Trial Report The Psychological Benefits of Forest Bathing in Individuals with Fibromyalgia and CFS/ME: A Pilot Study, 2023, Serrat et al

[hotblack]

Done!

Nice!

 

[MrMagoo]

Ha. I wonder if a Mediterranean forest has similar benefits to the Mediterranean diet? Seriously, there are all sorts of forest types sitting under that description of 'Mediterranean forest'. This study is of a 3 hour visit to just one of them.

No change in pain, and people who self-selected to walk in the forest reported having enjoyed the experience and meeting others with the same illness. Amazing.

I think the actual Mediterranean Diet includes white wine in low to moderate quantities. The benefits aren’t realised if you exclude the booze.

This is my new push-back on it being shoved down my throat. My previous “but before I eat I don’t swim in the med, and after I don’t walk up any hills or do manual work, in fact I’m just buying the herbs and veg from a large Tesco and trudging through the rain, do you think that might render it less effective?” Wasn’t working.

Forest bathing, sounds baths, why is everything a “bath” now?

 

[Hutan]

Blue zone forests perhaps? Can we get funding for a qualitative study of which forests promote the most wellbeing? It may involve travel to some rather nice locations…

I think the actual Mediterranean Diet includes white wine in low to moderate quantities. The benefits aren’t realised if you exclude the booze.

I think there is a potential treatment here: Mediterranean food picnics in a mediterranean forest

We could try sending UK based people with fibromyalgia to have a free and delicious lunch, with wine, on a Greek Island, ideally Icaria, the blue zone island. I'm pretty sure they will report, in a survey administered immediately after lunch, that they had a nice time and feel more friendly.

Then we just have to publish a paper, referencing this one endorsing the healing powers of Mediterranean forests, sort out the arrangements with a travel agent, decide how much to charge for the package and get marketing.

Actually, Icaria looks rather lovely. And there's the ruins of a temple to Artemis on a beautiful bit of coast, Artemis being, according to Wikipedia, the goddess of quite a number of things including healing of women and children. Yep, it's looking pretty good as a multi-disciplinary holistic treatment. I'd give it a go myself.