The best ideas for harnessing the benefits of forests
We've written many times about the benefits of walking in forests, for immunity, and for general well-being. So it goes without saying that we love spending time in forest areas and try to do so as often as we can. But many people don't live near a forest area, so how can these people harness the relaxing energy of the forest without actually heading there? We have included a few of our favourite ideas in this article, let's get into it:
Drink some Monsoon Tea
Tea is one of the best drinks to consume when you want to relax and unwind, and it's even more enjoyable when the tea you drink is forest friendly. All Monsoon Tea is grown and harvested in a sustainable way which ensures that the forest areas where the tea comes from are protected. You might think that all tea companies do this, but actually, most of the tea you consume probably isn't harvested in a sustainable way. The Monsoon Tea team only sources their tea from wild tea plants or planted tea grown in forests. They work with Forest Friendly Tea to ensure that everything they do is friendly to the forests in Northern Thailand. Better yet, everything they make tastes delicious, especially their green tea.
If you'd like to explore the full Monsoon Tea range and learn more about their forest-friendly commitment, visit their website here - monsoontea.co.th
Read 'St Leonard’s Forest, West Sussex: A Landscape History' by Maggie Weir-Wilson
A good book can transport you to a different world, and there are lots of great books about forests which will do just that. We read St Leonard’s Forest, West Sussex: A Landscape History by Maggie Weir-Wilson and found it to be both fascinating and inspiring. As Maggie says, for many years there wasn't much written about the forest despite how popular it was with locals and the myths/stories attached to it. This book is very well researched and digs into the history of the forest, and although the story of the dragon is well-known by many, Maggie uncovers a plethora of other interesting stories about St Leonard's.
Get your own copy of the book here - amazon.co.uk
Drink some Bird & Wild coffee
If tea isn't your thing then you could drink some of the delicious coffee from Bird & Wild - not only does it taste excellent, it's also organic, fairtrade, and kind to birds living in the rainforests where it is grown. The company only roasts seasonal coffee certified as Bird-Friendly and Shade-Grown by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Centre and they donate 6% of their profits to the RSPB. It's fair to say that this coffee is definitely kind to forests and the animals that live there.
If you'd like to try this coffee for yourself and learn more about how Bird & Wild support forests, visit their website here - birdandwild.co.uk
Go Forest Bathing with Nature As Nurture
If you haven't tried Forest Bathing before then you're missing out! Also known as Shinrin-Yoku, this activity can help you to feel reconnected with nature and is definitely worth trying. We'd always recommend doing this with an expert to get the full benefit, and Claire de Boursac from Nature as Nurture is the ideal person to try this activity with. Claire offers forest bathing guided sessions in Queen’s Wood which is near Highgate underground station, and will ensure that you get the most out of your forest bathing experience.
Book a session with Claire directly on her website here - natureasnurture.com
Drink a forest smoothie
Smoothies are a convenient and tasty way to get a bunch of goodness all at once, and the Forest Smoothies are probably one of the best you can buy. Made with totally natural ingredients which are kind to the Earth, these smoothies are to die for! Find where to buy one here - forestsmoothie.com
Finn H
Finn is the editor of You Well and has been writing about travel, health, and more for over 10 years.