Don’t just exercise, exercise outside, doctors orders
San Francisco physician, Dr. Daphne Miller is actually prescribing outdoor activities to her patients. Her prescriptions look something like this:
“Drug: Exercise in Glen Canyon Park
Dose: 45 minutes of walking or running
Directions: Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday at 7 am
Unlimited Refills.” (Source: The Guardian.com)
She finds it’s much easier to keep an exercise regimen going if it’s outdoors, so she recommends it, and writes it down for her patients. Why is being outdoors so good for you? It could be because of the different and varying scenery, the fact that you don’t need new workout wear for the gym, or even because you can do it with your friends as a way of socializing.
Doctors across the country have actually started making these recommendations to their patients as well. Robert Zarr was one such doctor who was an early proponent of prescribing the outdoors. He asks his patients about what they are interested in and recommends nearby outdoor activities in their area. For example, he told one overweight teen to get off the bus a few stops early and walk through a park instead. The teen lost weight and felt better, too.
These doctors see it as no different than prescribing medication for an infection. Formalizing the recommendation, by actually writing it down in a prescription, is much more effective, and doctors find that there is a higher chance that their patients will follow through.
When the idea originally became popularized in 2008, some dismissed it as a gimmick or niche idea. But the movement has grown, and more research is being put in the area to understand the connection between exercise, physiology and the outdoor experience.
Those of us who spend lots of time outside, know it must be good for us. It feels better to be out there in the wilderness, or even a city park, it reduces our stress level and allows us to think more clearly. Now there is even more scientific proof.
Increasing evidence shows being outside reduces stress, tension, lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels, lowers blood pressure, improves immune system responses, lower ADHD symptoms in children.
Being outside also naturally equates to an increase in physical activity. Regular physical activity has the following benefits:
- Controls weight
- Combats certain health conditions and diseases, including a wide range of health problems, diabetes and depression
- Improves mood: it stimulates chemicals in the brain that allow you feel happier and more relaxed. Over time, you’ll start to feel less overall anxiety and improved self-esteem
- Improves energy: increased muscle strength and better endurance will make it easier to do anything that requires some physical exertion.
This is definitely natures prescription! More proof that nature is good for the brain.
With all this evidence for it, there really is no reason why we shouldn’t be spending more time outdoors! It just feels good.
What is your favourite outdoor sport? Comment below
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