Tree Hugging Scientifically Proven to Improve Your Health

Tree hugging has now been shown to have scientific validity after all. Contrary to popular belief, touching a tree does make you healthier. In fact you don’t even have to touch the tree to get better, just being within its vicinity has the same effect.

In a recently published book, Blinded by Science, (www.blindedbyscience.co.uk) the author Matthew Silverstone, proves scientifically that trees improve many health issues such as; mental illnesses, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), concentration levels, reaction times, depression and the ability to alleviate headaches.

Countless studies have shown that children show significant psychological and physiological effects in terms of their health and well-being when they interact with plants. They demonstrate that children function better cognitively and emotionally in green environments and have more creative play in green areas.

A large public health report that investigated the association between green spaces and mental health concluded that “access to nature can significantly contribute to our mental capital and wellbeing”.

One report concluded with the following: “safe, green spaces may be as effective as prescription drugs in treating some forms of mental illnesses”.

I know my children are much happier and healthier looking since we moved from the city to the Monongahela National Forest. A lot less pollution, skies are bluer, and the air is cleaner. We drank from the streams that come off the mountains while hiking in the Cranberry Backcountry.

We eat wild strawberries, blackberries, and fresh apples,… that are not made by Monsanto. These are Nature-made!

And my friends and family said tree huggers were crazy. Now we have “SCIENTIFIC” proof they were wrong… Well, maybe just a little crazy!

h/t Natural News

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Photo Credit: Laríssa

27 thoughts on “Tree Hugging Scientifically Proven to Improve Your Health”

      1. Amos_Clifford

        Yes, my intention in posting was to send people who find the “vibrations” theory unconvincing (as I do) to a sources that offer different perspectives, such as the Japanese research on the effect of plant-emitted phytoncides on a wide range of physiological indicators related to stress and immune function. These studies are a good start, and explore one of several possible links between trees and well-being. My worry about articles attributing these effects to “vibrations” is that in the minds of many people they will trivialize and marginalize practices that are actually quite effective. Hence the pointer to actual research.

  1. Only eating food in nature? Ya, that is great, until fracking water comes through your area, then you are f***ed… This is where a raised greenhouse could save you and your children’s lives. Also, are you 100% sure there is no mining and has never been any in those mountains you are getting water from? No contamination of other kinds? There is a reason we filter and test water aside from those issues as well. Like if an animal or person dies upstream and infects the water, then you are going to be in a lot of trouble if you have no outside water source or setup for cleaning/boiling/otherwise disinfecting water for every use.

  2. Only eating food in nature? Ya, that is great, until fracking water comes through your area, then you are f***ed… This is where a raised greenhouse could save you and your children’s lives. Also, are you 100% sure there is no mining and has never been any in those mountains you are getting water from? No contamination of other kinds? There is a reason we filter and test water aside from those issues as well. Like if an animal or person dies upstream and infects the water, then you are going to be in a lot of trouble if you have no outside water source or setup for cleaning/boiling/otherwise disinfecting water for every use.

  3. I’m curious if he scientifically proved it through a double blind study. Or did he find a correlation between better health and tree hugging but no actual proof it was the trees itself as apposed to being to a place where people are generally more relaxed.

  4. I’m curious if he scientifically proved it through a double blind study. Or did he find a correlation between better health and tree hugging but no actual proof it was the trees itself as apposed to being to a place where people are generally more relaxed.

  5. The term “Scopie’s Law” comes to mind – after all, the primary cite for this article seems to be NaturalNews. If that’s the best you can do, then you have NOTHING. -.-

    1. You know nothing about science or the scientific method. You have no argument other than a straw man. A fictitious appeal to authority that does nothing as you said.

  6. The term “Scopie’s Law” comes to mind – after all, the primary cite for this article seems to be NaturalNews. If that’s the best you can do, then you have NOTHING. -.-

  7. so normal. since this species – homo sapiens sapiens – evolved from monkeys who depended on trees and tree habitats to survive.

    its our natural environment.

  8. so normal. since this species – homo sapiens sapiens – evolved from monkeys who depended on trees and tree habitats to survive.

    its our natural environment.

  9. Brandon Lee Davies

    if i was to hang myself on a tree it wouldnt help my mental health that much :L or would it?

    1. ya you’d bum out the tree that’s for sure. But next time your in the woods go place your hands on a tree and just open up and feel it, don’t worry Its safe it won’t tell on you. Bet it creeps you out!

  10. Brandon Lee Davies

    if i was to hang myself on a tree it wouldnt help my mental health that much :L or would it?

  11. Could some one cite some of the research related to this? Also I am not sure that “green spaces are good for you” equates to “tree hugging is scientifically Proven to Improve Your Health”. How many peer reviewed studies have been done on tree hugging, at a glance I couldn’t find any in Google Scholar.

  12. As an Ancient Tree Hunt Volunteer Verifier in the UK I can safely say that this is nothing new to me. I have always known that trees, especially the really old ones, have a certain magical property about them. Yes I feel fully revived after a day among the tall people and I know of many more who feel equally invigorated after walking through the forests of the UK. It is just another aspect of the natural world that we have all to often detached ourselves from in our unending desire to accumulate nothing of value in the world of empty promises and never ending debts.

    Thank you for the article.
    Regards
    Another mad English treehugger

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