Episode 17

Healing Through Nature: How Green Spaces Improve Health

Published on: 29th May, 2024

Urban green and blue spaces (UGS) are hugely beneficial to human and planetary health. With the environments in which we live, and the rapid growth of urbanization, we as healthcare professionals have an advocacy role in promoting green space. 
Join me as I chat with Sarah and Dan from the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare. We talk about the importance of green space for health, some of the amazing ongoing examples of promotion in health care and the offerings on the table. This includes NHS Forest, being led by Dan and Sarah, which promises to give trees to any GP practice!!

Greener Practice – Greener Practice – UK's primary care sustainability network

Green Exercise | University of Essex

Tree Equity Score (free, online, mapping tool): https://uk.treeequityscore.org

NHS Forest website: https://nhsforest.org/

Natural England review of reviews: https://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/5939107801595904

Food growing toolkit, here's the link to it in the networks: https://networks.sustainablehealthcare.org.uk/resources/food-growing-toolkit-healthcare-settings

Recent WHO Publication:
Urban Green Space for Health: a review of the evidence Urban green spaces and health (who.int)

Recent Paper published in Lifestyle Medicine:
Urban green and blue spaces for influencing physical activity in the United Kingdom: A narrative review of the policy and evidence - Leese - 2024 - Lifestyle Medicine

Produced using funding from NHS Tayside Educational Fund and the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine.

Find us at https://themovementprescription.co.uk/

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About the Podcast

The Movement Prescription
Welcome to The Movement Prescription, the podcast where movement meets medicine. Hosted by three dynamic GPs, Dr. Callum Leese, Dr. Suzy Scarlett, and Dr. Hussain Al-Zubaidi, this show is your go-to resource for understanding the transformative power of physical activity in healthcare.

Backed by the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine, The Movement Prescription shares the society's bold vision: transforming healthcare and tackling health inequalities through the principles of lifestyle medicine.

Designed for everyone but with health professionals in mind, this podcast aims to educate, inspire, and empower listeners to integrate physical activity into healthcare settings. Whether you're a clinician, a health advocate, or someone passionate about promoting well-being, our episodes offer actionable insights, real-world examples, and expert interviews.

In Season Two, we dive deeper, challenging misconceptions about physical activity and exploring innovative ways to address it across diverse healthcare scenarios, including for disease-specific groups. Join us as we unlock the potential of movement to revolutionize health and bridge the gaps in healthcare for a healthier, more equitable future.

Tune in, and let’s get moving—together.