In Canada, doctors may recommend contact with nature

Two hours a week in contact with nature, at least 20 minutes at a time: This is a new prescription that some patients receive from doctors in Canada, where the new unique code for filling out prescriptions allows you to specify the English acronym for PaRx, Park BeautyThat is, Park Medicine can be recommended by health professionals as a simple and effective intervention for their patients To improve their health.

Initially proposed by the BC Parks Foundation PaRx program It was officially launched in British Columbia and extended to the provinces of Ontario, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. “Research shows that patients are more likely to actually do what is recommended. Then, through this program, the doctor can get a unique prescription so that they can actually prescribe it to their patients. Spend time in nature”Said Anna Cooper Reid, Manidoba’s Parks Coordinator, who launched the program chronologically in the last of the four Canadian provinces.

The PaRx project is based on some scientific research that explores and measures the health benefits of interacting with nature. And, in particular, the results of a review of nearly 150 studies recently published in the journal Environmental research Where a was highlighted Impressive number of useful effects Improved blood pressure is the result of spending more time in green spaces, which includes the effects of cholesterol and cancer, as well as the risk of death from asthma, type 2 diabetes, stroke and all other causes.

Scientific studies have also pointed it out Children With mild and moderate inattention they can benefit from the time spent in nature in terms of memory and attention, comparing the results obtained with some common drug treatments. “Two hours a week, at least 20 minutes apart, They reduce the risk of heart health, cognition and miscarriage – Experts point out -. Those who have access to greener areas and live in areas with more trees are healthier than those who do not have this opportunity, i.e. those who live in urban areas with less green areas become “hot islands” that trap heat and pollution.“.

For those who love gardening, a Recent study Exposure to a common soil bacterium, The Mycobacterium vaccineCan Improves symptoms of anxiety and depression Through its interaction with the immune system.

“The PaRx project gives us the opportunity for clinicians to begin conversations with their patients about the benefits of nature and to reflect on our responsibility to the natural world that sustains life around us. – They writeAlberta Doctors Digest Liana Hwang and Andrea Schaffoe, members of the Alberta Medical Association, like other large corporations in Canada, recently approved the PaRx program. Not surprisingly, research shows that time spent in nature motivates both children and adults to protect and preserve the environment.“.