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Shinrin-Yoku (aka Forest Bathing)
Jan. 3rd, 2015 09:40 amI ran across this article this morning on "7 Cultural Concepts that we don't have in the US" - which intrigued me. They all sound like some things that I/we could incorporate into our lives this year to make day-to-day life a little richer and better.
Shinrin-Yoku - is a Japanese term that means "forest bathing" and unlike the Norwegian translation above, this one seems a perfect language fit (though a pretty similar idea). The idea being that spending time in the forest and natural areas is good preventative medicine, since it lowers stress, which causes or exacerbates some of our most intractable health issues. As MNN's Catie Leary details, this isn't just a nice idea — there's science behind it: "The "magic" behind forest bathing boils down to the naturally produced allelochemic substances known as phytoncides, which are kind of like pheromones for plants. Their job is to help ward off pesky insects and slow the growth of fungi and bacteria. When humans are exposed to phytoncides, these chemicals are scientifically proven to lower blood pressure, relieve stress and boost the growth of cancer-fighting white blood cells. Some common examples of plants that give off phytoncides include garlic, onion, pine, tea tree and oak, which makes sense considering their potent aromas."
( Friluftsliv — pronounced free-loofts-liv — was first published in 1859, appearing in a poem by renowned Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen )
( Hygge - togetherness or coziness )
( Wabi-Sabi, embracing the imperfect )
( Kaizen - continuous improvement )
( Gemülichkeit - means more than just cozy )
( Jugaad - innovative fix )
Shinrin-Yoku - is a Japanese term that means "forest bathing" and unlike the Norwegian translation above, this one seems a perfect language fit (though a pretty similar idea). The idea being that spending time in the forest and natural areas is good preventative medicine, since it lowers stress, which causes or exacerbates some of our most intractable health issues. As MNN's Catie Leary details, this isn't just a nice idea — there's science behind it: "The "magic" behind forest bathing boils down to the naturally produced allelochemic substances known as phytoncides, which are kind of like pheromones for plants. Their job is to help ward off pesky insects and slow the growth of fungi and bacteria. When humans are exposed to phytoncides, these chemicals are scientifically proven to lower blood pressure, relieve stress and boost the growth of cancer-fighting white blood cells. Some common examples of plants that give off phytoncides include garlic, onion, pine, tea tree and oak, which makes sense considering their potent aromas."
( Friluftsliv — pronounced free-loofts-liv — was first published in 1859, appearing in a poem by renowned Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen )
( Hygge - togetherness or coziness )
( Wabi-Sabi, embracing the imperfect )
( Kaizen - continuous improvement )
( Gemülichkeit - means more than just cozy )
( Jugaad - innovative fix )
