health benefits of forest bathing aromatherapy terpenes
What is forest bathing?
Forest Bathing or shinrin-yoku is a term that has been gaining almost cult-like recognition amongst nature-centric readers since it emerged from Japan in the 1980s. This technique involves taking meditative walks in forest settings and emerging oneself in nature with the purpose of reconnecting with Mother Nature for its mental and physical wellness benefits.
The act of “forest-bathing” can be as simple as walking in the forest or as complex as meditation or other aspects of connection to the surrounding environment. As. a concept, forest bathing has been inspirational in pushing biophilic design to the top of the agenda for real estate developers with an eye on sustainability and wellbeing in buildings and interiors.
What are the health benefits of immersion in nature?
Forest Bathing can produce many positive effects for humans but some of the most important have been seen within the immune system. The main benefit has to do with the quality of air people are exposed to in comparison with industrialized smog that accompanies most city air.
All plants produce phytoncides which are organic compounds that have antimicrobial, antibacterial and antifungal qualities that create a protective microclimate surrounding plants that fend off insects, animals, diseases and other decomposition.
what research studies have been done into benefits of shinrin yoku?
In relation to the human immune system, these properties significantly increased the cytolytic activity of NK-92MI cells. These natural killer cells (NKs) have been shown to kill tumors/viruses and are thought to be derived from the phytoncides emitted by plants (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17903349/ ).
In contrast, the city tourist visit did not increase human NK activity, numbers of NK cells, or the expression of the selected intracellular perforin, GRN, and GrA/B (all important in immune responses). (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2793341/#CR37 )
Along with the boost in immune responses, forest-bathing has also been shown to reduce stress level in humans by significantly decreasing urine adrenaline and noradrenaline concentrations in both male and females. Noradrenaline is the predominant neurotransmitter released by the sympathetic system; the level of noradrenaline increases during increased physical activity while adrenaline levels increase under circumstances of novelty, anticipation, unpredictability, and general emotional arousal (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16749410/ ).
Other studies have reported that forest bathing trips reduce saliva cortisol levels, prefrontal cerebral activity, and blood pressure in humans, as well as stabilize autonomic nervous activity (Park BJ, Tsunetsugu Y, Ishii H, Furuhashi S, Hirano H, Kagawa T, et al. Physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the atmosphere of the forest) in a mixed forest in Shinano Town, Japan. Scand J For Res. 2008;23:278–83. )
What are the benefits of aromatherapy in retail products like monq?
MONQ currently offers seven different blends of “therapeutic air” - aromatherapy-inspired wellness diffusers with zero tobacco, nicotine, or artificial flavors based on 100% pure essential oil blends. Made in the USA and launched by former Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Eric Fishman, the concept is basically that of inhaling the bio-hacked air via the mouth or nose.
The best way to use this product is by breathing in through your mouth and out directly through the nose, not having to inhale in the lungs. By exhaling out the nose, olfactory receptors are stimulated to allow for faster action. There are also other ways the diffuser can be used (outlined on their website) but this is the fastest acting way.
With them being an ethical and sustainable company, they are in compliance with Environmental safety requirements required by Environmental Protection Agency and are FCC Electromagnetic Compatibility which means, diffusers do not cause electromagnetic interference nor vice versa.
what are the health claims of forest aromatherapy?
Aromatherapy has been an enduring wellness method increasing in popularity during the last few decades but how legitimate are these claims to wellness benefits really?
Aromatherapy is a type of holistic medicine that focuses on treating the person as a whole and not just the symptoms by utilizing natural plant extracts for health and wellbeing. Also called essential oil therapy this practice makes use of various terpenes and terpenoids found in plants.
What are terpenes in forest bathing wellness?
Terpenes (pinene, myrcene, limonene, terpinene, p-cymene) are characterized as compounds with simple hydrocarbons structures that promote antimicrobial activities and cell rupture/ inhibition of DNA and protein synthesis.
This is beneficial because without protein synthesize, the cells in our body can’t function properly so if the bad cells (such as bacterial and fungal) are prevented from functioning, they cannot do the damage they usually would. Terpenoids (oxygen-containing hydrocarbons) are defined as modified class of terpenes with different functional groups and oxidized methyl groups moved or removed at various positions.
Some of the most common terpenes are as follows: 1. Pinene (mainly comes from pine tree resin and produces an earthy aroma that is anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory) , 2. Humulene (also with a woodsy aroma that is mainly used as an appetite suppressant),3. Limonene (bright and citruses in scent that is seen as uplifting with qualities that help reduce anxiety and depression), and 4. Myrcene (earthy and clove-like scent that produces overall feelings of euphoria and relaxation).
Research on health benefits of Terpenes in cannabis and CBD
A lot of the research being conducted on terpenes has to do with cannabis and what can be found among different strains, but the benefits can be seen similarly in aromatherapy.
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590157522000153#b0065 )
Terpenes are just a sub-category of the concentration of plant extracts that go into essential oils. Essential oils that are used in aromatherapy are comprised of terpenes and other aspects of plants once their leaves, roots, flowers, etc are extracted. Therefore, you can have a terpene without it being an essential oil but can’t have an essential oil without terpenes.
From all of the different types of terpenes there are different aroma families that essential oils fall into: citrus, floral, herbaceous, camphoraceous, minty, spicy, musky and woody/earthy.
All of these families have slightly different benefits, but some overlap as well. The citrusy (lemon, orange, etc) and woody/earthy (cypress, pine, etc) are the classes most associated with feeling energized, refreshing and emotionally balancing.
Minty (spearmint, peppermint, etc) and spicy (basil, cinnamon, etc) are most associated with feelings of motivation and mental clarity.
Musky (frankincense, myrrh, etc) and camphoraceous (eucalyptus, etc) and herbaceous (tea tree, fennel, etc) fragrances are most linked to a sense of inner calm, relaxation and grounding properties. Floral smells (chamomile, rose, lavender, etc) have the most variety in terms of effects from sleep-inducing to mood balancing.
All of these effects have been studied and shown to produce desirable results however, it is still important to note all that we don’t know on the subject. First of all, essential oils and other types of aromatherapy are for external use only and typically are taken up by olfactory nerves (receptors in the nose) and then sent to the brain.
Or, when applied topically, are absorbed by the skin and go into the bloodstream. But with the new-ness of this all, there are not a lot of concrete reasons as to why these chemical compounds have all of the effects, they have on our specific microbiomes in our bodies.
So while aromatherapy has been shown to help reduce anxiety/stress and promote sleep, it is important to note that this alone with not alleviate all symptoms and should NOT be used as a primary care agent.
FURTHER READING ON BENEFITS OF NATURE EXPOSURE AND AROMATHERAPY
- Biological Activities of Essential Oils from Selected Aromatic Plants
(actahort.org/books/390/390_28.htm )
- Aromatherapy for Pain Management in Labor
(https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD009215/full )
- The Effects of Aromatherapy on Sleep Improvement: A Systematic Literature Review
and Meta-Analysis (https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/acm.2014.0113 )
- Essential Oils Used in Aromatherapy: A Systematic Review
(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2221169115001033 )
- The Physical Effects of Aromatherapy in Alleviating Work-Related Stress on Elementary
School Teachers in Taiwan
(https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24228065/#:~:text=The%20results%20show%
20that%20only,who%20had%20a%20heavy%20workload. )