Friday September 29, 2017
World Heart Day
What are your body’s bio rhythms? Are you in tune with the rising and the setting of the sun? Are you aware of the season change and the equinox on your body? Living in urban centres in the industrialized world have removed the majority of the population from the forest, the electrical light have de-sensitized the body to the cycles of daylight, our heart and cardiovascular system work in tune to clocks, calendar schedules, and a face paced life to meet deadlines. Where is the time spent breathing slowly and deeply and becoming attune to the rhythm and flow of our bodies in the forest? Who re-charges their hearts and bodies at day break with a saunter in the woods? Who winds down the day with a relaxing stroll through the forest to ready the mind-body for sleep? Do you know when the next full moon or new moon is?
Studies have proven that walking in the forest has cardiovascular benefits. Hospital gardens, Shinrin-Yoku or forest bathing researchers are all finding calming, relaxing benefits on the cardiovascular system as compared to those walking a brick and ashpalt urban setting.
““We performed field experiments in four different local areas to evaluate the physiological benefits of forest walking. Our data indicated that the forest walking program has a positive influence on cardiovascular relaxation.””…”participants felt more comfortable, soothed, and natural after forest walking than after urban walking both before and after activities,” stated researchers from Finland, Japan and Korea
“Time spent walking and relaxing in a forest environment (“forest bathing” or “forest therapy”) has well demonstrated anti-stress effects in healthy adults… Blood pressure and several physiological and psychological indices of stress were measured the day before and approximately 2 h following forest therapy… Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP), urinary adrenaline, and serum cortisol were all significantly lower than baseline following forest therapy … Subjects reported feeling significantly more “relaxed” and “natural” ” Researchers
Polizzi states that the Journal of Alternative And Complimentary Medicine, walking barefoot “reduces blood viscosity, which is a major factor in cardiovascular disease”. Yoga practitioners practice cleansing throughout the body by walking barefoot.
Prayer of the Woods
“I am the heat of your hearth on the cold winter nights, the friendly shade screening you from the summer sun, and my fruits are refreshing draughts quenching your thirst as you journey on.
I am the beam that holds your house, the board of your table, the bed on which you lie, and the timber that builds your boat.
I am the handle of your hoe, the door of your homestead, the wood of your cradle, and the shell of your coffin.
I am the bread of kindness and the flower of beauty. ‘Ye who pass by, listen to my prayer: Harm me not.”
– Portuguese legend
Have you every cared for your heart by planning a walk in the forest? Have you ever turned on your phone app and plotted a nature trail where you have wandered to share with others? What about You Tube? Have you ever filmed your walk, and uploaded your movie to YouTube to share the beauty of the natural forest you visited? Help others to discover nature, to heal their heart, just by telling your story. \Add your forest story to the 150 forest story compilation today!
“We believe in the innate intelligence of the villagers, the country men and the workers, that they should be allowed to manage their own affairs. We believe they will put into their work not merely their hands and their feet, but their brains and their hearts. Each can experience the transcendental joy of creation, and can earn immortality and bestow immortality.” ~Richard St. Barbe Baker
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Case, Adams Naturopath. Forest Walking Reduces Anxiety, Produces Heart Benefits Heal Naturally
Science-based Natural Health. Realnatural, Inc
Franklin, Deborah How Hospital Gardens Help Patients Heal Hospital gardens turn out to have medical benefits Scientific American March 1, 2012
Hiroko Ochiai,1,† Harumi Ikei,2,† Chorong Song,2,† Maiko Kobayashi,3 Ako Takamatsu,4 Takashi Miura,5 Takahide Kagawa,6 Qing Li,3 Shigeyoshi Kumeda,7 Michiko Imai,8 and Yoshifumi Miyazaki2,* Physiological and Psychological Effects of Forest Therapy on Middle-Aged Males with High-Normal Blood Pressure Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2015 Mar; 12(3): 2532–2542. Published online 2015 Feb 25. doi: 10.3390/ijerph120302532 PMCID: PMC4377916
Jae-un, Limb Forest healing prevents cardiovascular disease Department Global Communication and Contents Division, KoreaNet Sci-Tech. Feb 28, 2014Juyoung Lee, Yuko Tsunetsugu, Norimasa Takayama, et al., “Influence of Forest therapy on Cardiovascular Relaxation in Young Adults,” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, vol. 2014, Article ID 834360, 7 pages, 2014. doi:10.1155/2014/834360
Keys, Jon Licensed Professional Counselor and Herbalist Healing the Heart: Exploring Heart Rate Variability and Trauma
Murata T, Takahashi T, Hamada T, Omori M, Kosaka H, Yoshida H, Wada Y. Individual trait anxiety levels characterizing the properties of zen meditation. Neuropsychobiology. 2004;50(2):189-94. http://www.karger.com/?DOI=10.1159/000079113
Telpner, Meghan. Into The Woods: Healing Benefits of Forest Bathing
Tobaldini E, Nobili L, Strada S, Casali KR, Braghiroli A, Montano N. Heart rate variability in normal and pathological sleep. Front Physiol. 2013 Oct 16;4:294. http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2013.00294
Polizzi, Nick. Can walking barefoot heal your heart? August 1st, 2017
For directions as to how to drive to “George Genereux” Urban Regional Park
For directions on how to drive to Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area
For more information:
Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area is located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada north of Cedar Villa Road, within city limits, in the furthest south west area of the city. 52° 06′ 106° 45′
Addresses:
Part SE 23-36-6 – Afforestation Area – 241 Township Road 362-A
Part SW 23-36-6 – SW Off-Leash Recreation Area (Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area ) – 355 Township Road 362-A
S ½ 22-36-6 Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area (West of SW OLRA) – 467 Township Road 362-A
NE 21-36-6 “George Genereux” Afforestation Area – 133 Range Road 3063
Wikimapia Map: type in Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area
Google Maps South West Off Leash area location pin at parking lot
Web page: https://stbarbebaker.wordpress.com
Where is the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area? with map
Where is the George Genereux Urban Regional Park (Afforestation Area)? with map
Facebook Group Page: Users of the George Genereux Urban Regional Park
Facebook group page : Users of the St Barbe Baker Afforestation Area
Please help protect / enhance /commemorate your afforestation areas, please contact the Friends of the Saskatoon Afforestation Areas Inc. (e-mail)
Support the afforestation areas with your donation or membership ($20.00/year). Please donate by paypal using the e-mail friendsafforestation AT gmail.com, or by using e-transfers Please and thank you! Your donation and membership is greatly appreciated. Members e-mail your contact information to be kept up to date!
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“St. Barbe’s unique capacity to pass on his enthusiasm to others. . . Many foresters all over the world found their vocations as a result of hearing ‘The Man of the Trees’ speak. I certainly did, but his impact has been much wider than that. Through his global lecture tours, St. Barbe has made millions of people aware of the importance of trees and forests to our planet.” Allan Grainger
“We forget that we owe our existence to the presence of Trees. As far as forest cover goes, we have never been in such a vulnerable position as we are today. The only answer is to plant more Trees – to Plant Trees for Our Lives.” ~ Richard St. Barbe Baker
“Act. Don’t react. See a need, fix it first. Worry about the details later. If you wait until you are asked you have just missed a golden opportunity. They are fleeting and rare.” Philip Wollen founder of Winsome Kindness Trust
Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area. George Genereux Urban Regional Park. 