What is Forest Bathing
East Texas is very different from Alaska!
The photo above this article is a great childhood memory for me. After driving from Houston, Texas across the western US and through 3 Canadian provinces we finally arrived in Alaska in June 1977. It was a lifelong dream of my dad’s to visit Alaska. In 1977 his dream became reality on a family road trip he had meticulously planned for over 2 years. What does this have to do with forest bathing? Have you visited Alaska? It’s all about the outdoors!
Keep Reading for a free download 'How Trees Create Calm'. Emotional balance is a skill, learn and build your personal emotional balance toolkit.
East Texas is very different from Alaska. However, we have our ‘Pine Curtain’ and the dense Piney Woods of East Texas roll across hills for miles. The Texas Forest sector (primarily located in East Texas) supports over 172,000 jobs with an economic impact in 2020 of 46.1 billion in industry output.
You don’t have to travel far to enjoy a wooded park or forest in East Texas. Besides economically, how exactly do trees help us physically, mentally and emotionally? Trees lower our pulse, and reduce the sympathetic nervous system activity – in other words; trees calm us down. The Japanese have long practiced Shinrin-yoku or forest bathing to alleviate stress, aggression, fatigue and feelings of depression. The science behind the trees is attributed to phytoncides trees emit, especially conifers such as spruce, firs, pine and cedar.
A Japanese study discovered that regular forest bathing trips significantly decreased anxiety, depression and anger as well as reducing adrenaline and cortisol in the study’s volunteers. The Japanese describe this as natural aromatherapy. How can urban and city dwellers replicate the effects of ‘forest bathing’ when no forest is nearby? By using pure, unadulterated essential oils to promote a sense of calm and inner focus anytime you're feeling overwhelmed or burnt out. I use tree oils daily during my quiet time and prayer. Forest bathing is simply taking in the aroma of the forest through your senses. By incorporating high quality essential oils into your quiet time, prayer and personal worship space you can re-connect with nature, promoting feelings of confidence and clarity. My personal favorite essential oil is actually a blend of several conifer tree essential oils along with Ylang Ylang. This grounding blend promotes a deep abiding sense of peace and protection. Emotional balance is a skill and you can learn with the correct information and tools to build your personal emotional balance toolkit.
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I am not a physician and no product I mention is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. The products I discuss in this article have not been evaluated by the FDA. This information is for educational purposes only.
Li, Q. Effect of forest bathing trips on human immune function. Environ Health Prev Med 15, 9–17 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12199-008-0068-3
