源自日本的 “森林浴” 概念如今受到世界各地越来越多人的喜爱。一些专家认为，在树林里散步可以帮助人们改善身体健康和提升幸福感。假如你正要前往森林，当你到达后，应该做什么？“随身英语” 讨论这个可以帮助我们缓解生活压力的自然疗法。
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article
How do you relax after a stressful day in the office? There are many remedies to help you unwind, but the best solution, according to some experts, lies in the great outdoors. It takes a little effort to get there but the benefits can be a perfect tonic for our stressed out lives. I am talking about the activity of forest bathing.
The Japanese concept of shinrin-yoku – or forest bathing – originates from the 1980s, when it was introduced as a national health programme by the country’s government. Stressed Japanese workers are today still relaxing and reconnecting with nature. The Forest Therapy Society has certified 62 forest therapy sites in the country and the forest bathing movement is also gathering momentum in other parts of the world. It says: "Just as bathing in a hot spring helps to soak your cares away, going for a walk in the woods is said to have a soothing effect."
If you’re worried that bathing involves stripping off your clothes, don’t be! This is about taking time to wander through woodland with no fixed plan or route and just immerse yourself in the forest atmosphere. Some health experts have said that having this exposure to nature seems to promote well-being and that’s particularly good for people with mental health issues. A study conducted in 24 forests across Japan found that walking among trees lowered blood pressure, the pulse rate, and the levels of the hormone cortisol, which is released in response to stress. It also found phytoncides - chemicals emitted by trees - have an anti-microbial effect on humans, boosting our immune systems.
Another study carried out a few years ago by Stanford University in the US, found similar benefits. Brain scans showed reduced activity in an area of the brain linked to the risk of mental illness in participants who took a 90-minute walk among oaks, birds and squirrels. One of the researchers, Gregory Bratman, told the BBC: "There's an increasing body of evidence showing that natural versus urban areas benefit us at least emotionally with our mood and possibly also our cognitive development too.” The evidence seems clear that forest bathing is a shot in the arm for stressed out workers, so now is the time to get out and lose yourself in the natural environment – you could even hug a tree as it could be your new best friend!
vocabulary
remedy 疗法
unwind 放松
tonic 使人精神振作的，让人为之一阵的事物
reconnect 使……感觉原来不再感觉得到的东西
therapy 治疗，疗法
gather momentum 势头有增长
soothing effect 缓解效果
exposure 接触
well-being 幸福，安康
mental health 精神健康
blood pressure 血压
pulse rate 脉搏率
hormone 荷尔蒙
phytoncides 芬多精，植物杀菌素
chemical 化学成分
immune system 免疫系统
body of evidence 大量证据
mood 心情
cognitive development 认知发展
a shot in the arm 让人振奋、鼓舞的力量
make sentences
After a stressful day in the office, I do like to have a nice hot bath to help me unwind.
Eating fruit to help my immune system has really helped – I haven’t picked up a cold or flu this year.
My daughter has become very moody since she became a teenager – I blame her hormones.
Getting a pay rise has been a real shot in the arm - I feel much more positive about my work now and feel appreciated.
Have you got any suggestions for herbal remedies to help cure my headache please?
question
Where should you go in a forest to benefit from forest bathing?
answer
You can anywhere – you wander through woodland with no fixed plan or route and just immerse yourself in the forest atmosphere.
@BBC Learning English
