Forest Bathing: The Health giving qualities of Tree's

Trees emit essential oils called phytoncides to protect themselves from insects, animals, micro-organisms, bacteria and fungi, so these phytoncides are volatile compounds, meaning that they turn from liquid to gas at room temperature, and therefore they are found hanging in the air around trees, which us humans can breathe in. So, there are many different types of these phytoncides which we distinguish as individual terpenes the most notable terpenes include d‑Limonene, alphapinene and betapinene. All of which are aromatic fragrances which when inhaled travel directly to the part of the brain which processes emotion which can trigger emotional responses in people being the basis of aromatherapy. Interestingly the inhalation of these phytoncides and the individual terpenes has found to be responsible fort a range of physiologically protective qualities in humans, when we inhale them and have them circulating in our bodies. But what is even more profound is that the inhalation of these phytoncides has been proven to cause an increase in natural killer cells and natural killer cell activity with the expression of anti-cancer proteins.

So, these natural killer cells are a type of lymphocyte an immune cell used by the immune system to kill tumours, virus ridden cells and infectious microbes through the release of the antigens; pyronin, granzymes and Granulysin. So natural killer cells are crucial in our immune system and the protection against viral and cancerous growth.

One hour of walking in the woods in Japan showed a six-fold increase in the terpene pinene circulating in the blood, Dr Michael Greger goes on to highlight in his video of the research that “phytoncides induce human natural killer cell activity. If you stick natural killer cells in a petri dish with some unsuspecting leukaemia cells, your killers can wipe out some of the cancer cells, but add a whiff of cypress, white cedar, eucalyptus or pine, and the cancer cells don’t stand a chance.”

This research by Dr. Qing Li showed walking in the woods, but not a city increases human natural killer cell activity and the expression of these anti-cancer proteins. The study specifically showed significant increases in natural killer cells following a walk in the woods, which in contrast to the control group that went for a walk in an urban environment did not display changes. So, the findings of the study attributed this boosted immunity and anti-cancer properties to the phytoncides found in the woodland environments rather than from the physical exertion of walking and these findings were supported in a systematic review, a review of all the research titled ‘medical empirical evidence into forest bathing’. So, the increased levels of natural killer cells were shown to last up to 30 days following the visit to the woods highlighting important implications spending time in the woods as a tool for preventative medicine.

So, in summary, trees use phytoncides as a part of their immune system to protect themselves from predators, but it does appear that us humans may commandeer these compounds as a part of our own immune system, highlighting our interconnectedness to the nature around us and its medicinal properties. So, this in part what underpins the practice known as shining yaki in Japan, translated as forest bathing. Here we come out of the thinking and ruminating mind and instead become present with the senses.

“The idea is to stimulate all five senses while in the woods” “So you can see green colour in the visual sense, another sense is an olfactory so maybe you can sense some good smells, another thing is you can listen to the singing of the birds. Also, you can use touch, touch the tree, so all five senses so you are in the forest and your whole body can touch the nature and take all the atmosphere of the forest” “and so you can drop out of that cerebral world and drop into the sensory world”

Again, there are many proven physical changes that occur in humans following a visit to the woods, so we see a reduction in the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline and a significant decrease in blood pressure. “Forest therapy reduces blood pressure, this is before the forest bathing and this is after the forest bathing, if you take a medicine and it reduces blood pressure to a 7 or 8 its good medicine but you don’t need medicine you can just use forest bathing and get the same result and its free”.

So guided forest bathing and other similar practices have been so effective that they are now recognised as a clinical therapy in countries including Japan, Canada, New Zealand, Finland and south Korea. The UK has begun studies into forest bathing with positive findings thus far with GPs now being urged to make guided forest bathing available for prescription with the NHS.

And finally, if not for any other reason getting out into the woods provides refuge or simply time away from the toxic polluted air in urban cities. “A 9-year-old girl from south London who died following an asthma attack in 2013 has become the first person in the UK to have air pollution listed as a cause of death”. Ella’s case highlights the seriousness of air pollution and its impacts on human health. In the UK around 40,000 deaths each year are attributed to the exposure to polluted air with the global figure being 7 million, Air pollution globally is the fourth leading risk factor for disability and death. So, the issue is that busy urban areas the emissions from combustion engine cars are causing high levels of PM2.5 and nitrogen dioxide in the Air we breathe. So PM2.5 is particulate matter, which is less then 2.5 microns in size, That’s 30 times smaller then a human hair, it this tiny size that makes it so dangerous to humans as when its inhaled it can pass though the alveoli in the lungs, where it is transported via the bloodstream to every organ in the body where it has been shown to cause significant deterioration to human health.

In combination with Nitrogen dioxide, a gaseous pollutant which aggravates the respiratory system. It’s no surprise that in London alone there are a quarter of a million children who have to contend with asthma. This should not be an accepted norm; the UK government themselves acknowledge the adverse effects from PM2.5 and nitrogen dioxide on human health. Yet in the UK 8 million children still live in areas which exceed the legal limits of PM2.5 and nitrogen dioxide concentrations with the UK government being taken to court three times and losing all three cases due to unlawful protection of its citizens from toxic air pollution. Now London is just a microcosm of a global issue. 91% of the earths global population are said to be living in areas which exceed the W.H.O limits, now this may all sound like tree hugging hippie stuff, but this is the air we all breathe, yourself and your loved ones and it has been shown to unequivocally negatively impact human health.

So, the talk on pollution is often surrounding the environment and global warming, these toxic air pollutants we are inhaling each day seem to be overlooked. So, Ellas law is a campaign by the mother of Elu Adu Kisi Debbra who is campaigning clean air a human right by 2030. “unless things are in legislation, not a lot happens, it is our right to breath clean air and it is the government duty to clean up the air, it needs to be enshrined explicitly in UK law, what Ella’s Law will entail is that the UK targets are in line with the W.H.O targets, currently they are not”.

So, there are initiatives in place such as clean air zones and possible solutions put forth include Biofilters, such as moss walls used on buildings and motorways, “moss eats pollution, it sticks to its tiny leaves, its absorbed, digested and then its turned into more moss, you already see these bio-filters in several cities around the world” and man-made filters used in urban areas “and this inner layer is designed to filter tiny particles, including all PM2.5” . But it does seem like we have a long way to go in addressing this issue of poor air quality. So, the solutions to such a complex issue are beyond the scope of this video, but hopefully it raises awareness of issues that affect us all. The simplest advice I can give is where possible, avoid congested areas. Consider walking or cycling to your destinations via a quiet route. And generally, aim to spend more time in natural spaces surrounded by trees, whether this be inner city parks or rural woodlands, find your nearest green space.

So, get back to nature and connect with it. Go and breathe in its cleaner air and essential oils, detach from the manic city life. Spend time alone here and spend time with friends and family, nature will give you abundance, Thank you.