Written by: Amy Attenborough, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
I’ve always had a rather bizarre affinity for trees. Growing up I didn’t speak much about it though. The only people that seemed to connect with trees were somewhat unfairly labelled as ‘greenies’ or ‘tree huggers’ and I wasn’t sure I fitted into a label. I thought maybe I liked trees more than other children because I had an aunt who took me under her botany wing and shared her immense knowledge with me from a very young age. Then one day I just decided that I didn’t need a reason to love them. I accepted that I was a kind of tree architecture enthusiast; someone who admired their design, their towering beauty and most importantly, the way they made me feel.
This was until I heard about ‘forest bathing’, something that highlights how our bodies, minds and psyches were designed to live in communion with trees. We are not an aberration in nature, we are part of it and for as long as humans have been evolving we have been doing so alongside and with plant life. If there is anything that proves you belong in nature it’s the way trees invisibly support you beyond the well-known absorption of carbon dioxide and release of oxygen. Some of the proof lies in the ancient Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku.
Shinrin-yoku means “taking in the forest atmosphere”. In Japan, there is an entire sub-culture based around spending time with trees. What’s more is that this seemingly simple activity has been scientifically proven to improve health. In 1982 the Japanese Government introduced a national health programme based on it, with far-reaching effects. All it requires is quiet contemplation around the trees.
The ‘aim’ of the walk is not to exercise or hike but rather to take a gentle, mindful stroll through your natural surrounds and to be open to the full experience of the forest, allowing all your senses to be engaged. If needs be, find a spot that feels good to rest in and allow yourself to be awed. This gentle practice is yet another access tool to greater mindfulness and an example of the healing modalities that the west is slowly adopting from the east.
It sounds simple because it is but the health benefits are huge. Trees emit an oil, called phytoncides, as protection from germs and insects, and these oils are proven to help our immune systems. These organic compounds that the trees give off support our “NK” (natural killer) cells. These cells provide rapid responses to viral-infected cells and respond to tumour formation, and are associated with immune system health and cancer prevention.
Qing Li, a professor at Nippon Medical School in Tokyo, measured the activity of these NK cells in the immune system before and after exposure to forests. In her 2009 study, Li’s subjects showed significant increases of up to 80% in NK cell activity in the week after a forest visit, and positive effects lasted a month following each weekend in the woods.
Time in these forests also proved to lower heart and blood pressure levels, reduced stress hormones, reduced levels of depression and increased physical energy. We may have forgotten what it feels like to live amongst trees when we swapped skyscrapers for forests but as biological beings, our physiology certainly hasn’t.
Richard Louv, American author of Lost Child in the Woods, coined the term Nature-Deficit Disorder in 2005 to describe some of the negative physiological and psychological consequences of separating ourselves from nature, particularly for children. He cites attention disorders, obesity, a dampening of creativity and depression as some of the resultant problems. Although this has not been included in any of the medical manuals for mental disorders (yet), its effects on wellbeing are attracting widespread attention. The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated awareness of this as people around the world suffered the effects of being locked down and blocked from accessing green spaces. It seems though that the antidote is simple; reclaim green space again. The improvements I see, in the overall wellbeing of those willing to return to and experience the wilderness, are profound.
John Muir wrote, “Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilised people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home. Wilderness is a necessity.” And now we know why… People literally get better just by being amongst trees.
So the next time you’re on safari and you feel more lured to sit in the shade of an ancient Mahogany rather than tracking down a leopard, or at home, you’re called to wander through your nearest park instead of visiting the bustling downtown coffee shop, know that there’s nothing strange about you. You’re possibly doing the very best thing you can for yourself, your health and your wellbeing. There is a part of every single one of us that feels at home in nature, so allow yourself to go home every once in a while.
Amy Attenborough, Brainz Magazine Executive Contributor
Amy Attenborough is a South African safari guide and wilderness coach who has guided thousands of guests worldwide through Africa. These guided experiences intend to connect people with nature and a more natural way of being again. Her company, Wild Again, expands the traditional scope of a safari and facilitates wilderness experiences that heal the human-nature divide and restore wellbeing. In 2020 she lived with her brother in a Big 5 wilderness for 19 nights with no tents, no vehicle, minimal food and no other human contact, walking over 400km to raise funds for wildlife and glean wisdom from nature. Through traditional, photographic, walking, yoga and meditative safaris in wilderness areas, her mission is to restore internal wilderness and re-awaken the inherent belonging we feel in nature.
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