
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.
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