Hug A Tree & Go Green, À La Gisele Bündchen

April 12, 2015

Sexy supermodel Gisele Bündchen is also a tree-hugger, and has always been vocal about her love for the environment. In an initiative to give back to mother earth, she is now partnering with the World Wildlife Fund to help spread the message of being an eco-warrior.

Check out her recent Instagram post, wherein she openly addresses her concern over deforestation:

Forests are vital to life on Earth. They purify the air we breathe, filter the water we drink, offer a home to much of the world’s diverse array of plants and animals. And even doing all those things and much more for us, it is being destroyed at a rate of 48 football fields per minute. Awareness is the first step to really making a change. I support #HUGATREE #lovenature @world_wildlife

A photo posted by Gisele Bündchen (@giseleofficial) on Apr 9, 2015 at 7:29am PDT

And it’s not just her; for years, we’ve heard people say, “hug a tree, save a life”, but whose lives are we saving, the tree, or our own? Turns out, it’s both. Touching a tree can make you feel better; in fact, just being within its vicinity can have a positive effect on you. The book Blinded By Science published by author Matthew Silverstone, shares evidences that explain how trees can help ease health issues such as depression and headaches, and can improve memory and concentration levels too. Some reports also state that green spaces could be as effective as prescription drugs in treating certain mental issues.

Trees have long been recognized as a source of emotional and physical healing. In fact, early humans have been known to understand and practice this often. Walking barefoot and hugging a tree could strengthen our intimate connection with earth. Even today, people in Japan practice ‘forest bathing’, where they spend some quiet time taking long walks among trees, absorbing the wisdom of the ancient forest. They believe this could help stimulate their immune system. Similarly in Taoism, students are encouraged to meditate among trees, as it is believed that this will help absorb negative energies, and replace them with healthy ones.

If you want to start experiencing the healing power of nature, go ahead and hug a tree. It could save the tree, and enrich your life. Additionally, you could adopt simple practices such as:

Adding more plants to your homes and office spaces.
Jogging through a park that’s filled with more trees.
Converting big or small spaces in your home into gardens, and planting more trees.
Taking out some ‘tree time’, spending a few hours at the greenest spots in the neighborhood.

Explore our Wellness section for travel, spa, home care, and natural wellness tips and tricks.
Your comprehensive guide to stress-free living and Emotional Well-being, right here.