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Traditional Korean Medicine-Based Forest Therapy Programs Providing Electrophysiological Benefits for Elderly Individuals

Author

Listed:
  • Jiyune Yi

    (Department of Forest Therapy, Graduate School of Chungbuk National University, Chungju, Chungbuk 28644, Korea)

  • Boncho Ku

    (Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon 34054, Korea)

  • Seul Gee Kim

    (Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon 34054, Korea)

  • Taegyu Khil

    (Department of Forest Therapy, Graduate School of Chungbuk National University, Chungju, Chungbuk 28644, Korea)

  • Youngsuwn Lim

    (Department of Forest Therapy, Graduate School of Chungbuk National University, Chungju, Chungbuk 28644, Korea)

  • Minja Shin

    (Department of Forest Therapy, Graduate School of Chungbuk National University, Chungju, Chungbuk 28644, Korea)

  • Sookja Jeon

    (Department of Forest Therapy, Graduate School of Chungbuk National University, Chungju, Chungbuk 28644, Korea)

  • Jingun Kim

    (Department of Forest Therapy, Graduate School of Chungbuk National University, Chungju, Chungbuk 28644, Korea)

  • Byunghoon Kang

    (Department of Forest Therapy, Graduate School of Chungbuk National University, Chungju, Chungbuk 28644, Korea)

  • Jongyeon Shin

    (Department of Forest Therapy, Graduate School of Chungbuk National University, Chungju, Chungbuk 28644, Korea)

  • Kahye Kim

    (Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon 34054, Korea)

  • Ah Young Jeong

    (Department of Forest Therapy, Graduate School of Chungbuk National University, Chungju, Chungbuk 28644, Korea)

  • Jeong Hwan Park

    (Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon 34054, Korea)

  • Jungmi Choi

    (Human Anti-Aging Standards Research Institute, Uiryeong, Gyungnam 52151, Korea)

  • Wonseok Cha

    (Human Anti-Aging Standards Research Institute, Uiryeong, Gyungnam 52151, Korea)

  • Changseob Shin

    (Department of Forest Therapy, Graduate School of Chungbuk National University, Chungju, Chungbuk 28644, Korea)

  • Wonsop Shin

    (Department of Forest Therapy, Graduate School of Chungbuk National University, Chungju, Chungbuk 28644, Korea)

  • Jaeuk U. Kim

    (Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon 34054, Korea)

Abstract

We aimed to develop forest therapy programs (FTPs) to prevent dementia and related health problems in the elderly population, with the assumption that health benefits are FTP-type specific and depend on the participant’s psychophysiological traits. For this purpose, we developed two distinct FTPs, namely, a guided-breathing meditation program (BP) and a walking program (WP); we adopted the approach of Sasang constitutional (SC) medicine, which categorizes individuals into one of three SC types (SC1, SC2, or SC3) for medical care. The FTPs ran 11 sessions over 11 weeks. We recruited 29/31/28 participants who were 65 years of age or older for the BP/WP/control groups, respectively; obtained electrophysiological measurements via electroencephalogram (EEG), heart rate variability (HRV), and bioimpedance; and analyzed the intervention effects with analysis of covariance. Compared with the control, the BP and WP resulted in benefits for neural activity and parasympathetic nervous activity (PNA), respectively, and both FTPs yielded distinct beneficial effects on bioimpedance. Constitution-specific effects were also present. The SC1- and SC2-type participants gained positive effects in neural activity from the BP and WP, respectively. The SC3-type participants showed improvements in PNA from the WP. In conclusion, for older individuals, both programs conferred health benefits that would help prevent dementia, and the benefits were program-specific and constitution-specific.

Suggested Citation

  • Jiyune Yi & Boncho Ku & Seul Gee Kim & Taegyu Khil & Youngsuwn Lim & Minja Shin & Sookja Jeon & Jingun Kim & Byunghoon Kang & Jongyeon Shin & Kahye Kim & Ah Young Jeong & Jeong Hwan Park & Jungmi Choi, 2019. "Traditional Korean Medicine-Based Forest Therapy Programs Providing Electrophysiological Benefits for Elderly Individuals," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-20, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:22:p:4325-:d:284197
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Insook Lee & Heeseung Choi & Kyung-Sook Bang & Sungjae Kim & MinKyung Song & Buhyun Lee, 2017. "Effects of Forest Therapy on Depressive Symptoms among Adults: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-18, March.
    2. Chorong Song & Harumi Ikei & Yoshifumi Miyazaki, 2016. "Physiological Effects of Nature Therapy: A Review of the Research in Japan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-17, August.
    3. Jin-Woo Han & Han Choi & Yo-Han Jeon & Chong-Hyeon Yoon & Jong-Min Woo & Won Kim, 2016. "The Effects of Forest Therapy on Coping with Chronic Widespread Pain: Physiological and Psychological Differences between Participants in a Forest Therapy Program and a Control Group," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-13, February.
    4. Chorong Song & Harumi Ikei & Maiko Kobayashi & Takashi Miura & Masao Taue & Takahide Kagawa & Qing Li & Shigeyoshi Kumeda & Michiko Imai & Yoshifumi Miyazaki, 2015. "Effect of Forest Walking on Autonomic Nervous System Activity in Middle-Aged Hypertensive Individuals: A Pilot Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-13, March.
    5. Genxiang Mao & Yongbao Cao & Bozhong Wang & Sanying Wang & Zhuomei Chen & Jirong Wang & Wenmin Xing & Xiaoxu Ren & Xiaoling Lv & Jianhua Dong & Shasha Chen & Xiuyuan Chen & Guofu Wang & Jing Yan, 2017. "The Salutary Influence of Forest Bathing on Elderly Patients with Chronic Heart Failure," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-12, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jiyune Yi & Seul Gee Kim & Taegyu Khil & Minja Shin & Jin-Hee You & Sookja Jeon & Gue Hong Park & Ah Young Jeong & Youngsuwn Lim & Kahye Kim & Jingun Kim & Byunghoon Kang & Jueun Lee & Jeong Hwan Park, 2021. "Psycho-Electrophysiological Benefits of Forest Therapies Focused on Qigong and Walking with Elderly Individuals," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-16, March.

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