Forest medicine is the next big thing
A new study conducted in Israel suggests that 'forest medicine'—guided therapeutic stays in wooded areas—significantly improves symptoms for veterans suffering from PTSD. Participants who engaged in the forest intervention showed better autonomic nervous system balance and reduced trauma symptoms compared to a control group.
Why it matters
This research offers a potential low-cost, non-pharmacological adjunct therapy for treating combat-related PTSD.
Forest medicine is a therapeutic practice and evidence-based guided medicine that encourages mindful, slowed-down, and guided stays in wooded areas to improve physical and mental health. A groundbreaking study, the first of its kind conducted in Israel and recently completed, sought to examine whether structured and guided intervention treatment in forest medicine could improve the condition of people coping with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and subsequently serve as a therapeutic option for many who deal with the syndrome on a daily basis with a direct impact on their lives. The study was conducted by "Forest Medicine Israel" led by Prof. Itamar Grotto, Dr.
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