Energy Reboots: you don’t always need a
pill or a gym
Be a “forest-bather,” why it’s smart to
send our students, workers, children, loved ones, and ourselves, outside for a
quick stroll near trees and plants on
a frequent and regular basis.
The Japanese recognize the exceptionally
healthful effects of the woodlands and park areas with a popular practice
called Shinrin-voku or “forest bathing” based on
the therapeutic effects of being near nature parks, trees and plants.
Back in the day, our parents always told
us, “Go outside and play.”
There is a theory about why going
outside is in fact so healthful: plants, trees, bushes, release a chemical
called phytoncides.
Plants use this
antimicrobial chemical for protection from rot and decay, but phytoncides it
would appear, are helpful compounds to people as well.
The phytoncides are widely used in
holistic medicine in Russian, Japan, and China. Studies on the effects of “forest
bathing” on human immune function shows that simply being near and
around plants:
- lowers blood pressure
- lowers cortisol concentration
- lowers pulse rate
- decreases anger, anxiety, depression
We’ve all experienced the deodorization properties
of the plant phytoncides; we automatically want to breathe in and inhale deeply
the pine tree odors, flower perfumes, grass etc. We do
this instinctively because the plants naturally detoxify bad smells and inhaling
refreshes and relaxes our nervous system.
Spending a little time with the plants
and trees around you provides you with a little reboot, or charge and we can
always us a little natural mood-boost throughout the day. The healthful
properties of plants coupled with a little movement such as strolling, are the
perfect antidote to a toxic environment.
This week make it a point to take 7-minute
breaks from your indoor routines, get a little blast of fresh air and invest in
your health.
Find tree canopied areas and walk by
plant beds, under trees, near bushes. The more varied vegetation the better
it is for your health as varied plants each offer their unique concentrations
of medicinal essential oils (phytoncides).
When you get back from these outdoor
moments- check-in with yourself and note, “Did you feel any surge in your
energy, are you a little more relaxed or happy?” If so, you have had another
week with improved wellness.
These little interludes might seem unimportant but in my view, taking these little steps are in fact transformative; contact with nature can shift your consciousness, your viewpoint, your energy. "Forestbathing" 'Shinrin-Voku" is a best practice that is essential to The
Training Table and will help you on your quest for anti-aging and good health.
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