Welcome to Deb's Dibbles of Interest

Feel the Calming Difference Within You

Simply being in the forest creates a noticeable boost in your well-being. Allowing for an improved mood while balancing your stress levels and overall health. When stressed, our body releases a hormone called cortisol.  Cortisol can cause all sorts of health problems from anxiety to depression, organ issues of heart disease or weight gain, as well as memory and concentration problems. After going for a walk in the forest, the stress hormone cortisol drops considerably. Any walking will benefit our health, but around the city, or at the gym inside did not show the same results as forest bathing showed for the reduction in the stress hormone cortisol.  Forest bathing sets off your body's "rest and digest" system helping you to conserve energy and slow your heart rate while increasing activity in your immune and digestive system. Your brain, gut and glands repair slowly as your body consumes the natural beauty found in the chemically enriched surroundings.

Interesting studies have found that you can lower the amount of cortisol in your saliva by 9 percent while viewing images of being in a lush forest compared to imagery of being in an urban area. Your cortisol levels can drop by 12 percent, your heart rate can decrease by 5 percent, your blood pressure can go down by 1.4 percent all while enjoying the fresh phytoncides in the air. Being submerged in an oxygent enriched forest, surrounded in quiet nature can decrease your body's "fight or flight" system by 7 percent. Relieving you of damaging stress as your mind opens to the awe of nature, as you smell and feel the air urging you to take deeper, slower breathes, and the want to touch things like bark and leaves. Almost a child like innocence comes over us. Stresses can disrupt our immune system and make it harder for our body to fight off viruses, bacteria and diseases. Forest bathing can lower the amount of stress hormones in your body, leaving you feeling happier, healthier and stronger.

Research studies as far back as 2008 are starting to see a link that forest bathing might have anti-cancer benefits too! Work of participants involving in a three-day forest duration test, found that it produced anti-cancer proteins that lasted for more than a week after returning from the trip. This brings excitement to the possibilities as scientists are still looking into the potential cancer fighting benefits.

The natural chemicals that evergreen trees release into the air are called phytoncides. These chemicals are now known to help our immune system get better at protecting, repairing and healing our body. Forest bathing in areas of dense evergreens show to have higher levels of phytoncide in the air during chemical shedding. Phytoncides at increased levels offer the best boosting aid for our immune system functions.

Being engaged in nature has an incredible effect on our creativity. 20 to 40 minutes in the forest will start to help us think clearer and be more creative. Spending more then 2 hours hiking in the wilderness can improve performance up to 30% on creative problem-solving tasks afterwards. 2 hours is a reasonable amount of time when we can really start feeling the benefits of being in nature. Spending 3 hours is the optimal time in the wilderness to see a difference in so many ways, and allow us to continue feeling that goodness as we emerge back to our daily routines. 

Nature's Gift 

Forest bathing, also known as shinrin-yoku, is a practice that involves immersing oneself in the healing power of nature, particularly among trees. When we spend time in a forest, trees release certain chemicals called phytoncides, which have been found to reduce stress levels and boost our immune system. As we breathe in these chemicals, our brain reacts by releasing endorphins, which are responsible for making us feel good and improving our mood. The benefits of forest bathing extend beyond just our mental state. Studies have shown that spending time in nature can lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety and depression, and boost creativity. It is a holistic experience that rejuvenates our body, mind, and soul, leaving us feeling refreshed and revitalized.

Deb's Dibbles of Interests