A Look at the Rise of Nature Prescriptions

"It was a naturopathic doctor (ND) who handed me my first PaRx—a park prescription, sometimes called a ParkRx or NatureRx. I had exhausted all the treatment options with my family doctor and had turned to alternative medicine for answers. In addition to several nutritional supplements and dietary changes, my ND suggested I leave my claustrophobic cubicle each day at lunchtime, head over to a small butterfly garden adjacent to our office building, and take off my shoes. I was to stand in the grass for 10 minutes, feeling the cool blades tickling my toes. This was written down on an actual prescription pad, and I carried the slip home with me in my bag. The prescription felt silly at first, but I dutifully followed it every day throughout that summer ... And I was surprised to find that it helped—my lunchtime communion with this small greenspace seemed to set the tone for a better mood in the afternoon and post-work evening." Nature prescriptions or "nature pills" are rising among medical practitioners. A movement in Canada launched the Park Prescriptions (PaRX) initiative with the BC Parks Foundation, which provides health care professionals nature prescription files, codes, and instructions for logging prescriptions for patients to allocate regular time in nature. In Canada, over 5,000 physicians are registered in the program.

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