Prescribing Nature for Health: Why Your Doctor Might Order a Dose of Mother Earth for Your Next Rx

Don’t be surprised at your next wellness exam if your physician jots down on their Rx pad, “get outside in nature.” Yes, your doctor may advise you to take large doses of the highly-accessible (not to mention budget-friendly) medicine also known as the great outdoors. The holistic remedy of prescribing nature for health has become a growing trend around the globe. Physicians in various countries have been handing out “green prescriptions” in place of pharmaceutical meds as a way of treating chronic conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, lung disease and anxiety, according to the World Economic Forum, an international non-profit committed to improving the state of the world. As we approach Earth Day, we take a look at how this natural form of therapy began, and why spending time with Mother Earth can do wonders for your physical and emotional well-being. Prescribing Nature For Health Around the Globe Japan Medical professionals telling their patients to go play outside is not a new form of treatment. Back in the early 1980s, Japan introduced the practice of Shinrin-Yoku, or forest bathing. This is the act of spending time in a forest, an environment shown to reduce blood pressure, pulse rate and cortisol levels. These days, there are more than 60 certified forest therapy locations throughout the country (thanks to a $4-million government investment) that are in use by approximately five million citizens. In fact, Shinrin-Yoku is considered a standard practice in Japan in treating symptoms of depression and anxiety, along with managing stress levels. New Zealand But they’re not the only ones. In the late 1990s, New Zealand launched a public health intervention dubbed the Green Prescription Program. It is based on national guidelines that suggest 30 minutes of exercise five days a week. General practitioners prescribe mostly outdoor activities (including walking, swimming and kayaking) to help manage or prevent conditions associated with a sedentary lifestyle. A study, published in the journal BMC Family Practice, found that green prescriptions have a positive effect on patients living with a pre-existing condition, such as obesity or depression, as well as those at risk of developing diabetes and heart disease. Today, New Zealanders can even apply for a green prescription in order to be assigned a health and wellness coach who will instruct them to take part in outdoor exercises, such as playing with their family in the park or gardening with neighbors in the community. Taking part in their Green Prescription program “can help you breathe better, have less pain and reduce your risk of falling, as well as make it less likely you will get some other health conditions, such as some types of cancer,” says Health Navigator New Zealand. United Kingdom The United Kingdom also believes that healing is found in nature. In 2020, the UK invested more than $5 million into “green social prescribing” to benefit the urban and rural areas hit the hardest during the pandemic. “A connection with nature contributes to well-being and improved mental health,” said Environment Secretary George Eustic when announcing the program. United States Thankfully, the United States is getting in on the trend of prescribing nature for health by recommending nature-based therapy as part of a holistic wellness plan. Read on for more about that. Fill Your Park Prescription Nearly 10 years ago, a group of park agencies and healthcare providers in the U.S. teamed up to develop Park Prescription programs to help boost mental and physical health. This movement eventually turned into the National ParkRx Initiative, a program run by the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy in partnership with the National Park Service. Its mission is “supporting the emerging community of Park Prescription practitioners.” Physicians across the U.S. are prescribing nature for health in 34 states (and Washington D.C.), including Vermont, Maryland, Colorado and California. If you need to make an appointment, the U.S. National Park Service has declared Saturday, April 16, as Park Prescription (Park RX) Day, which also serves as a way to kick off the annual National Park Week. Not sure how to fill your prescription? Click here to find a participating park near you. Why A Prescription May Be Key Naturally, you can make an effort to spend more time in nature. From working out in a park to scheduling walking meetings with colleagues to strolling through a plant nursery, breathing in fresh air on a daily basis is definitely a start. After all, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that Americans spend an average of 90% of their time indoors (yikes!). (Which reminds us that there’s a trend blooming called biophilia, and it’s about bringing the outdoors in to boost wellness.) But motivating yourself is not the same as a prescription from your MD or DO. As evidence, patients in New Zealand view an actual prescription written by their physician as a formal treatment for their health, according to a study. Seeing the words written on a prescription pad doesn’t just serve as a reminder to be more active in nature. It validates the importance of the medicine prescribed by the physician. Benefits Of Spending Time In Nature It’s really not surprising that science supports prescribing nature for health. Here’s some proof: Nature may improve gut health: Researchers from the University College London speculate that being exposed to organisms within the environment may help regulate the immune system and encourage beneficial bacteria that reside in the gut, skin and lungs, ultimately warding off diseases. This investigation bounced off previous studies which had found a link between the natural environment and long-term health benefits (including fewer deaths, along with fewer cases of heart disease and psychiatric problems). The great outdoors curbs stress and anxiety: Within the last five years, the journal Frontiers in Psychology published research—one study and one review—where the authors concluded that being active in nature can have a profound effect on stress, anxiety, mental health and overall well-being. Green prescriptions improve heart health: In 2018, the journal Environmental Research published a meta-analysis of 143

5 Things You Need to Know About Acupuncture Before You Try It

By Lisa Elaine Held While it’s an ancient, Eastern healing modality, acupuncture is now pretty well accepted as an effective treatment for many modern ailments. Especially since more people are thinking about health and wellness from a more holistic point of view, a perspective that’s at the core of Traditional Chinese Medicine. “There are aspects of health that are purely physical,” says Ayla Lavin L.Ac., MSI, an acupuncturist at Modrn Sanctuary in New York City,” but healing has to incorporate all of the levels of the human being.” RELATED: Your Guide to Essential Oils Still, if you’ve never tried it, you may be thinking something like: “They’re going to stick needles where?!” To help allay those fears (in case acupuncture may be the solution to a nagging pain nothing else has worked for), we’re breaking down a few need-to-know facts, here. 5 Need-to-Know Facts About Acupuncture 1. The needles are teeny-tiny. To be honest, calling them “needles” at all sometimes feels like a disservice, since many people picture medical or sewing needles in their minds. In fact, acupuncture needles more closely resemble bristles of a hairbrush. They’re super skinny and bendy, and when they poke into your skin, you barely feel a prick. You will feel a dull, achy sensation just beneath the skin, sometimes, which varies in intensity depending on your issue. 2. It’s based on principles of Chinese Medicine. The basic concept is based on what Chinese Medicine calls qi (pronounced chi), an energy or “life force” that flows throughout the body. When the flow of qi is blocked or stagnated, health issues arise, Lavin explains. Practitioners place needles on points along 12 meridians of the body to get rid of blockages and get your qi moving again. 3. …But scientific research shows it works. Of course, Western doctors don’t recognize qi as an actual physical concept. Still, a ton of scientific research has been done and has found acupuncture to be effective at managing all kinds of conditions, even if MDs don’t quite understand how it’s working yet. Lavin says neck and back pain and headaches are the issues she treats the most, and the research is strongest in this area. She also treats many women for hormonal imbalances that lead to issues like infertility, heavy periods, cramps, and weight gain, or symptoms of menopause like hot flashes and low libido. RELATED: How to Track Your Period for More Energy and Happiness 4. And it’ll likely relieve stress no matter what. Even if your carpal tunnel isn’t totally cured, you’ll likely get some stress relief out of the therapy no matter what you’re actually being treated for, since “acupuncture insertion stimulates anti-stress hormones,” Lavin says. Not to mention the fact that if you go to a spa-like spot like Modrn Sanctuary, you’ll be laying down listening to soothing music and breathing in aromatherapy through it all. RELATED: 9 Delicious, Stress-Fighting Foods to Eat Daily 5. Just make sure you go to a qualified acupuncturist. Statistically, acupuncture is about as safe as you can get when it comes to treatment for any kind of health issue. Still, you wouldn’t go see a physical therapist or physician who wasn’t certified, and you shouldn’t get acupuncture from a shady storefront, either. Go to a licensed acupuncturist (usually abbreviated L.Ac. after their name), and feel free to ask about their training, which is pretty intensive if they’re truly qualified.