Discover the Secret Power of Forest Bathing!

EPISODE 035: Discover the Secret Power of Forest Bathing!

🎧 Download Your FREE Walk into Wellness  eBook HERE 👉🏾  https://bit.ly/SparklingFreeGuides 

Are you feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or stuck in a mental fog? In this episode, Coach Dee, explores the transformative power of forest bathing—no spa or deep woods required! Discover how a simple walk in nature can lower your blood pressure, reduce stress, and boost your mood.

She shares the science behind Shinrin-Yoku (forest bathing), practical tips for bringing nature’s healing into your daily routine, and even how to create your own “forest in a bottle”. 

 Whether you have access to a lush forest, a city park, or just your backyard, you’ll find actionable steps to spark mental clarity, emotional healing, and a sense of grounded peace.

Ready to step into peace? Listen now, and don’t forget to share your nature walk moments with #SparklingNatureWalk! 

Go here to try the Shinrin-Yoku Forest Bathing Blend:  https://doterra.me/K6C_J_

For questions or collaborations, reach out at podcast@sparklinglifecoach.com.

Breathe deep, walk slow, and let your spirit sparkle. 🌟

Chapters

• 0:00 The Mental Health Benefits of Nature
• 1:28 What is Forest Bathing? (Shinrin-Yoku)
• 2:12 Why You Need a Nature Reset
• 3:09 Science-Backed Benefits of Nature Walks
• 3:33 The Power of Shinrin-Yoku
• 4:18 How Trees Heal Us: Phytoncides
• 5:00 Three Key Benefits of Forest Bathing
• 6:15 You Don’t Need a Forest!
• 6:22 Forest in a Bottle
• 7:50 Three-Step Guide to Your Own Forest Bath
• 9:15 Bringing the Forest Home
• 10:23 Breathe Deep, Walk Slow & Let Your Spirit Sparkle

Transcript

Discover the Secret Power of Forest Bathing!

Hello, Sparkling One. Are you feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or stuck in a mental fog? What if nature held the reset button? When was the last time you took a walk without a destination? Just to breathe, to listen, to be? In this episode, we're exploring forest bathing. No, it's not a spa.

It's a powerful mental health practice, and you don't even need a forest to do it. Tune in and discover how a walk in the woods can actually lower your blood pressure, reduce stress hormones, and improve your mood. Welcome to the Sparkling Life Coach Podcast.

Hey, Sparkling One. I'm your host, Dee Diaz, an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. And today we're asking you to step outside, literally. Now tell me when was the last time you simply walked in Nature, not for exercise, not to get anywhere, just to be. If that question made you pause, then you are exactly where you need to be right now.

In this episode, we're exploring the power of nature walks, what the Japanese call Shinrin-Yoku, or forest bathing, and how it can spark deep mental clarity, emotional healing, and a sense of grounded peace.

And guess what? Even if you can't escape to a lush forest, I've got a little bottle of nature's gift to share with you.

So, grab your water, your walking shoes, or just a cozy seat outside with your bare feet to the ground, and let's explore how nature can soothe your spirit and sharpen your mind. So, tell me, has this ever happened to you?

I've had days recently where I just hit a wall. It feels like I have 10 browser tabs open in my head. A to-do list, the size of Texas, and zero inspiration to do any of it. So, I started to do something I rarely do midweek. I closed my laptop, and I went for a walk. I didn't go far. There were no dramatic views, just trees, bird song and the faint smell of blooming plants, and just mowed grass. That walk, it gave me more mental clarity in 30 minutes than a week of journaling and planning ever had. I breathed slower. My thoughts untangled, and I felt me again. Turns out science backs this up.

Spending just 10 to 20 minutes a day in nature has been shown to decrease stress, lower cortisol, and improve mood. Imagine that just two Netflix episodes' worth of time, and you could be calmer, clearer, and emotionally lighter. So, what exactly is Shinrin-Yoku?

The term was coined in Japan in the 1980s and translates to forest bathing. But don't worry, there's no bathtub required. It simply means that you're immersing yourself in the atmosphere of the forest using all your senses. You're not speed walking or checking your Fitbit. You're moving slowly. Breathing deeply. Letting your senses feast - sight, smell, sound, and touch. And here's where it gets wild in a good way.

Trees release compounds called phytoncides. These are natural oils that protect them from bugs and disease. When we breathe these in, studies show they boost our immune system, reduce anxiety, and even increase NK cells, which is a type of white blood cell that plays a crucial role in helping us fight off illness.

One study even found that participants who walked in a forest had a 12.4% decrease in cortisol levels compared to those in the city. So, let's talk about three concrete benefits. Benefit number one is mental clarity. Are you feeling foggy?

Well, nature walks reduce the noise in your mind. A study by Stanford found that people who walked in green spaces had lower levels of rumination. That's those spinning, repetitive thoughts that drain your focus. I call it my monkey mind. Benefit two is emotional balance. Being in nature balances your parasympathetic nervous system. In translation,

that means that it helps to shift your body out of fight or flight mode and into rest and restore mode. You'll literally feel calmer. And benefit number three is that it has physical boosts. Your blood pressure drops, your heart rate slows, and oxygen intake improves.

People even report feeling more energized after a walk in the woods than after a nap. Now, what if you can't get to the forest? Life is busy, right? Schedules are tight. This is where I introduce my secret forest in a bottle. dōTERRA’s Shinrin-Yoku Forest Bathing Blend.

This beautiful blend combines essential oils like Lemon, Patchouli, Magnolia, Siberian Fir, and Cypress. It's rich in terpenes and phytoncides, those very same compounds released by trees in the wild. When I diffuse this at home, it's like stepping into a peaceful grove.

I also use it while journaling or doing breathwork. Here's how I use it. I add three to four drops in a diffuser to freshen my space, and then I apply a diluted drop to my wrist before meditating or walking. And then as a bonus, I'll pair it with nature videos for a full sensory reset.

You know, even in a pilot study, they found that participants who diffused it nightly for a week showed stress reduction benefits that mirrored real forest bathing. That's the power of aromatherapy.

Okay. Let's say you're ready to try this. Here's your three-step guide to creating your own Shinrin-Yoku walk. First of all, you wanna disengage, put your phone on silent, no music, no calls, and then let your thoughts settle.

Second of all, you wanna observe slowly, breathe deeply. Use all five senses. Feel the texture of the bark, listen to the wind in the leaves, and smell the earthy soil. Let wonder return. Thirdly, you wanna reenter with intention. This means after your walk, you'll wanna take a moment to reflect, either by journaling, reciting a poem, or capturing a lesson from nature that you'd like to bring back into your life.

Even if all you've got is a city park or your backyard, Go. Sit. Breathe. Listen. The forest is less about where you are and more about how you are.

All right, my Sparkling Friend, are you ready to step into peace? If you're feeling called to bring the forest home, I invite you to experience the Shinrin-Yoku Forest Bathing Blend for yourself. You can diffuse it, wear it, or even gift it to someone who needs a breath of calm. If you'd like to try it out, I'll leave my affiliate link in the show notes for you.

Or if you have questions about how to use it in your routine, please reach out to me via social media or email, podcast@sparklinglifecoach.com. I'd also love to hear from you at Fanlist.com/SparklingLifeCoach to leave me an audio message and let me know what's your favorite way to connect with nature or tag me in your next nature walk, and let's keep the conversation going.

Use the hashtag Sparkling Nature Walk and inspire our growing community. Thank you for sharing this time with me. Remember, peace is not something you find. It's something you return to, and nature is always there waiting to guide you home. Until next time, breathe deep, walk slow, let your spirit sparkle.

And Don't Forget to Sprinkle a Little Sparkle Everywhere You Go. Ciao!