The Princess of Wales has posted a photograph hinting at her belief in the healing power of nature and ‘forest bathing’, to commemorate World Cancer Day.
In the enchanting picture, taken by the six-year-old Prince Louis, Kate Middleton is seen standing tall on a fallen tree in a misty winter woodland scene.
Accompanying it is an inspirational quote on backdrop of frosty ferns, signed by Kate herself, which reads: ‘Don’t forget to nurture all that which lies beyond the disease.’
The Duchess of Cambridge, 43, has long been an advocate for forest bathing, well-before her shock cancer diagnosis was revealed to the world in March last year.
The pastime, which originated in Japan, where it is called shinrin-yoku, is the practice of walking slowly and thoughtfully through woodlands.
The idea is to take in everything around you, including the forest’s smells, sounds, sights and textures.
And some evidence that this meditative practice can help improve heart health, and even potentially help combat cancer.
Kate reportedly used forest bathing as inspiration for a garden she helped co-design for the Chelsea Flower Show in 2019.
In the picture, taken by the six-year-old Prince Louis, Kate Middleton is seen standing tall on a fallen tree in a misty winter woodland scene
Accompanying the picture was an inspirational quote about taking care of your health beyond any one disease
With the theme of Back To Nature the garden, which featured a bridge over a burbling brook and a quirky wooden treehouse, was designed to underline Kate’s work promoting the benefits of being outdoors for physical and mental health.
Speaking at the time she said: ‘I believe that spending time outdoors when we are young can play a role in laying the foundations for children to become happy, healthy adults.’
While going for a walk has obvious health benefits some studies suggest the forest bathing specifically has some health benefits, with some even arguing it should be made available on the NHS.
Studies suggest that spending quit time in forested areas can help regulate blood pressure, heart rate, mood and even boost the immune system.
Research from Nippon Medical School in Tokyo suggests that forest bathing could have a direct effect on the immune system, specifically our natural killer, or NK cells, which protect us from viruses and the formation of tumours.
Patients saw a significant boost to their NK cell activity in the week following a forest visit, with positive effects lasting a month after.
Other research has suggested it could have benefits for cancer care, particularly in helping people recover from the ordeal of undergoing treatment for the disease.
A separate study, by experts at Japan’s Chiba University, measured levels of the stress hormone cortisol, blood pressure and heart rate in volunteers during a day spent in the city, repeating the tests during a 30-minute forest visit.
The Duchess of Cambridge is pictured laughing with the landscape architects Andree Davies and Adam White. The three co-designed the Royal Horticultural Society’s Back To Nature Garden, which was open to the public at the 2019 Chelsea Flower Show
The Duchess is pictured selecting plants for her garden with Ms Davies
Advocates also point to Japan’s inclusion of forest bathing in its national health programme as part of the reason the country as some of the lowest heart disease rates in the world.
Another study found a two-hour ‘dose’ of forest bathing every week was enough to help reduce stress among patients.
Scientists are still exploring if there are unique properties to forest bathing that are behind the supposed health boosting effects.
One theory suggests the organic compounds phytoncides, which trees emit to protect themselves from parasites and disease, could benefit humans by influencing their immune system.
Other explanations are more simplistic, in that human being evolved in natural environments and only in the few centuries have built-up areas like cities become the norm.
According to this logic ‘going back to nature’ in forest bathing acts like a factory re-set of our internal biological systems to the evolutionary default.
Kate revealed in March that she had had preventative chemotherapy since late February that same year, after her shock cancer diagnosis.
Her cancer was discovered only after she underwent major abdominal surgery at The London Clinic the month prior.
