'Nature Bathing' Is Good for Your Health

Don and Betty Price work hard all week. Don is an accountant, Betty an executive assistant. On weekends they're in the mood for some welcome rest, relaxation and rejuvenation. Their preferred solution: Take to the woods.

They often pile into their car and head for a park outside of the city where they live. On occasion they find the solace they're seeking much closer to home in an urban enclave.

Wherever the location, they take leisurely strolls interspersed by pauses to enjoy the surrounding beauty of Mother Nature, look for wildlife and literally smell the flowers. This opportunity is available to others as they travel around the country and perhaps near where they live.

As they enjoy their close-up encounter with an unspoiled landscape, Betty and Don are unaware that they're sharing an experience whose roots go back four decades to its birth in Japan. There it is known as shimrin-yoku, which translates to "forest bathing" and has been expanded to include "nature bathing."

Dozens of "forest therapy bases" are scattered about Japan. Trained personnel help participants to take part in activities that enable them to experience the environment in a very personal way.

The primary goal of forest bathing is to experience nature through all five senses. In addition to the pleasure of connecting with the earth in a meaningful way, research has indicted that it offers a number of health benefits well beyond the obvious feeling of relaxation. Medical studies show that it can lower blood pressure, help with obesity and diabetes, and boost the body's immune system.

Professor Qing Li, a physician and professor at the Nippon Medical School in Tokyo, is recognized as a founder in the field of forest medicine. He explains that being in a woodsy setting relaxes the brain, reduces blood pressure and impacts other body systems.

"The relaxing effects of forest bathing begin to appear 20 minutes after you begin and reach their maximum effect after two hours," he said.

Those who take part in this activity -- or perhaps more accurately inactivity -- do so in a number of ways. Some find an inviting spot to sit and take in the scenery. Others close their eyes and focus on the sounds and soothing scents of flowers and foliage. There are those who listen to bird calls or the humming of bees.

A bonus is that places in which to immerse oneself in a bucolic atmosphere are close to where most people live and definitely await discovery wherever you may travel.

There are 63 national parks in 33 states, along with the territories of American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Excluding state forests, wildlife refuges and other public lands -- many of which provide an inviting environment for some welcome R&R -- there are close to 2,500 state parks. Add undesignated woodlands, and it is estimated that close to 30% of this country is blanketed by natural forest. Adding to the opportunities are parks in and near cities and towns where people seeking a relaxing walk in the woods live or can visit.

New York City's Central Park was designed to offer city residents a convenient escape from urban life. The 843-acre enclave is the most-visited urban park in the United States. The three distinct woodland landscapes were inspired by nearby areas such as the Catskills and Adirondacks. In addition to hikers, bikers, joggers and others going about their daily exercise routines, the park attracts others wishing to get close-up and personal with nature.

Forest Park in St. Louis is almost twice as large as its New York counterpart and home to a collection of historic and cultural attractions. Its landscape includes meadows, prairie and wetlands, which provide inviting habitats for a variety of birds and other wildlife and those seeking to engage with it.

Griffith Park in Los Angeles sprawls over 4,310 acres of terrain, making it one of the largest city parks in North America. The city's Recreation and Parks Commission deemed it an "urban wilderness," and its rugged topography explains why.

For those who prefer to commune with nature while enjoying the luxuries of a first-class resort, plenty of options are also available. For example, my stay at Mohonk Mountain House, a historic four-season resort 90 miles north of New York City, combined history, a seemingly never-ending list of things to see and do, and the opportunity to stroll through the resort's 2,200-acre site plus 6,400 acres of adjacent woodlands.

Among the lengthy list of outdoor activities, depending upon the time of year, are golf and tennis; venturing out onto Lake Mohonk in a variety of boats or to fish and swim; horseback-riding and horse-drawn carriage rides; and, in winter, cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing, ice-skating and swimming in an indoor heated pool.

Guests can get their nature bath by exploring the resort's idyllic setting or booking a guided Forest Bathing Walk. In addition, author and mindfulness expert Nina Smiley offers group and private programs in mindfulness, wellness and stress reduction.

Wherever you live or travel, there's likely to be a restful reserve where you can find solitude, seclusion and opportunities to commune with untrammeled nature. The benefits of doing so can range from self-reflection and relaxation to real improvements in both physical and mental health and well-being.

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WHEN YOU GO

forestbathingfinder.com

mohonk.com

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Victor Block is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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