Forest Bathing

[madeleone]

In my recent post about our camping trip I talked about how I always feel re-energized by being in the forest. My youngest daughter and I have shared this feeling for years. It's not just camping and nature that call to us, but specifically the forest environment itself that seems to really charge our internal batteries. Now, come to find out, it's not just us. Apparently 'forest bathing' is a real thing. The practice began in Japan. Back in the early 1990s the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries coined the term Shinrin-yoku — which translates roughly as forest bathing. It's supposed to have documented health benefits of reduced stress hormones and decreased blood pressure among other things.

The link to the article and audio report aired on NPR is below, I found it all very interesting but I still prefer to believe the explanation that it's simply due to the dryad blood in my DNA. ;-)

Read this story:

Forest Bathing: A Retreat To Nature Can Boost Immunity And Mood

Comments

[gelsey.livejournal.com]

Our forest walk today. You'd love it there.

[madeleone]

OMG! It's gorgeous, you're right I would love it there. ;)

[gelsey.livejournal.com]

We go to a bunch of different trails and all. We're slowly expanding ourselves :D

[bambu345.livejournal.com]

You've always been surrounded by bountiful nature and beauty. It pretty much matches your soul.

[gelsey.livejournal.com]

I am, and I love it, and I'm grateful for it every day. The older I get the more I think that if I had to move to a city, I'd die inside. I can't imagine being happy in one.

[bambu345.livejournal.com]

Now that you mention this, I recall that early in our marriage and parentage, we used to take annual camping trips to the forest where we 'unplugged' and it was refreshing on every level.

I've always been partial to being surrounded by trees, even here in the desert of southern California. In fact, when we finally filled the pool we planted five fruit trees and a pepper tree on our property. Since I don't live in or near the forest, I'm bringing one to me!

I'm very pleased to know I'm not the only one who feels this way.

[madeleone]

we used to take annual camping trips to the forest where we 'unplugged' See people have been doing this forever, there just wasn't a fancy-shmancy name for it then. LOL!

I love that you are bringing trees into your environment, and soon you'll have your own personal little orchard.

[bambu345.livejournal.com]

"...people have been doing this forever, there just wasn't a fancy-shmancy name for it then." That's exactly my thought. Our ideal home is near a river -- where UberGeek can fish -- in the mountains with trees!

[nutmeg-44.livejournal.com]

My first thought was Dryad blood so we'll go with that.

[madeleone]

Good! I'm glad to see that someone else came to the same conclusion. ;-)

[nutmeg-44.livejournal.com]

Yep! It was my first thought and then you started hitting me with your science. LOL