What is Nature Bathing?

"Nature bathing" (the term that scientists give for immersing yourself into nature) has been shown to lower blood pressure and reduce levels of stress hormones. A walk in nature can make us happier, and more attentive, while reducing rumination, which is when we get stuck in a rut thinking about mistakes we may have made when we should be focusing on the present. Four days in nature markedly reduced body fat (by 10%), increased muscle mass, and improved insulin resistance in a trail of healthy men and women. Perhaps most interestingly, being in nature for just 3 days was shown to boost the activity and number of natural killer (immune) cells for an entire month. These cells are our first line of defense against malignant cells and also help to clear up senescent cells which are damaged cells that have come pro-inflammatory and drive aging. (In animal models, when mice were bred to more efficiently clear their senescent cells, they had a 30% increase in lifespan.) It's nice to know that my recent camp trips have seriously recharged my mind and biology!