Shinrin Yoku
A visit to a doctor in Japan might end with a prescription to visit the forest.
“Shinrin-yoku is the Japanese practice of forest bathing, a therapeutic technique prescribed to patients in Japan to help lower their blood pressure and stress levels, alleviate depression and anxiety, increase immune and autonomic function, improve sleep, and boost mood, creativity, energy, and concentration. Many studies have been done throughout the world to test the efficacy of this technique with significant positive results.”
Certain trees and plants emit phytoncides, natural chemicals which defend the plants against insects, bacteria, and fungi. They also happen to be super healthy for our immune system as they increase activity of natural killer T cells, which protect against virus-infected cells and tumor formation.
People are instinctively drawn to the beaches and the mountains and the forests. Now we know why.
https://forestbathingcentral.com/phytoncides/
https://holdenfg.org/shinrin-yoku-the-japanese-medicine-of-forest-bathing/#:\~:text=Shinrin%2Dyoku%20is%20the%20Japanese,creativity%2C%20energy%2C%20and%20concentration.