How to Forest Bathe to Reduce Stress and Risk of Cancer.

Walk with trees to increase your fight against cancer.

The act of spending time in the forest is what the Japanese call shinrin-yoku, a term originating in the 1980s that means "bathing in the forest atmosphere.” It is done by being in nature, connecting with it through our sense of sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch.

It can boost your immune and lymphatic system, lower blood pressure, help with depression and increase your mood. Research has shown that it can also reduce the stress hormones of cortisol and adrenaline, known to be affected by hormonal based conditions, like lipedema, as well as increase natural killer cells known to fight against cancer.

How to do it? Find a place where you are surrounded by trees and plan to take a long, slow walk through nature. Do not rush yourself and focus on all of your senses taking everything in. Want to add to the experience? Consider stopping for some meditation while surrendering yourself back to nature. The goal of forest bathing is more than just taking a walk through the woods; it is about absorbing all that nature has to offer us and let nature support us in our path to healing.

Research article: Li Q, et al. Forest bathing enhances human natural killer activity and expression of anti-cancer proteins. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol. 2007 Apr-Jun;20(2 Suppl 2):3-8.