Nature's Prescription - Forest Bathing • AIP Recipe Collection

🌲🌳 Nature’s Prescription – Forest Bathing 🌳🌲

Get Out in Nature … But Where To? … and Why?

We all know that there are plenty of health benefits to getting outside, stretching our legs and getting in those steps, but where should you go? Down a city street, a country road, take a hike, a bike ride or head for the beach? Does it even matter? And what if you’re just too tired to exercise?

Say Hello to Forest Bathing, or shinrin-yoku! Shinrin in Japanese means “forest,” and yoku means “bath” ~ and there’s actually NO water or exercise required ~ it’s simply about being in nature, connecting with it through our senses.

What possible good can that do, you ask? Studies show that simply spending 20 minutes immersed in nature can help decrease cortisol levels (the stress hormones that can compromise your immune system), which can help lower blood pressure, improve heart conditions, skin conditions and asthma. Reducing stress also allows you to think more clearly, be more creative and increases mood, focus and energy.

Great, but how do you do it, and what if you don’t have a forest handy?

First of all, this is about immersion in nature, it doesn’t have to be a forest. Choose a place outdoors that brings you calm, relaxation and happiness, perhaps something that stirs up pleasant memories of childhood.

The key to unlocking the power of forest bathing is in the five senses. Leave your worries and tech behind – truly switch off and concentrate on experiencing nature. Let it enter through your ears, eyes, nose, mouth, hands and feet.

Even a small amount of time in nature can have an impact on our health. An extended forest bath will help you to unplug from technology and slow down. It will bring you into the present moment, de-stress and relax you.

What can it look like?

🚶‍♀️ A peaceful walk
🧘‍♀️ Yoga or meditation while outdoors
🦋 Sit in your backyard or a park, listening to the birds and the gentle breeze
🏖️ Sitting at the beach
⛅ Watching the sunset
🌸 Smelling what’s around you (trees, flowers, bark, the rain or soil)
🌱 Pulling weeds or pruning plants
🍄 Foraging or picking flowers
🔥 Outdoor cooking

If it’s cold outside, don’t give up … bundle up for a shorter walk, or consider enjoying a bon-fire if you live in an area that allows.

If the weather is simply too extreme or you’re not able to get to a place where you can find peace and calm, there are still some benefits to enjoying nature virtually! Try watching nature videos of the forest or ocean that included natural sounds. I personally find it very calming to incorporate spa music with nature sounds when I’m working or as ambient sound as I drift off to sleep. YouTube provides some great options for FREE! – check out this channel.

Learn More!

Get 6 evidence-based forest bathing tips on Fullscript.com (click here for the article) where you’ll learn if there’s a right or wrong way for the practice, and how to get the most out of your forest bathing experience.

Grab your copy of the book “Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness” by Dr. Qing Li – The definitive, and by far the most popular guide to the therapeutic Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, or the art and science of how trees can promote health and happiness.