Page 6 - Health and Healing Through Nature Article
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Rural or the Greater Wilderness Community
Intervention Result/Outcome
Percentage of nearby green Correlated with perceived health
space Lower income groups showed a big difference in health
Inversely correlated with perceived stress
Decrease in “the stress hormone” cortisol
Reduction in death rate
Strong associations with respiratory diseases
More reported desire to walk for exercise
Decreased death rates, mostly in green space deprived areas
Increased survival after stroke
Decreased obesity rates for females
Decreased rates of obesity and being overweight
Decrease in cardio/respiratory death rates for men
Increased monetary value of housing, especially within half block 2,10
Nearby trees/grass Increased social activities and use of outdoors space 11
Children living near nature Decreased impact of stress 24
Move from urban to rural The more green, the greater the improvement in cognitive function 25
(low income, children)
Living near England coast Improved health and well-being 26
Living close to nature Decreased death rates, cardiovascular disease, and psychological
problems
Decreased endocrine (hormone) problems 27
National park nearby home Land value increase of 7 percent as a result of being within sight of
park 28
Viewing charismatic macro- Viewing large animals (such as at a zoo or wildlife preserve) has
and megafauna (large see shown improvement in quality of life on self-report 61
and land animals)
Nature and Healing - David Bilstrom, MD 6
