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Natural Cycles
SPIKE PROTEIN | DIET & LIFESTYLE Natural Cycles
Healthy movement, photobiomodulation, and nature help kick-start autophagy and boost immunity
By Dr. Yuhong Dong & Dr. Paul Marik
Going for a walk in nature may improve your health in more ways than you expect.
Studies on the beneficial health effects of exercise have traditionally focused on metabolic boosting, as well as promoting the functions of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems.
However, the potential autophagy-dependent beneficial effects of exercise are also robust. The recycling of cellular components by autophagy is an important factor involved in the beneficial responses to exercise.
Exercise positively regulates the autophagy capacity/flux of skeletal muscle via certain proteins and pathways.
Exercise-induced activation of autophagy in skeletal muscle has been shown to be influenced by transcriptional regulation of autophagy-related genes.
The beneficial effects of exercise include the degradation of oxidatively damaged proteins and organelles, improved mitochondrial oxidative capacity, improved glucose regulation, protein synthesis, preservation of muscle strength and mass, and improved endurance-exercise performance.
It was observed that treadmill exercise (eight weeks) in mice positively modulated the levels of autophagy-associated proteins, improved autophagy, reduced the number of toxic proteins, and thus boosted neuroprotection.
Other studies have also shown that exercise training boosts autophagy-associated lysosomal pathways and promotes mitochondrial biogenesis in aged hippocampal neurons, indicating the benefit of potentially preventing neurodegenerative conditions and aging.
Patients with long COVID and post-vaccine symptoms frequently suffer from severe post-exertional fatigue, with worsened symptoms after exercise. Problems with exercise in COVID-19 patients, particularly with the vaccine injured, have been terribly debilitating.
Therefore, we suggest light movements, such as walking, tai chi, yoga, or relaxation therapy. More robust exercises, such as intense aerobic exercises, may be too taxing.
Sunlight has great healing powers. Our forefathers roamed the earth and were exposed to sunlight on a daily basis, likely leading to profound health benefits.
During the 1918 influenza pandemic, “open-air treatment” appeared to be the most effective treatment for seriously ill patients. The importance of sunlight and copious amounts of fresh air in self-healing appears to have substantially reduced deaths among patients.
Studies have shown that exposure to sunlight may alleviate multiple conditions, including myocardial infarction, depression, bipolar disorders, premature babies with jaundice, and stress and pain after surgery.
A large prospective study in Swedish melanoma patients has demonstrated that the all-cause mortality rate among those who avoid sun exposure was approximately two-fold higher than the group with the highest sunlight exposure.
Most people may believe that the main benefits of sunlight come from UV radiation stimulating vitamin D synthesis. However, beyond vitamin D, there are multifactorial and related benefits with photobiomodulation by red and near-infrared light. Red and near-infrared radiation have a profound effect on human physiology, notably acting as a mitochondrial stimulant, increasing ATP production.
Among all the waves in sunlight, near-infrared radiation—with a spectrum of 750 to 1500 nanometers—has the deepest penetration into tissues, reaching up to 23 centimeters deep.
Furthermore, near-infrared light increases the production of melatonin in mitochondria, which increases au-
tophagy, as described above.
The increased body temperature induced by near-infrared radiation also activates the production of heat shock proteins (which increase autophagy) and essential cell stress survival pathways.
Forest Bathing Strengthens Natural Killer Cells
Japanese forest medicine authority Qing Li published a research study in 2007 in the International Journal of Immunopathology and Pharmacology. In the study, his team took 12 urban men and asked them to spend three days and two nights in three different forests, during which time they each walked for a total of six hours.
At the end of the trip, the natural killer cells in the subjects’ blood increased in activity by around 50 percent. Natural killer cells are immune cells that specialize in destroying various types of cancer cells and infected cells. In addition, all three major anti-cancer proteins of natural killer cells increased in number, and these effects lasted for more than seven days after the forest bath.
In a follow-up study, Qing detected phytoncides, including alpha-pinenes and beta-pinenes, in the forest air.
Phytoncide is a volatile organic compound released by plants for self-preservation, and is anti-insect and antibacterial. Qing confirmed that inhalation of these phytoncides can increase the activity of natural killer cells and the amount of anti-cancer proteins even in an urban indoor environment. Phytoncides are an important factor in the immune-boosting effect of forest bathing.
A 2017 South Korean study in the journal Toxicology Research also pointed out that terpenes, the main component of phytoncide, are toxic to cancer cells and harmless to healthy cells. In the article, the anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and neuron-protective potential of various terpenes in forests was discussed in detail.
Stress accumulated in urban life can also be relieved in the forest. Qing’s research team brought in 13 women to repeat the forest tour experiment. However, in addition, they also collected their urine samples. The results showed that after the forest bathing, the concentration of stress hormones, such as adrenaline and norepinephrine, in the subjects’ urine samples decreased. Of course, this experiment also reaffirmed the previous results that the natural killer cell activity and the amount of anti-cancer proteins in the blood of these women also increased.
To verify that the forest bathing’s health benefits were due to the forest environment rather than the effects of exercise, Qing conducted another control experiment. In this study, the subjects took a trip to the forest and a trip to a city without trees. Both trips lasted three days and two nights, and their lifestyle and activities were the same, except for the different environments. The city tour did not produce the same effect as the forest tour, and the city air did not contain phytoncides, such as alpha-pinenes and beta-pinenes.
A 2010 study published in the journal Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine discovered that walking in the forest or just sitting in the forest and watching the lush nature can help lower cortisol, blood pressure, heart rate, and sympathetic nerve activity; and increase parasympathetic nerve activity, to achieve the effect of regulating the autonomic nervous system. It can also reduce fatigue and improve mood. Meanwhile, walking in the city or sitting and watching the city has no such healing effect. In this study, the researchers recruited a total of 280 subjects to do experiments in 24 Japanese forests, and all received consistent results.
Just by walking into a forest, you are already bathing in the forest. Qing pointed out that forest bathing isn’t a sport or a walk, but a way to feel the forest with your five senses and to connect with nature.
First of all, you should put away your cellphone and camera, and then stroll casually, not necessarily with a destination in mind, and feel and sense the forest by way of the following:
• Appreciating: Observe the flowers, trees, valleys, and streams, and see the sun’s rays penetrate through tree leaves and branches. • Listening: Listen to the chirping of birds and insects, the sound of flowing water, and the rustle of swaying leaves and branches. • Smelling: Take a deep breath and enjoy the fresh air of the forest and the fragrance of phytoncides. • Touching: Feel the tree trunks, soak your hands and feet in the stream, or lie down on the grass to rest.
A study that took subjects to spend time in forests found that the natural killer cells in the subjects’ blood increased in activity by around 50 percent.
