"Seeking Peace"

I need to find out how people obtain millions of dollars in research grants to “discover” something most of us knew by Kindergarten. Case in point: being outside is fun. In grade school, we clamored for recess. As adults we spend our vacations seeking out lakes and forested retreats. Nevertheless, it took scientific studies to make it official: being outside in the forest really is good for us!

I thought about this as I stared at a prescription the oncologist handed me. “Sorry, doctor, what does this say?” I don’t recall his exact reply, ending in a jumble of letters from the end of the alphabet including x and z, but I certainly knew it wasn’t a prescription to go hiking in the forest. If you think that seems like an outlandish idea, then you haven’t been in South Korea lately! Doctors there actually write prescriptions for a trip to their “healing forests.” These forests were specifically created to improve the health and wellbeing of its citizens. Japan has followed suit with designated healing forests. Finland is also conducting forest research, coming to the same conclusion that forests promote health.   

These healing forests employ what are termed “forest healing instructors” (not park rangers). One instructor in South Korea, Park Hyun-Soo, received a diagnosis of cancer at age 34. He quit his stressful corporate job and sought peace and recovery in the woods. It worked so well for him that he decided to pursue a career in forestry. Park is in remission and instructs other cancer patients how helpful nature is in the healing process. He says: “When I was first diagnosed, I had all kinds of fear and anxiety. I am happy now. I have zero percent anxiety.” [1] Park works in the Jangseong Healing Forest which has thousands of visitors a month. Many groups come for some type of healing. There are cancer patients, children with allergies, and even prenatal groups. Various activities are offered, depending on the participants. Some people do guided meditation and others work on wood-crafts, but the main activity for many is simply walking in the forest.

Why are forests peaceful and why do they reduce stress? It is a complex answer being worked on by several countries. One research institute is distilling essential oils from forest trees and plants. These oils are studied for effects on allergies and their ability to kill bacteria. For example, the citronella plant and the Japanese cedar are known for their anti-infective properties. Then there is the inexplicable peace a forest exudes. Winds caress high branches with a soothing swishing sound, birds brightly chirp, and the warm sun kisses your skin as the refreshing cool air balances the effect. Evidently, being in nature can bring a mental shift in the way we perceive our lives, helping us calmly reflect.

Exercising outdoors in nature has been shown to have measurable benefits for mental health. Symptoms of depression and anxiety are decreased. The effects were comparable to antidepressants! Though as a cancer patient, what interested me most is the claim that forests strengthen our immune system by increasing the activity and number of natural killer cells that destroy cancer cells. 

So, we may have known from childhood that we felt good when out in nature. However, Dr.
Eeva Karjalaninen of the Finnish Forest Research Institute validates our feelings with scholarship. She stated, “Not many of us know that there is also scientific evidence about the healing effects of nature.” [2] Blood pressure, heart rate, and the level of stress hormones all decrease quicker in forested settings. Trees as healing agents may not seem far-fetched if we take into account over half of the most commonly prescribed drugs have compounds derived from nature. For example, Taxol, used against breast and ovarian cancer is derived from Yew trees.

So even if you never want to hug a tree, you may find heading to the forest brings you better health. At the very least, as you breathe deeply of cedar or pine, nature’s aroma therapy will make you feel relaxed, revived, and at peace.

Reflection:

Do you feel more relaxed in green places?

Why do you think being in a forest changes our perceptions?

1 Florence Williams. “Can trees heal people?” 6 June 2017. <https://ideas.ted.com/can-trees-heal-people/>.

2 USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. "The healing effects of forests." ScienceDaily. 26 July 2010. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100723161221.htm>.