Simply spending time in nature shows benefits both for body terrain factors linked to cancer and for reducing cancer risk. It may also help with symptoms common among people with cancer.
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This section does not replicate the other information on this topic but provides additional details or context most relevant to professionals.
Prescribing time in nature for your patients
You might consider prescribing time in nature. Nature prescriptions showed a moderate to large effect on cardiometabolic indicators and scores for anxiety or depression, with greater increases in daily step counts compared to controls in a meta-analysis of 28 RCTs and controlled trials.1Nguyen PY, Astell-Burt T, Rahimi-Ardabili H, Feng X. Effect of nature prescriptions on cardiometabolic and mental health, and physical activity: a systematic review. The Lancet Planet Health. 2023 Apr;7(4):e313-e328.
Modes of action: helping people negotiate their shifting realities
Qualitative research has explored how nature exposure is used and interpreted by people with cancer.
- People with cancer reported that nature exposure helped negotiate their shifting realities. Two themes emerged in a small survey:2Blaschke S, O’Callaghan CC, Schofield P, Salander P. Cancer patients’ experiences with nature: normalizing dichotomous realities. Social Science & Medicine. 2017 Jan;172:107-114.
- Nature functioned as a support structure and nurtured patients’ inner and outer capacities to respond and connect more effectively.
- Once enabled and comforted, patients could engage survival and reconstructive maneuvers and explore the consequences of cancer.
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