If you didn’t know, forests heal humans. Pine trees release chemicals called phytoncides in their aromatic oils. Phytoncides are part of a pine tree’s immune system and humans can borrow it. Phytoncides kill bacteria, viruses, mold, and when humans are exposed to them, the number of natural killer cells doubles. If you were to examine them closely you’d see that the “cellular weaponry” that natural killer cells use to destroy pathogens also essentially doubles. Natural killer cells destroy cancer and they destroy pathogens as well. Just a few hours in a forest every 30 days is enough to improve your immune function according to Professor Qing Li, who studies and writes about the effects forests have on human health. Forest bathing immerses us in all of the healing properties of the forest.

Green light from the reflected sun through the forest canopy is so effective at relieving pain, green light therapy is practiced by modern medicine.

The sounds of the forest, including the wind in the trees, moving water, and bird songs relieve stress better than pharmaceutical drugs.

The damp forest floor is flowing with electrons, and when we electrically ground ourselves to it, by standing on it with bare feet inflammation lowers, and blood flow increases.

Moving water also releases negative ions which boost mood, improve immune function, and neutralize toxins on the air.

It’s no wonder then, that foods that grow in forests have immense nutritional properties. Berries for example have high levels of antioxidants and vitamin C, but king among them is the humble mushroom.

In one study just 18g of white button mushrooms daily reduced cancer risk by 45%.

While we have probably all heard that mushrooms like reishi, chaga. And turkey tail fight cancer, these rare and expensive mushrooms are difficult to find and were nearly always grown in China with unknown practices.

The white button mushroom is grown domestically, is dirt cheap, and can be found in every grocery store I’ve ever been to.

So how do you eat them? While throwing sautéed mushrooms on a steak ain’t a bad idea, K made us a delicious cream of mushroom soup. It’s basically drinkable, and allows me to get quite a lot more mushroom into my diet than a mere 18g.

While I don’t know for sure more is better I do know more won’t hurt.

I also know that occasional aspirin use, another tree derived medicine (before it was synthesized), reduces cancer risk by significant amounts as well. Aspirin is good for the heart and improves insulin sensitivity, meaning it works on all of the big 3 causes of death, cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

Fortunately if you’re sensitive to aspirin, white birch bark is sold as a supplement by herbalists. This is what our North American indigenous ancestors used as medicine and it’s what the active ingredient in aspirin was first derived from.

One must wonder what would happen if they combined the cancer preventative function of the mushroom with the anti inflammatory components of aspirin, or white birch, with grounding and exposure to pine oils.

Forests, even small ones (parks) are beneficial to human health. Find a forest or park near you and visit it at least once a month.

Links

[1] Grounding – The universal anti-inflammatory remedy – PMC – NCBI https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10105021/
[2] White Button Mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) Disrupts Androgen … https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8542389/
[3] Green Light Exposure Improves Pain and Quality of Life in … – NCBI https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7861466/
[4] Do Negative Ions Affect People? If So, How? – Healthline https://www.healthline.com/health/negative-ions
[5] Aspirin Use and Common Cancer Risk: A Meta-Analysis of Cohort … https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8279749/
[6] The effects of grounding (earthing) on inflammation, the immune … https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4378297/
[7] US Army Medical Research grant funds study of green light therapy … https://healthsciences.arizona.edu/news/releases/us-army-medical-research-grant-funds-study-green-light-therapy-postsurgical-pain
[8] Grounding the Human Body Improves Facial Blood Flow Regulation https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=51326
[9] Higher Mushroom Consumption Is Associated with Lower Risk of … https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8483951/
[10] Antimicrobial activity and chemical composition of white birch … – NCBI https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6957409/
[11] Effects of phytoncide on immune cells and psychological stress of … https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10331144/
[12] Effect of forest bathing trips on human immune function https://environhealthprevmed.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1007/s12199-008-0068-3
[13] Exposure to green light may reduce pain – TMC News https://www.tmc.edu/news/2020/02/exposure-to-green-light-may-reduce-pain/
[14] Higher mushroom consumption is associated with a lower risk of … https://www.psu.edu/news/research/story/higher-mushroom-consumption-associated-lower-risk-cancer/
[15] Higher mushroom consumption is associated with a lower risk of … https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/04/210421200133.htm
[16] 7 health benefits of mushrooms | UCLA Health https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/7-health-benefits-of-mushrooms
[17] The Effects of Forest Therapy on Immune Function – MDPI https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/16/8440
[18] Birch bark extract: Uses, Interactions, Mechanism of Action – DrugBank https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB16536
[19] Study of the betulin enriched birch bark extracts effects on human … https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3527166/