· 3 min read
illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Washington Post or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: At Harvard Medical School’s Arnold Arboretum, a group of young physicians participated in a guided “forest bathing” session — part of a broader effort by Brigham and Women’s Hospital to combat burnout in medicine
• Led by internist Dr. Susan Abookire, the session emphasized the physical and neurological benefits of nature immersion, a practice rooted in Japanese shinrin-yoku that is now gaining traction among U.S. medical institutions
🔭 The context: Forest bathing, developed in Japan in the 1980s, involves slow, mindful immersion in nature to enhance health and wellbeing
• Though often seen as fringe, it is now being adopted by leading hospitals and backed by growing scientific evidence
• Abookire, who trains healthcare professionals nationwide, cited studies showing that inhaling compounds like phytoncides and terpenes from trees can improve immune function, reduce inflammation, lower stress hormones, and potentially protect against cancer and dementia
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: As urbanization and screen time isolate more people from natural environments, forest bathing offers a low-cost, non-pharmaceutical intervention for mental and physical health—reinforcing the importance of accessible green spaces in sustainable urban planning
• It also underscores the role of biodiversity not only in planetary health but in public health, strengthening the case for conserving natural forests as both ecological and medical assets
⏭️ What's next: Medical programs like Harvard’s may increasingly integrate nature-based therapies into their wellness curricula
• While some debate remains over how structured the practice should be, researchers like Japan’s Qing Li advocate for even brief exposures to nature, citing evidence that health benefits from a single weekend in the forest can last a month
• Future research may explore how to replicate these benefits in urban settings through better design, tree planting, and public access
💬 One quote: “We’re standing here breathing in the atmosphere of the forest… inhaling phytoncides boosts our immune system,” — Dr. Susan Abookire, Harvard Medical School
📈 One stat: A two-night forest immersion has been shown to boost natural killer cell activity for up to 30 days, according to forest medicine expert Dr. Qing Li.
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