Saturday, June 8, 2019
Getting back to nature: how forest bathing can make us feel better
The Japanese have known for years that spending mindful time in the woods is beneficial for body and soul. Now western doctors – and royals – agree
Every day, apart from when it’s raining heavily, Dr Qing Li heads to a leafy park near the Nippon Medical School in Tokyo where he works. It’s not just a pleasant place to eat his lunch; he believes the time spent under the trees’ canopy is a critical factor in the fight against diseases, of the mind and body.
Once a month Li spends three days in forests near Tokyo, using all five senses to connect with the environment and clear his mind. This practice of shinrin-yoku – literally, forest bath – has the power to counter illnesses including cancer, strokes, gastric ulcers, depression, anxiety and stress, he says. It boosts the immune system, lowers blood pressure and aids sleep. And soon it could be prescribed by British doctors.
Continue reading...from Property | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2Woehrt
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Getting back to nature: how forest bathing can make us feel better
The Japanese have known for years that spending mindful time in the woods is beneficial for body and soul. Now western doctors – and royals – agree
Every day, apart from when it’s raining heavily, Dr Qing Li heads to a leafy park near the Nippon Medical School in Tokyo where he works. It’s not just a pleasant place to eat his lunch; he believes the time spent under the trees’ canopy is a critical factor in the fight against diseases, of the mind and body.
Once a month Li spends three days in forests near Tokyo, using all five senses to connect with the environment and clear his mind. This practice of shinrin-yoku – literally, forest bath – has the power to counter illnesses including cancer, strokes, gastric ulcers, depression, anxiety and stress, he says. It boosts the immune system, lowers blood pressure and aids sleep. And soon it could be prescribed by British doctors.
Continue reading...from Home And Garden | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2Woehrt
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Next stop, home: We live next to a steam railway
Will Brown and Marie Willey, the fashion designers behind Old Town, transformed a crumbling bungalow alongside a Norfolk railway, drawing inspiration from their utilitarian clothing
There is a certain kind of British modernism that is inherently appealing and cool, no matter how many high street brands try to tap into a mid‑century aesthetic. Fashion designers Will Brown and Marie Willey, who are behind the utilitarian clothing label Old Town, are the real deal. After living in Cromer for more than 10 years, the couple happened upon a post-war bungalow in Sheringham two years ago, next to the railway lines where North Norfolk Railway steam trains are parked before day trips along the coast.
The simple, single-storey building was “a total state”, Willey says. The pair reconfigured the interior, turning a small living room into a bedroom for Brown, creating a monastic loft bedroom where Willey sleeps (“I snore, Will doesn’t”), and building a large bolt-on extension to the back and side – accessed from the original hallway – that doubled the floor space. It has a bright vaulted ceiling, large Crittall doors and a grey-and-white checkered floor that unites the old and new parts.
Continue reading...from Home And Garden | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2WqE826
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Gardening tips: how to tackle powdery mildew
Plus: planting straw foxgloves and brushing up on Britain’s urban trees
Get this If you struggle to tell a sycamore from an ash, get to know the trees around you by reading Sylvan Cities: An Urban Tree Guide (Atlantic Books). This new book by the urban-wildlife writer Helen Babbs will open your eyes to the stories and the science behind our cities’ most common trees.
Plant this The straw foxglove (Digitalis lutea) is a more reliably perennial, less brawny version of the purple foxglove, with beautiful pale-yellow flowers. It’s brilliant for partial shade and easy to grow from seed sown outside this month. Alternatively, buy young plants to sink into moist, fertile soil.
Continue reading...from Home And Garden | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2WntOru
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How to use the healing herb comfrey | Alys Fowler
Our gardening expert explains its benefits for both plants and people
My back is a little broken. I blame it on a bag of compost, although my chiropractor blames it on all the tapping I do at the computer. If I’m to harvest potatoes and plant pumpkins, I need a plan of action, a multipronged, throw‑everything-at-it approach: chiropractor, shiatsu massage, if necessary, painkillers – and comfrey.
Comfrey may not be an obvious choice, but it has always been such a kind plant to the garden that it should come as no surprise that is kind to the body, too. Once known as knitbone, Symphytum officinale has a long history of wound healing, particularly broken bones, torn muscles, sprains and aches. It was even applied internally, although many herbalists are cautious of using it this way because it contains powerful pyrrolizidine alkaloids that can cause liver damage and abdominal distress. However, only slight absorption occurs with external application. As such, a compress or poultice is considered more suitable for home use.
Continue reading...from Home And Garden | The Guardian http://bit.ly/2Wwm37r
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