When I’m walking by the coast in Bournemouth, I’m often reminded of the town’s beginnings as a health resort. This reputation was created at least in part by physician, Augustus Bozzi Granville, who visited Bournemouth in 1841 and subsequently included a chapter on the town in his book, The Spas of England, where he declared it to be “a perfect discovery” for “a real invalid”. Having visited “all the resorts of invalids, abroad and in England”, Granville considered Bournemouth to be superior as a place of respite, due to the unique geographical features and climate.
"Invalid's Walk" in 1890s - now Pine Walk in Bournemouth Gardens (parallel to Westover Road)
At the time of Granville’s writings, around one in four deaths were due to tuberculosis, a disease of the lungs and it was thought that pine-infused air would aid recovery and had health giving properties for all. Additionally, the idea of sea bathing as beneficial to health was gathering traction, so Bournemouth was the perfect getaway from the polluted industrial cities of the time.
Through the wonders of the internet, Granville’s book is available to browse via Google Books and makes a fascinating and entertaining read. The chapter on Bournemouth contains detailed descriptions of the area and mentions Boscombe, Christchurch and “Big Durley-chine”, among other recognisable geographical features. The overwhelming feel from the descriptions though, is of a natural environment, only punctuated by a few houses and the Royal Bath Hotel, which was opened in 1838.
Having recently read Granville’s thoughts on Bournemouth, his words often ring in my ears, as I walk through Boscombe gardens or along the seafront, looking up at the cliffs. Although the town has undergone significant development over the intervening 180 years, it remains a place where you can connect with nature and feel restored by the blustery sea air.
Of course, medicine and scientific understanding of health has shifted significantly over the last two centuries too. The World Health Organization defines “health” as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. Promoting healthy lifestyles is the current approach to tackling many of the biggest killers in the developed world, such as heart disease and cancer, and the importance of mental health is finally gaining global recognition. And while we may now balk at the idea of describing patients as “invalids", and find some of the language of Granville's time quaint at best, research is confirming the health benefits of spending time in nature, including real impacts from breathing forest air.
Dr Qing Li has conducted several studies into the effects of a forest environment on body systems. In his book, Into the forest, he outlines how forest bathing has been proven to "lower the stress hormones, cortisol and adrenalin, suppresses the sympathetic fight or flight system, enhances the parasympathetic or rest and recover system, lowers blood pressure and increases heart rate variability." When we spend time in the woods, we are inhaling a cocktail of bioactive substances that plants release into the air – one group of these is called terpenes. These come from tree leaves, trunks and bark, as well as other plants, mushrooms and mosses. Numerous studies show number of natural killer cells in our blood increases when we inhale terpenes from the forest air. So now we have scientific evidence that explains the Victorian assertion that "pine air" has health giving properties.
One study published last year found that spending two hours a week in natural environments significantly increased the likelihood of people reporting good health and wellbeing. And it has been suggested that we might soon be advised to aim for a minimum of two hours a week in natural environments, alongside our five-fruits-and-veg a day.
Bournemouth today may be a far cry from the dramatic, heath-covered cliffs and deserted pine populated valleys described in Granville’s book, but for those who are lucky to live here or even visit, opportunities to get that two-hours-a-week nature fix are abundant and freely available.
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