The Japanese call it Shinrin-yoku, which can be translated as “forest bathing.” Developed in Japan during the 1980s, the practice of taking a stroll in a wooded area has become a cornerstone of preventive health care and healing in Japanese medicine. One 2015 study showed that taking a walk in a natural environment increases people’s mood and decreases the number of negative thoughts they experience. People who walked through city streets didn’t show any of these benefits. If you’re a city dweller, think about changing your commute so it takes you through a park or a green space.
I try to walk though St. Nicholas Park several times a week. I always feel better, regardless of the days demands, afterwards. – CZV
Filed under: Community Green, Environment, Parks, The Fit Chick, blog, exercise, Health, Running, St. Nicholas Park, walking