Let’s go forest bathing – Part 7 – Taste The Forest

Throughout June I’ll be sharing tips and insights on how to Forest Bathe exclusively on 9KM BY 9AM and the Outside & Active website.

A 30-minute forest bathe once or twice a week will help you slow down. It will bring you into the present moment and de-stress and relax you.

TASTE THE FOREST

Letting the forest in is the key to unlocking its power - let nature enter through your eyes, ears nose, mouth, hands and feet. Today we’re tasting in the forest.

Another way of connecting with the forest is to eat or drink it - forests are full of food. You just have to know where to look and what to look for.

One way to taste the forest is through tea drinking - make tea from twigs, leaves, nettles, flowers, bark of trees.

You can also make tea from the needles of spruce furs. They’re all good sources of vitamin A and C the flavours of these needle teas vary from fruity to lemony to smoky.

There are lots of different plants you can pick to make drinks from. Elderflower is abundant at the moment or pick some nettles and make nettle tea.

Also, you can drink water! Mountain water is obviously the freshest.

You feel more connection to the forest if you are drinking teas or cordials made from the surrounding plants. It just feels natural, fresh and organic.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Take a picnic with a flask of nettle tea and / or elderflower squash to the forest, wood or park.

Find a space. Slow down… sit peacefully. Focus on your breath – 10 deep in and out breaths.

Mindfully eat you picnic and drink your tea / squash whilst opening your senses to what is around you. The smells, sights and sounds.

As you drink close your eyes and wholly feel and taste the liquid on your tongue before swallowing. Feel the warmth of the tea cup in your hands. Feel the tea passing down to your stomach. Keep sipping until your drink is gone.

Write down in your journal how you feel after the session.

HOW TO MAKE NETTLE TEA
Pick some stingy nettles - make sure you have gloves on! Put a few leaves in a teapot and pour very hot water over (90 degrees) - let it fuse then pour through strainer into cup. It’s rich in Vitamin A & C plus metals like calcium, magnesium and iron!

My book, Walking Back To Happiness: The Secret To Alcohol-Free Living & Well-Being and my coaching course Reroot Yourself shows how you can massively improve your mental and physical well-being, through re-connecting or rerooting with the natural world, walking outdoors, watching sunrises, forest bathing and being more mindful about the changes in nature that are happening all around you.

HAVE A GREAT DAY...
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