THOUGHTS FROM METTE
“A while back I was sent an article, based on scientific studies, that flipped my world of skincare upside down. Recent scientific studies have discovered why healthy skin is an essential part of longevity.”
THOUGHTS FROM METTE
Forest bathing – support your immune system with the aromatherapy of the forest
By Mette Skjærbæk
SUMMARY
Even if you do not use aromatherapeutic skincare or home products, nature makes sure that aromatherapy is still all around us. Trees and plants release invisible plant compounds, phytoncides, which research links to lower stress levels and increased activity in the body’s natural defence cells.
This is a beautiful story about forest bathing, nature’s aromatherapy and scientific documentation.
The “green prescription”
In Japan, “forest bathing” – shinrin-yoku – is a recognised and widely practised form of nature therapy. It is about spending calm, present time in the forest, where stillness, presence and sensory impressions are actively used to support both physical and mental wellbeing.
Quite simply, it means being in nature and connecting with it through all your senses.
In Scotland and Canada, doctors prescribe “green prescriptions” to help treat conditions such as depression, anxiety and high blood pressure, as a non-medical treatment form on equal terms with medical treatments*. I think that is so beautiful. And important at a time when urbanisation means that many people live with less contact with nature.
I already knew that being in nature calms me. I especially love and seek out the sea – but that is a whole other story... I love nature, I love exploring gardens with all my senses engaged. I love the forest, the stillness, the greatness, the sounds and the scent after rain – but previously, I sought it out less. That has changed since I have learnt more about the incredible properties trees have.
The “green prescription”
In Japan, “forest bathing” – shinrin-yoku – is a recognised and widely practised form of nature therapy. It is about spending calm, present time in the forest, where stillness, presence and sensory impressions are actively used to support both physical and mental wellbeing.
Quite simply, it means being in nature and connecting with it through all your senses.
In Scotland and Canada, doctors prescribe “green prescriptions” to help treat conditions such as depression, anxiety and high blood pressure, as a non-medical treatment form on equal terms with medical treatments*. I think that is so beautiful. And important at a time when urbanisation means that many people live with less contact with nature.
I already knew that being in nature calms me. I especially love and seek out the sea – but that is a whole other story... I love nature, I love exploring gardens with all my senses engaged. I love the forest, the stillness, the greatness, the sounds and the scent after rain – but previously, I sought it out less. That has changed since I have learnt more about the incredible properties trees have.
The forest’s aromatic compounds and the body’s response
A Japanese study published via the National Library of Medicine** examined the effect of a weekend stay in the forest, where participants walked in the forest for approximately six hours spread across two days. The stay showed increased levels of phytoncides in the body – natural compounds that trees release to protect themselves from pests and disease. These phytoncides are also beneficial to us humans.
Different trees and plants release different phytoncides, such as limonene, pinenes and terpinene. Coniferous trees in particular have a high concentration of phytoncides, including pine, spruce, cypress, cedar and juniper. Phytoncides are known to have a positive effect on human health, as they can help support the immune system and reduce stress. These phytoncides are compounds that are also a natural part of many of the essential oils we use in Karmameju Skincare.
The Japanese study showed that the higher levels of phytoncides in the participants’ urine, combined with the reduced production of stress hormones as a result of spending time in nature, contributed to increased NK activity – “natural killer cells”. These are a type of white blood cell that function as the body’s defence cells, fighting viruses, diseased cells and other unwanted cell changes in the body in their earlier stages, before they spread.
In addition, the study showed that the increased NK activity lasted for more than 30 days after the forest stay, leading researchers to suggest that forest bathing may help maintain a higher level of NK activity.
Whether from a glass or in the forest – the body absorbs nature’s scents
In The HEAL Study from the University of Louisville, researchers examined what happens in the body when we smell limonene. In the study, researchers compared urine samples from two groups: one group that had smelled pure limonene from a small glass, and one group that had taken a walk in the forest. The researchers found the same breakdown products in the urine of both groups. This suggests that the body can absorb the same plant compounds through scent as it does when we spend time in nature***.
So, beyond the positive psychological effect of nature's scents – whether they are calming, uplifting or something else entirely – there is now also this finding to be thrilled about. We always recommend taking a few deep breaths from your palms before applying Karmameju’s aromatherapeutic skincare to the skin.
I am excited by this, because it has given me even more knowledge about how deeply the potent nature supports us – and because it confirms that essential oils, in the right amounts and used correctly, are good for us humans.
Close your eyes and imagine that you are standing in a forest. With the help of science, you now know that you are standing in the most beautiful invisible mist, released by the trees and inhaled by you. A phytoncide mist that can activate the body’s NK cells and help protect you from illness.
Whether from a glass or in the forest – the body absorbs nature’s scents
In The HEAL Study from the University of Louisville, researchers examined what happens in the body when we smell limonene. In the study, researchers compared urine samples from two groups: one group that had smelled pure limonene from a small glass, and one group that had taken a walk in the forest. The researchers found the same breakdown products in the urine of both groups. This suggests that the body can absorb the same plant compounds through scent as it does when we spend time in nature***.
So, beyond the positive psychological effect of nature's scents – whether they are calming, uplifting or something else entirely – there is now also this finding to be thrilled about. We always recommend taking a few deep breaths from your palms before applying Karmameju’s aromatherapeutic skincare to the skin.
I am excited by this, because it has given me even more knowledge about how deeply the potent nature supports us – and because it confirms that essential oils, in the right amounts and used correctly, are good for us humans.
Close your eyes and imagine that you are standing in a forest. With the help of science, you now know that you are standing in the most beautiful invisible mist, released by the trees and inhaled by you. A phytoncide mist that can activate the body’s NK cells and help protect you from illness.
Nature’s aromatherapeutic shower
For someone who loves face mist, this image is especially beautiful – like an aromatherapeutic mist shower, where you can simply sit calmly in forests and parks with large trees, while at the same time supporting your health, not to mention the grounding we receive from the earth. The mist is invisible, and often we only notice it as the fresh, green scent of the forest. But it is there, like so many other “invisible” elements in nature that support us humans.
The essential oils to look for
Phytoncides are released from forest trees, but also from many other plants in nature.
Many of the plants we use in aromatherapy are rich in phytoncides: lavender, rosemary, thyme, sage, mint, eucalyptus and lemon. For example, limonene is a naturally occurring aromatic compound in essential oils from citrus fruits. So the next time you use WILD body oil, know that you are getting the same fine limonene as when you walk in the forest. When you rub a lemon peel and smell it, it is those very same beautiful essential oils being released, affecting both body and mind.
I hope you found all of this just as fascinating as I did. I have always loved aromatherapy – and now, if possible, even more. Nature is so wild. And I am wild about it.
Please share this article if you know someone who is struggling with stress, anxiety, illness or something similar, and perhaps ask if they would like to go for a lovely walk in the “phytoncide forest”.
With the warmest wishes and hopes that you are well.
Mette
The essential oils to look for
Phytoncides are released from forest trees, but also from many other plants in nature.
Many of the plants we use in aromatherapy are rich in phytoncides: lavender, rosemary, thyme, sage, mint, eucalyptus and lemon. For example, limonene is a naturally occurring aromatic compound in essential oils from citrus fruits. So the next time you use WILD body oil, know that you are getting the same fine limonene as when you walk in the forest. When you rub a lemon peel and smell it, it is those very same beautiful essential oils being released, affecting both body and mind.
I hope you found all of this just as fascinating as I did. I have always loved aromatherapy – and now, if possible, even more. Nature is so wild. And I am wild about it.
Please share this article if you know someone who is struggling with stress, anxiety, illness or something similar, and perhaps ask if they would like to go for a lovely walk in the “phytoncide forest”.
With the warmest wishes and hopes that you are well.
Mette
SOURCES
*Fleischer, E. (2018, October 12). Doctors in Scotland can now prescribe nature to their patients. Big Think. https://bigthink.com/life/doctors-in-shetland-can-now-prescribe-a-walk-in-nature/
*Hendricks, S. (2020, December 5). Doctors in Canada to begin prescribing nature to patients. Big Think. https://bigthink.com/health/canada-nature-prescription/
** Li, Q. (2010). Effect of forest bathing trips on human immune function. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 15(1), 9–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12199-008-0068-3
*** Coffman, B. (2024, April 22). Scientists can now better document health benefits of time spent in nature. University of Louisville News. https://www.uoflnews.com/section/science-and-tech/something-in-the-air-plants-emissions-leave-traces-in-the-body/
Cleveland Clinic. (2023, April 10). What are natural killer cells (NK cells)? https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/24898-natural-killer-cells
Van Buskirk, E. (2022, August 13). Forest bathing. The Gymnosperm Database. https://www.conifers.org/topics/forest-bathing.php
National Forest Foundation. (n.d.). Underground networking: The amazing connections beneath your feet. Retrieved June 22, 2026, from https://www.nationalforests.org/article/underground-mycorrhizal-network/
