The Benefits of a Walk in the Woods or by the Water

Most people report feeling refreshed, healthier and happier after walking among the trees or by the water. According to research it’s not just a matter of taking time away from work and letting go of stress.?

My wife and I are so fortunate to live in the city but adjacent to the ocean and beautiful city park (Stanley Park), where we walk daily with our dog. We can testify as to the benefits of this proximity.

For more than 20 years, scientists have been trying to determine the mechanisms by which exposure to nature improves health. Recently, Japanese scientists pioneered the search when they travelled to the island of Yakushima, famous for its biodiversity.

The Japanese already had a name for the experience of well-being in nature: “shinrin-yoku” or “forest bathing”.?

The?research?shows that a diverse ecosystem supports a varied and beneficial microbial community not only around us but also inside us. And now?research?shows that that exposure to green space, even within urban environments, increases our physical and mental well-being. But what are the mechanisms?

The Japanese researchers?suggested?that we are taking in beneficial substances when we breathe forest air. The research has identified three major inhaled factors that can make us feel healthier. These factors are beneficial bacteria, plant-derived essential oils and negatively-charged ions.

From birth to the grave, beneficial bacteria surround us; they live in the environment and, importantly, in?the air we breathe. We also share almost our entire body with them. The more interaction we have with them, the happier and healthier we are.

This is in part due to our gut-dwelling bacteria, which break down the food we cannot digest and produce substances that benefit us both?physically?and?mentally.

Plants and the bacteria living on them can produce essential oils to fight off harmful microorganisms. These are referred to collectively as?phytoncides, literally, “plant-derived exterminators”.

Research on the health benefits of plant essential oils is?fairly new.??But one recent?study?found that a phytoncide from Korean pine trees improved the health of pigs. And humans share 98% of the DNA with pigs.

There is evidence that negative air ions may influence mental outlook in beneficial ways. There are relatively higher levels of negative air ions in forested areas and close to bodies of?water. This may factor into the benefits of walking in a forest or near the water.

Bacteria, essential oils and negative ions interact and influence each other. For example, negative ions and phytoncides may dictate the microbial make-up within a natural environment. There is?evidence?that this could also be taking place in the human gut.

Nature-relatedness, or?biophilia?in which an individual feels connected to nature, has been?linked?with better health.

But we have a long way to go before we can more fully understand the mechanisms by which an innate love of nature can benefit our health. An important part of this discussion – an overlooked one in our opinion – is further understanding of an individual’s connection to nature.

Psychologists have convincingly demonstrated?connections?between nature relatedness and mental well-being. Research is now examining how??a greater personal affinity to nature interact with dietary habits, personal microbiome, physical activity levels and many other lifestyle variables that might be intertwined with having such an affinity.

In the meantime, while scientists turn over stones and search for important mechanistic clues – including those related to biodiversity – there are many simple ways to capitalise on our biophilia.

In the World Health Organization report?Connecting Global Priorities – Biodiversity and Human Health, released in December last year, it was concluded that: “Considering ‘microbial diversity’ as an ecosystem service provider may contribute to bridging the chasm between ecology and medicine/immunology [… ] the relationships our individual bodies have with our microbiomes are a microcosm for the vital relationships our species shares with countless other organisms with which we share the planet.”

In a study published??in?Journal of Physiological Anthropology, the authors called for more research into the links between biodiversity and human physical and mental well-being, particular in relation to childhood, that most formative of times. The authors asked “Wouldn’t it be good if by nurturing our environment we were also nurturing our children’s future health?”

There is increasing evidence that we can help shape our children’s mental and physical health by exposing them to more green environments as they work, rest and play. The US-based?Children and Nature Network?is a great resource of research news and activities bringing children and nature together.

Of course, taking time out to be among the trees or by the ocean may be difficult for city dwellers, nevertheless, when time allows, Why not run in the park or by a river instead of on a treadmill, or take a walk?through a park?on the way to work or at lunchtime?

And finally the research brings into focus the serious problems created by destructive climate change caused by humans and the cutting down of huge areas of forest on the planet.