by P Henry. section 7 Psychosocial Interventions for Cancer
Taking time for a simple walk in nature can be calming and healthy. Popular news suggests that just 20 minutes daily benefits health[1]. It’s not as simple as that.
Rapid urbanisation, accompanying industrialisation, destroys flora and fauna and harms us as well. Even though there is less illness and incidence of cancers for humans and wildlife surrounded by plants and trees[2], construction covers more green areas.
As nature is reconstructed into commodities (boxes, furniture, etc), we also become functional things[3]. We are persuaded into being consumers whose purpose is to excessively buy. Our abilities to truly explore and think is reduced to wanting shiny objects. As companies increase profits from this, we lose perspective of living and nature. Media hyper-stimulates us to these superficial ends, where nature is depicted as unknowable or dangerous. We are submerged in their design to pretend we have the grandeur shown in ads with an illusion of wealth or power. If this shallowness is accepted, our relationship to feeling and being with living nature is damaged.
Nature as a living experience is so much more than the objects we buy. It can provide health.
For those with cancer, having steadily worn-out emotions, experiencing nature can reduce stress, improve QoL and provide better treatment outcomes. As cancer disrupts our homeostasis, therapeutic nature can help restore it.
But often these benefits are blocked.
To appreciate nature’s healing properties, we need to re-educate ourselves and refine our senses. This differs from mindfulness because it directs thinking inward. This is about sensing and feeling all that nature surrounding us can offer. From the smallest breeze, shape or shade changes, to joyful birds winging through branches, through broad designs and outlines of trees.
While walking in countryside or in an urban oasis we should slow down. It is not about racing, with earphones blotting out the natural world, texting madly, dashing down paths quickly. It’s about slowing down, being there, while our senses expand into all that is around. We can sense the changes in climate or seasons, breathing, seeing, smelling, hearing animals, plants, taking in their essential oils[4] and open all senses to what can be apprehended. Then dissolving yourself into it, as there is no threat, just gentle life.
Be dressed appropriately to be comfortable with that season’s weather. Feel yourself slowly relax into the surroundings. Let your weight sink downward, held by the earth, gravity. Unthreatened by the media hype of dangers, notice how you can become connected to all the living activity around you. Breathe slowly. Let busy thoughts pass. Give yourself permission, time passing,
Just being in this meditative state. Deeply relax.
For those torn by cancer it is therapy.
Your cortisol and adrenaline reduce, and your immune system is boosted by being with nature. The healthy scents, phytoncides [5] are medicines. As you experience tranquillity, see the diversity of growth and waning of plants, seasons differentiated with colours and numerous shapes and natural fractal dimensions[6]. This calms us, balancing our parasympathetic /sympathetic functions, providing anti-cancer proteins. The increased[7] serum adiponectin steroids affect tumour growth[8] and are effective in preventive & therapeutic cancer treatment [9]. Our immune and cardiovascular responses improve, and inflammation is reduced[10].
The regular practice of a nature experience is an important resource for cancer sufferers. It can improve sleep, reduce anxiety, depression, fatigue and pain[11]. The enhanced immune functioning produces more NK cells which can kill cancer cells[12]. It significantly improves the adaptive resistance of the body[13] and increases resilience[14]. Experiencing nature reduces stress perception, which when it’s chronic or traumatic (which occurs for up to 35% of sufferers) produces worse cancer outcomes[15].
Nature, in addition to its active therapeutic qualities, is inspiring new treatment designs for evasive cancer[16]. The nature we think we know, in coexistence, offers much more.
1. How 20 minutes of nature can …. (10Oct25) Y Rufo. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg0yvdjgn5o
2. Risk of Several Cancers is Higher in Urban Areas …. (29Jan14) L Sharp et al. J Urban Health 91(3). Urbanization Levels and Its Association with …Cancer Incidence. (Nov21) M Enayatrad et al. Iran J Pub Hea. 50(11). Urban environment and cancer in wildlife…. (9Jan19) Tuul Sepp et al. Royal Soc BioSci. Is Cancer Prevention Influenced by the Built Environment? …. (1Oct19) A J D Wray et al. Cancer
3. “Commodities express their market relationships with reified human relationships subjugating human consciousness.” (1972) Georg Lukács. History and Class Consciousness
4. Essential Oil from … Induces Apoptosis in Human Oral Epidermoid Carcinoma Cells via Mitochondrial Stress and Activation of Caspases. (30Mar12) Jeong-Dan Cha et al. Molecules 17(4). The Effects of Forest Therapy on Coping with Chronic Widespread Pain…. (2016) J W Han et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health 13(3).
5. Effect of phytoncides from forest environments on immune function. (2010) Qing Li et al. in Environ Health Prev Med. Phytoncides Induce Human Natural Killer Cell Activity. (2008) Qing Li, etal. Immunopharmacology and Immunotoxicology.
6. Good Nature ( 5Jun25) Prof K Willis. Fractal dimension of the brain in neurodegenerative disease and dementia (Aug22) E T Ziukelis et al. Ageing Research Reviews 79.
7. Effects of forest environment … on health promotion and disease prevention …. (1Nov22) Qing Li. Environ Health Prev Med.27(43)
8. Mechanisms of Disease: adipokines and breast cancer…. (2007) A Schäffler, et al. Nat Rev Endocrinol 3.
9. Dehydroepiandrosterone, Cancer, and Aging. (1Apr22) A G Schwartz et al. Aging Dis.13(2).
10. The impact of greenspace or nature-based interventions on cardiovascular health or cancer-related outcomes…. (23Nov22) J C Bikomeye et al. PLoS One. 17(11).
11. Nature-Based Interventions and Exposure among Cancer Survivors…. (29Jan23) E R Timko Olson et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 20(3).
12. The impact of greenspace or nature-based interventions on cardiovascular health or cancer-related outcomes…. (23Nov22) J C Bikomeye et al. PLoS One. 17(11). Forest Bathing Enhances Human Natural Killer Activity and expression of Anti-Cancer Proteins. (2007) Q. LI et al. Int J of Immunopath and Pharma 20(2). Forest adjuvant anti-cancer therapy to enhance natural cytotoxicity …. (Oct15) Byungho J. Kim et al. Euro J of Integra Med 7(5). Correlation of stress factors with sustained depression of natural killer cell activity …. (1987) S Levy et al. J Clin Oncol. 5(3).
13. Medical empirical research on forest bathing …. (1Dec19) Ye Wen et al. Environ Hea Prev Med. 24(70).
14. The effectiveness of a forest- experience … resilience. (2014) Y H Choi et al. J of Korean Soc for Comm Hea Ed, 25.
15. Investigating the relationship between nature exposure, nature connectedness… with cancer. (2024) A Quah et al. Int J of Spa and Wellness (7). Perceived stress is associated with a higher symptom burden in cancer survivors. (10Sept19) M Mazor et al. Cancer, 125(24).
16. Harnessing Nature to Beat Cancer. (28Feb18) L Brownell. Wyss Inst. Harvard.
[1] How 20 minutes of nature can …. (10Oct25) Y Rufo https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg0yvdjgn5o
[2] Risk of Several Cancers is Higher in Urban Areas …. (29Jan14) L Sharp et al. J Urban Health 91(3).
Urbanization Levels and Its Association with …Cancer Incidence. (Nov21)M Enayatrad et al. Iran J Pub Hea. 50(11). Urban environment and cancer in wildlife…. (9Jan19) Tuul Sepp et al. Royal Soc BioSci. Is Cancer Prevention Influenced by the Built Environment? …. (1Oct19) A J D Wray et al. Cancer
[3] “Commodities express their market relationships with reified human relationships subjugating human consciousness.” History & Class Consciousness. (1972) Georg Lukács.
[4] Essential Oil from … Induces Apoptosis in Human Oral Epidermoid Carcinoma Cells via Mitochondrial Stress and Activation of Caspases. (30Mar12) Jeong-Dan Cha et al. Molecules 17(4).
The Effects of Forest Therapy on Coping with Chronic Widespread Pain…. (2016) J W Han et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health 13(3).
[5] Effect of phytoncides from forest environments on immune function. (2010) Qing Li et al. in Environ Health Prev Med. Phytoncides Induce Human Natural Killer Cell Activity. (2008) Qing Li, etal. Immunopharmacology and Immunotoxicology.
[6] Good Nature ( 5Jun25) Prof K Willis. Fractal dimension of the brain in neurodegenerative disease and dementia (Aug22) E T Ziukelis et al. Ageing Research Reviews 79.
[7] Effects of forest environment (Shinrin-yoku/Forest bathing) on health promotion and disease prevention …. (1Nov22) Qing Li. Environ Health Prev Med.27(43)
[8] Mechanisms of Disease: adipokines and breast cancer…. (2007) A Schäffler, et al. Nat Rev Endocrinol 3
[9] Dehydroepiandrosterone, Cancer, and Aging. (1Apr22) A G Schwartz et al. Aging Dis.13(2).
[10] The impact of greenspace or nature-based interventions on cardiovascular health or cancer-related outcomes…. (23Nov22) J C Bikomeye et al. PLoS One. 17(11).
[11] Nature-Based Interventions and Exposure among Cancer Survivors…. (29Jan23) E R Timko Olson et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 20(3).
[12] The impact of greenspace or nature-based interventions on cardiovascular health or cancer-related outcomes…. (23Nov22) J C Bikomeye et al. PLoS One. 17(11). Forest Bathing Enhances Human Natural Killer Activity and expression of Anti-Cancer Proteins (2007) Q. LI et al. I J of Immunopatho and Pharma 20(2). Forest adjuvant anti-cancer therapy to enhance natural cytotoxicity …. (Oct15) Byungho J. Kim et al. Euro J of Integra Med 7(5). Correlation of stress factors with sustained depression of natural killer cell activity …. (1987) S Levy et al. J Clin Oncol. 5(3)
[13] Medical empirical research on forest bathing …. (1Dec19) Ye Wen et al. Environ Hea Prev Med. 24(70).
[14] The effectiveness of a forest- experience … resilience. (2014) Y H Choi et al. J of Korean Soc for Sch& Comm Hea Ed, 25.
[15] Investigating the relationship between nature exposure, nature connectedness… with cancer. (2024) A Quah et al. Inter J of Spa and Wellness (7). Perceived stress is associated with a higher symptom burden in cancer survivors. (10Sept19) M Mazor et al. Cancer, 125( 24).
[16] Harnessing Nature to Beat Cancer. (28Feb18) L Brownell. Wyss Inst. Harvard.
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