Doctors in Canada can now prescribe time in National Parks to patients who need to be in nature.
Health professionals in four Canadian provinces can now prescribe patients to spend time in National Parks as part of a new program, PaRX, which outlines the benefits of connecting with nature in managing physical and mental health.
The PaRx initiative was launched by the BC Parks Foundation in November 2020 and was officially supported by Parks Canada, the country’s National Parks Authority, last month, according to the CBC.
Health professionals enrolled in the program can offer their patients the Parks Canada Discovery Pass card for one year of free access to National Parks.
Doctors recommend that patients spend at least two hours a week outdoors for at least 20 minutes at a time.
The benefits are longer life expectancy, increased energy, reduced stress, better mood, reduced pain and improved heart health.
The program is being implemented for the first time in Canada, currently in British Columbia, Ontario, Scotland and Manitoba and is later expected to be extended to other provinces.
In the US, a team of health professionals, healthcare providers and local government representatives worked together to set up the National ParkRx initiative about 10 years ago.
Follow Skai.gr on Google News
and be the first to know all the news
I have worked in the news industry for over 10 years. I have a vast amount of experience in covering health news. I am also an author at News Bulletin 247. I am highly experienced and knowledgeable in this field. I am a hard worker and always deliver quality work. I am a reliable source of information and always provide accurate information.
