There's a reason for that. At Meridian, we believe that spending time in the natural world is good for your physical and mental health. But don't take our word for it...check out the growing number of doctors and researchers that are proving this point every day. It is well-documented that spending more time in nature can reduce stress hormones, reduce symptoms of depression + anxiety, improve cognitive functioning, boost immune response, reduce inflammation, and regulate blood pressure.

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Meridian's Forest Therapy Walks are inspired by the practice of Shinrin Yoku, which translates to "Bathing in the Atmosphere of the Forest," or "Forest Bathing." Shinrin Yoku was developed in Japan in the 1980's in response to a health crisis brought on by mass urbanization and a culture of extreme stress, and is now prescribed by medical professionals as a form of both preventive and reactive medicine.

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Wanna hear something crazy? Spending time in the forest stimulates the production of Natural Killer (NK) Cells, a special type of white blood cell that detects and eliminates cancerous and infected cells in the body. How does this work? Trees regularly emit phytoncides, a specific chemical that trees use to defend themselves. When humans inhale or absorb phytoncides through the skin, it prompts the body to produce these NK cells (bathing in these phytoncides is where the name "Forest Bathing" comes from!), reducing the risk of cancer and infectious disease.

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For more information on the health benefits of forest therapy, you can visit the below links:

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• Association of Nature and Forest Therapy

• Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing) and Nature Therapy: A State-of-the-Art Review

• Forest Bathing May Be Just the Medicine You Need

• Medical Empirical Research on Forest Bathing (Shinrin-Yoku): A Systematic Review

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