May 13th, 2019

Nature
The Perfect Way to Reduce Stress, Regulate Blood Pressure and Improve Health

​I have been asked recently by several friends if there was a natural way to deal with high blood pressure.  I was very happy to tell them that yes there is numerous ways and that some of them are better than over the counter prescriptions. I have always believed that God made everything on this earth for the benefit of Man.  The sheer number of medicinal, edible, and nutritional plants is a prime example of this.  If we think a plant is no use to man, it’s only because we have not unlocked its secret potential. 
                What if I were to tell you that you do not even need to consume or actively use herbs to receive their benefits.  Increasing amounts of research prove that being in the outdoors is beneficial to both physical and mental health.  This is not a new idea. Ayurveda, the ancient healing tradition of India, recommends spending time in nature each day. Enveloping ourselves in the rhythms and forms of nature can be transformative and healing (Madren, 2011).
                I have known the healing effects of Nature since I was a boy in Montana. I always marveled at how I would feel better after a few days camping in the woods with my family or friends.  Even today returning to the forest brings stress relief and a feeling of well-being.  A couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to return to Montana for two weeks and spend my time in the outdoors.  Something miraculous happened. Halfway through my stay I felt weak and tired and found that my blood pressure was very low.  I called my doctor and she told me to reduce my high blood pressure medicine by half.  I did and felt better the next day.  By the time I left to return to Texas I was down to a 1/4th of my normal dose.  After a few days of being home my high blood pressure returned and now I am back on my normal medications. 
                This event motivated me to do some research on the health benefits of nature and found that the Japanese have not only recognized this, but have made it a regular part of preventive medicine. The Japanese call it Shinrin-yoku, which is a term that means “taking in the forest atmosphere" or "forest bathing”. It was developed in Japan and has become a cornerstone of preventive health care and healing in Japanese medicine. Researchers in Japan, South Korea, and China have established a large body of scientific evidence on the health benefits of spending time in a living forest and breathing in volatile substances. These substances are called Phytoncides, which are antimicrobial volatile organic compounds emitted by trees. Japanese researchers are leading the way in accumulating an overwhelming body of evidence to support the fact that Phytoncides are very effective in reducing stress blood pressure and heart rate.  Researchers have found that exposure to a living forests, compared with a urban setting, yields a 12.4 percent decrease in the stress hormone Cortisol (Cortisol is a adrenal hormone essential to the balance of chemicals in the body), a seven percent decrease in sympathetic nerve activity, a 1.4 percent decrease in blood pressure, and a 5.8 percent decrease in heart rate (Williams, 2012).
                Those phytoncides are really something.  I’m sold!  Anahad O’Connor states that spending more time in nature might have some surprising health benefits. In a series of studies, scientists found that when people swap their concrete confines for a few hours in more natural surroundings — forests, parks and other places with plenty of trees — they experience increased immune function (O’CONNOR, 2010).

​Forests have much to offer in maintaining good health, recovery, and relief for the unwell. Green tracts have been shown to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, strengthen immune systems, and help those struggling with conditions such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (Madren, 2011). According to Yoshifumi Miyazaki, a professor at the Center for Environment, Health, and Field Sciences at Chiba 

National University in Japan, forest bathing has "preventive medical effects" such as relieving stress and recovering an immune system that has declined due to stress. He adds, "Artificialization is taking place at such a rapid rate that we now find ourselves in stressful ​​situations in our daily lives and are forced to deal with the resultant pressure." Proponents of forest bathing assert that a short trip to a forest offers relaxation as well as natural aromatherapy in the form of Antimicrobial Organic Compounds derived from trees called Phytoncides (Madren, 2011).
I could recite dozens more research facts from the many resources I have been studying but I thought it would be better if you read some of the material for yourself. Here are some links so you can read more on the health benefits of breathing in forest air.

• http://www.shinrin-yoku.org/
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19568835
• http://www.latimes.com/health/mentalhealth/la-he-forest-20150221-story.html
• http://www.motherearthnews.com/natural-health/herbal-remedies/forest-bathing-ze0z1301zgar
• http://thefreethoughtproject.com/landmark-study-shows-nature-kills-ptsd-combat-veterans/
• http://www.chopra.com/articles/healing-through-nature
• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennifer-edwards/natures-healing-effects-o_b_640887.html
• http://forest-therapy.net/healthbenefits.html
• http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/90720.html
• http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/06/health/06real.html
• http://www.natureandforesttherapy.org/blog/the-medicine-of-the-forest
• https://www.outsideonline.com/1870381/take-two-hours-pine-forest-and-call-me-morning

 
​                The body of scientific evidence is overwhelming in support of the theory that phytoncides are an effective way to reduce stress and improve health. In addition, evidence suggests that the there are few if any side effects compared to the current regiment of pharmaceutical drugs employed to combat stress disorders. I recommend five steps to experience the healing power of nature.

​

1. Set aside nature time at least 3 times per week. Make it a priority equal to anything else you plan, even work (Brieske, 2016).
2. Use your nature time wisely include walking, leave your cell phone, tablet, pager, IPOD, music player and other hand held distractions at home.
3. Use your outdoor time to meditate, pray, or ponder in silence (Brieske, 2016). 
4. At the end of each outdoor experience take the time to record your thoughts, feelings, observations, and sensations you had in a journal of some kind (Brieske, 2016).
5. Develop an attitude of gratitude. During your time pondering, meditating, praying or recording your thoughts, take the opportunity to list the things you are thankful for (Brieske, 2016).  

​References
Brieske, T. (2016). Healing Through Nature. Retrieved from The Chopra Center:          http://www.chopra.com/articles/healing-through-nature

Madren, C. (2011, Autumn). A Tree-Lined Path to Good Health. American Forests, 117(2), pp. 45-47. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1184022124?accountid=158302

​O’CONNOR, A. (2010, July 5). The Claim: Exposure to Plants and Parks Can Boost Immunity. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/06/health/06real.html?_r=3

Williams, F. (2012, November 28). Take Two Hours of Pine Forest and Call Me in the Morning. Outside. Retrieved from https://www.outsideonline.com/1870381/take-two-hours-pine-forest-and-call-me-morning

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