源自日本的 “森林浴” 概念如今受到世界各地越來越多人的喜愛。一些專家認為，在樹林里散步可以幫助人們改善身體健康和提升幸福感。假如你正要前往森林，當你到達后，應該做什么？“隨身英語” 討論這個可以幫助我們緩解生活壓力的自然療法。

Vocabulary: health 詞匯: 健康

How do you relax after a stressful day in the office? There are many remedies to help you unwind, but the best solution, according to some experts, lies in the great outdoors. It takes a little effort to get there but the benefits can be a perfect tonic for our stressed out lives. I am talking about the activity of forest bathing.

The Japanese concept of shinrin-yoku – or forest bathing – originates from the 1980s, when it was introduced as a national health programme by the country’s government. Stressed Japanese workers are today still relaxing and reconnecting with nature. The Forest Therapy Society has certified 62 forest therapy sites in the country and the forest bathing movement is also gathering momentum in other parts of the world. It says: "Just as bathing in a hot spring helps to soak your cares away, going for a walk in the woods is said to have a soothing effect."

If you’re worried that bathing involves stripping off your clothes, don’t be! This is about taking time to wander through woodland with no fixed plan or route and just immerse yourself in the forest atmosphere. Some health experts have said that having this exposure to nature seems to promote well-being and that’s particularly good for people with mental health issues. A study conducted in 24 forests across Japan found that walking among trees lowered blood pressure, the pulse rate, and the levels of the hormone cortisol, which is released in response to stress. It also found phytoncides - chemicals emitted by trees - have an anti-microbial effect on humans, boosting our immune systems.

Another study carried out a few years ago by Stanford University in the US, found similar benefits. Brain scans showed reduced activity in an area of the brain linked to the risk of mental illness in participants who took a 90-minute walk among oaks, birds and squirrels. One of the researchers, Gregory Bratman, told the BBC: "There's an increasing body of evidence showing that natural versus urban areas benefit us at least emotionally with our mood and possibly also our cognitive development too.”  The evidence seems clear that forest bathing is a shot in the arm for stressed out workers, so now is the time to get out and lose yourself in the natural environment – you could even hug a tree as it could be your new best friend!

詞匯表

remedy 療法
unwind 放松
tonic 使人精神振作的，讓人為之一陣的事物
reconnect 使……感覺原來不再感覺得到的東西
therapy 治療，療法
gather momentum 勢頭有增長
soothing effect 緩解效果
exposure 接觸
well-being 幸福，安康
mental health 精神健康
blood pressure 血壓
pulse rate 脈搏率
hormone 荷爾蒙
phytoncides 芬多精，植物殺菌素
chemical 化學成分
immune system 免疫系統
body of evidence 大量證據
mood 心情
cognitive development 認知發展
a shot in the arm 讓人振奮、鼓舞的力量

測驗與練習

1. 閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. Where did the idea of forest bathing first come from?

2. True or false? You need to wear a bathing costume to take part in forest bathing.

3. Where should you go in a forest to benefit from forest bathing?

4. What does Japan’s Forest Therapy Society compare the effects of forest bathing with?

5. What word used in the article means ‘be completely involved (with something)’?

2. 請在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. After a stressful day in the office, I do like to have a nice hot bath to help me _______.

mood                          tonic                       therapy                    unwind

2. Eating fruit to help my _______ has really helped – I haven’t picked up a cold or flu this year.

immunity system        immune system      immune systems     immunes system

3. My daughter has become very moody since she became a teenager – I blame her _______.

hormones                  pulse rate                blood pressure        well-being

4. Getting a pay rise has been a real _______ - I feel much more positive about my work now and feel appreciated.

arm shot                  shot in the foot          shot in the arm        shoot in the arm

5. Have you got any suggestions for herbal _______ to help cure my headache please?

tonics                       therapies                   exposures              remedies

答案

1. 閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. Where did the idea of forest bathing first come from?
The concept of shinrin-yoku – or forest bathing – originated in Japan.

2. True or false? You need to wear a bathing costume to take part in forest bathing.
False. You don’t need to wear a bathing costume, you just wander through the forest with your clothes on!

3. Where should you go in a forest to benefit from forest bathing?
You can anywhere – you wander through woodland with no fixed plan or route and just immerse yourself in the forest atmosphere.

4. What does Japan’s Forest Therapy Society compare the effects of forest bathing with?
It compares it with “bathing in a hot spring helps to soak your cares away.”

5. What word used in the article means ‘be completely involved (with something)’?
Immerse. This is about taking time to wander through woodland with no fixed plan or route and just immerse yourself in the forest atmosphere.

2. 請在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. After a stressful day in the office, I do like to have a nice hot bath to help me unwind.

2. Eating fruit to help my immune system has really helped – I haven’t picked up a cold or flu this year.

3. My daughter has become very moody since she became a teenager – I blame her hormones.

4. Getting a pay rise has been a real shot in the arm - I feel much more positive about my work now and feel appreciated.

5. Have you got any suggestions for herbal remedies to help cure my headache please?