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GET THEE TO A FOREST (ON FOOT) AND HERBY COURGETTE/ZUCCHINI SOUP

September 22, 2017 8 Comments

courgette soup

Now is the time to boost our immunity, particularly given recent predictions that this winter may see a severe flu epidemic. In addition to the usual dietary advice (more on this next month), there’s something very simple we can do – take advantage of these glorious autumn days and hit the woods. There’s a new word for spending time in the forest. It’s shinrin-yoku, a term coined in Japan that translates as forest bathing. Forest bathing has been enthusiastically adopted in California where it sometimes goes under the name of eco-therapy. As I and my troop of little Kale & Cocoas recently returned from a week hiking through the pine and beech forests of Bohemia in the Czech Republic, the health benefits of forest bathing (and walking) are currently front of mind. So would we have returned more refreshed and better rested from a beach or pool holiday?

The answer is emphatically no. The Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku appears to lower the heart rate, lower blood pressure, cut the production of stress hormones like cortisol and boost the immune system. Why? Because when we walk among trees (particularly ever-green trees like pine and fir) we inhale phytoncides, essential oils found in wood, plants and some fruit and vegetables. Between 2004 and 2014, the Japanese Government spent 4 million dollars studying the impact of forest bathing. Studies from Japan’s Nippon Medical School found that phytoncides inhaled during one weekend of forest bathing had a marked effect on immunity that lasted a month, while a study from Chiba University found that people were better rested and less inclined to stress after a forest bath (which simply means time spent in a forest, you don’t need to do anything active although a good hike can only help). Another study found reduced levels of anger and depression and greater energy levels among those spending time in the woods, compared with time spent in the city. You can read about more studies into forest bathing at http://www.natureandforesttherapy.org/the-science.html. Or read our last post on the power of phytoncides here.

San Francisco now has its own Forest Bathing Club that meets monthly to hang out in woodland, while California is host to certified forest bathing guides (yes, really!) who lead barefoot walks through local forests. After meeting a barefoot walker in the Bohemian wilds, my daughters and I had a stab at going without footwear. We can report that barefoot walking is indeed a pleasurable and soothing experience, but don’t expect to get anywhere quickly.

So, wherever you are this autumn, make time to visit a pine forest. Just half an hour is all it takes to boost your immunity and reduce your stress. But if you make the time for a brisk walk, the benefits will be even better. There’s been a lot in the news recently about walking and Susan reported on some of it here (walk more, walk faster!). In addition, research findings presented at Experimental Biology 2017 found that walking sends pressure waves surging through the arteries, increasing blood to the brain. Running does the same thing (only better). But not cycling, suggesting that it’s something to do with foot-to-ground impact. Simply getting more blood to the brain may possibly help fend off conditions such as dementia. Walking/exercise also appears to increase the presence of a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the brain. “These BDNFs play a big role in the development of within-cell communications in the brain,” says assistant professor Lynn Kam at Case Western Reserve University’s School of Medicine. “If you can increase BDNFs, you can improve your cognitive functioning.” Kam recommends a 30-minute walk five days a week. Read more about walking and the brain at http://www.nmhu.edu/research-shows-walking-increases-blood-flow-brain/

Lastly, if you’re planning to walk, take some tips from the experts and walk properly. I chatted to a walking pilates instructor recently (yes, that’s pilates on the move, sort of!), who gave me a quick lesson which I’ll share with you now:

  • Relax your shoulders, lifting then rolling them down your back before you start
  • Keep your spine straight, as if you were being lifted from the crown of your head
  • Look straight ahead
  • Walk with a rolling motion, heel-to-toe
  • Swing your arms loosely from your shoulders, like the pendulum of a clock
  • Hold your core and abdomen firm, without arching your back

If your rate of breathing hasn’t increased, you’re walking too slowly. Stay tall and pick up speed. When you get home you’ll want some food. Use any last glut of courgettes/zucchinis to make this delicious soup, which is equally good served warm or cold.

HERBY COURGETTE/ZUCCHINI SOUP (serves 6)

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 onions (red by preference for their extra polyphenol and anthocyanin content), roughly chopped
  • 1 kg courgettes/zucchinis, roughly chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 30g pack of basil, stems chopped, leaves chopped
  • 30g pack of mint, leaves chopped
  • 75g ricotta
  • 500ml vegetable stock
  • Grated parmesan to serve

Saute the onion and courgettes/zucchinis in the oil for five minutes, until soft.

Add the garlic and basil stalks, a teaspoon of sea salt, a grind of pepper and cook for a further two minutes. Add the ricotta, stock, mint and basil leaves (reserve a few to decorate).

Bring to the boil, simmer for five minutes then blend until smooth. Add more salt if needed.

Serve warm with parmesan, or cold with extra herbs and a drizzle of olive oil.

Annabel

PS Apologies to our US readers who have been putting up with our anglo-centric terms for quite long enough…following a recent email we shall be explaining words like courgette and rocket, and using the US word where we can!

 

  • Meal Types: Dinner, Family, Soups and Salads
  • Conditions: Ageing, Bones, Brain and Dementia, Depression, general, Heart, Heart disease, High blood pressure, Immunity, Weight loss
  • Ingredients: Courgettes, Ricotta, Zucchinis
« WOULD YOU GIVE UP CARBS FOR A HEALTHY OLD AGE? AND MASSAGED KALE SALAD
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Comments

  1. Gaynor says

    September 28, 2017 at 9:28 pm

    Another wonderful post. I am envious of your trip to the pine and beech forests of Bohemia.
    I am currently in Australia and wonder if anybody has done any research on the effect of eucalyptus forests on a person’s well-being. During warm weather, just after a rain, the smell is heavenly. I have been bush-walking (the term used here) several times after a light rain and it was wonderful. Not barefoot though – it’s not recommended because of snakes and prickles.
    There is no shortage of pine forests around here either, but beech doesn’t grow naturally (wild) here anymore.

    Reply
    • Annabel Abbs says

      September 29, 2017 at 1:16 pm

      Thank you, Gaynor. I suspect Eucalyptus will offer similar benefits. Pine is perfect. Please don’t bare-foot walk where there might be snakes. I think the soles of barefoot walkers’ feet toughen up quite quickly, but not enough for snake bites!

      Reply
  2. Diana says

    January 18, 2022 at 8:52 am

    I’m a little confused by the amount of liquid in the courgette soup recipe. 500ml stock doesn’t seem like enough fluid especially to serve 6 people.

    Reply
    • Annabel Streets says

      January 28, 2022 at 10:48 am

      Yes, I agree – try a litre. I’ll re-make and amend when i get a minute! Thanks for being so observant!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. HOW PLANTING A TREE COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE - The Age-Well Project says:
    December 3, 2018 at 6:45 pm

    […] IMMUNE SYSTEM BOOST: Crucial at this time of year. Even a 30-minute walk in the woods can strengthen immunity. A study in Japan found that forest visits had a long-lasting influence on immune system markers. You can read more about it here […]

    Reply
  2. NATURE PILLS AND JAMMY EGGS: how to age well this Easter - The Age-Well Project says:
    April 19, 2019 at 6:40 am

    […] so it’s time to get outside and enjoy nature. We’ve written extensively about the power of ‘forest bathing’ and how time spent in green space can have significant and wide-ranging health benefits, including […]

    Reply
  3. GREEN SPACE IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH - The Age-Well Project says:
    April 28, 2019 at 5:05 pm

    […] (the Japanese are pioneers in researching the impact of trees on health, see our previous posts on forest bathing and phytoncides). Across the world, those living with more green space reported better general […]

    Reply
  4. AGEING WELL ON YOUR SUMMER STAYCATION - AND INVITATIONS! - The Age-Well Project says:
    August 15, 2020 at 7:40 am

    […] remembering when we need to keep our immune systems in peak condition to avoid a ‘second wave’. Annabel wrote a detailed post on phytoncides (it includes one of our favourite ever late summer Age-Well recipes, so do click […]

    Reply

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