Healing Trees

By Aimee McNally, (San Jose)

There is a rapidly growing health treatment called nature therapy that is finally being recognized by medical professionals as a means to boost mental and physical health for both adults and children.  Nature therapy is simply taking a walk in a tranquil green forest and focusing on what grabs your attention. This type of therapy provides a chance for the mind and body to slow down and reconnect with God. 

In addition, studies have shown that green environments help children with ADHD, depression, promoting healthy moods, positive energy, better sleep, and weight management.

How does a walk in the forest provide mental and physical health benefits?  Most Christians acknowledge that God's creation is beautiful and provides a sense of peace and calm. 

Coming from a scientific point-of-view, research has identified three major benefits: beneficial bacteria, plant-derived essential oils, and negatively-charged ions.

• The air in the forest is full of beneficial bacteria which get inhaled through micro-aspiration into the lungs and land on the tongue to get ingested by the gut. When the body is made up of good bacteria, the mind and body are healthier. 

• Essential plant oils are also present in the forest air. One study found 72 essential plant oil compounds in the leaf from a redwood tree. The oils help fight off harmful microorganisms in the body.

• In addition, negative ions have long been attributed to improvements in mood and physical health by combating free radicals within the body. Maybe this sounds wacky, but science and personal experience have proven that walking in God's creation provides therapeutic health benefits for the mind and body.

The Bible, which is my favorite book of nature therapy, so clearly describes how God’s creation was designed to benefit us.  I encourage you to read the beautiful words in Psalm 104:10-21, Job 12:7-10, and one of my favorites, “In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:2). God’s beautiful green forests are designed for our benefit, to heal the mind and body. This summer I hope that you can get outside to enjoy His beautiful creation.