THE HEALING EFFECTS OF FORESTS
"Many
people," says Dr. Eeva Karjalainen, of the Finnish Forest Research
Institute, Metla, "feel relaxed and good when they are out in nature. But
not many of us know that there is also scientific evidence about the healing
effects of nature."
Forests
-- and other natural, green settings -- can reduce stress, improve moods,
reduce anger and aggressiveness and increase overall happiness. Forest visits
may also strengthen our immune system by increasing the activity and number of
natural killer cells that destroy cancer cells.
Many studies show that after stressful or
concentration-demanding situations, people recover faster and better in natural
environments than in urban settings. Blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension
and the level of "stress hormones" all decrease faster in natural
settings. Depression, anger and aggressiveness are reduced in green
environments and ADHD symptoms in children reduce when they play in green
settings.
In addition to mental and emotional well-being, more than half
of the most commonly prescribed drugs include compounds derived from nature --
for example Taxol, used against ovarian and breast cancer, is derived from yew
trees, while Xylitol, which can inhibit caries, is produced from hardwood bark.
Dr. Karjalainen will coordinate a session on the health benefits
of forests at the 2010 IUFRO World Forestry Congress in Seoul. "Preserving
green areas and trees in cities is very important to help people recover from
stress, maintain health and cure diseases. There is also monetary value in
improving people's working ability and reducing health care costs." she
says.
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