Spring has arrived and it’s just in time for Helen to tell you the health benefits of being outside. Learn how trees might be able to help us fight cancer and how they can calm your soul. She might even be able to convince you not to stay out of the forest.

Special note: Dr. Helen Shui is truly a doctor, but is working under a pseudonym for privacy reasons. Dr. Lynne Kramer is using her real name. 

Music by Helen Shui and Caplixo. Cover art by Lynne Kramer.

Please contact us with questions/concerns/comments at defunctdoctorspodcast@gmail.com. @defunctdoctorspodcast on Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter), Threads, YouTube, and TikTok 

Follow Lynne on Instagram @lynnedoodles555

Sources: 

1. The Cognitive Benefits of Interacting with Nature by Marc G. Berman, John Jonides, and Stephen Kaplan

2. Forest Bathing in Japan

3. Effect of forest bathing trips on human immune function by Qing Li

4. Phytoncides (wood essential oils) induce human natural killer cell activity by Li Q, Nakadai A, Matsushima H, Miyazaki Y, Krensky AM, Kawada T, et al

5. Forest bathing enhances human natural killer activity and expression of anti-cancer proteins by Li Q, Morimoto K, Nakadai A, Inagaki H, Katsumata M, Shimizu T, et al.

6. Visiting a forest, but not a city, increases human natural killer activity and expression of anti-cancer proteins by Li Q, Morimoto K, Kobayashi M, Inagaki H, Katsumata M, Hirata Y, et al

7. A forest bathing trip increases human natural killer activity and expression of anti-cancer proteins in female subjects by Li Q, Morimoto K, Kobayashi M, Inagaki H, Katsumata M, Hirata Y, et al

8. Psychological effects of forest environments on healthy adults: Shinrin-yoku (forest-air bathing, walking) as a possible method of stress reduction by Morita E, Fukuda S, Nagano J, Hamajima N, Yamamoto H, Iwai Y, et al

9. Effects of trail and greenspace exposure on hospitalisations in a highly populated urban area: retrospective cohort study of the Houston Bayou Greenways program by Bridget R. Simon-Friedt, Alan P. Pan,Tariq Nisar, Sadeer Al-Kindi, Amanda Nunley, Lisa Graiff, Bita A. Kash, Jay E. Maddock & Khurram Nasir

10. The Relationship between Nature Deprivation and Individual Wellbeing across Urban Gradients under COVID-19 by Linda Powers Tomasso, Jie Yin, Jose Guillermo Cedeño Laurent, Jarvis T. Chen, Paul J. Catalano, and John D. Spengler

11. Effects of Citrus Fragrance on Immune Function and Depressive States by Teruhisa Komori; Ryoichi Fujiwara; Masahiro Tanida; Junichi Nomura; Mitchel M. Yokoyama

12. What You Should Know About Phytoncides and Terpines by Hugh Asher 

13. What is Nature Deficit Disorder And How To Know If You Have It by Sarah Williams

14. What is Nature Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv

15. 9 Books About Abandoning Everything to Go Live in the Woods by Kayleigh Donaldson

16. The secret to mindful travel? A walk in the woods by Sunny Fitzgerald

17. Forest Stories - 7 Tales from far-away lands

18. Lessons from Old Trees

19. Bringing forest therapy indoors can improve your health by University of British Columbia
20. Wikipedia: Plant-blindness; Shinrin-yoku; Phytoncide