Category Archive: Center for Health & Nature

1. 2020 Center for Health & Nature Symposium Recap

   December 2, 2021 11:51 am Leave a Comment

   Launched in 2018, the Center for Health & Nature is a partnership between Texan by Nature, Houston Methodist, and Texas A&M Health Science Center. The Center for Health & Nature Symposium convenes friends of the Center, researchers, potential funders, and donors to explore ways to advance the science of the interplay between exposure to natural environments, health, and healing. The 2021 Symposium is happening on December 8, 2021. To learn more about the event and purchase tickets, click here.

   The 2020 Symposium was entirely virtual, so we’ve collected all of the presentations below to give you a preview of what you’ll see this year.

   Nature in Practice – Clinical Solutions Panel Keynote: John Henderson

   John Henderson, Executive Director of Park Rx America, discusses how nature can be prescribed for positive results in prevention, treatment, and recovery. The latest research explores the use of nature in the clinical setting to achieve optimal mental and physical health outcomes.

   Virtual Reality Gardening and Stress Prevention for Oncology Patients; Bring Nature Indoors

   Renee Stubbins, PhD, Senior Oncology Dietitian, Houston Methodist, covers their research project, which explores how bringing nature indoors can affect patient well-being.

   Influences of Virtual Window on Hospital Patients’ and Caregivers’ Health & Well-Being

   Dr. Zhipeng Lu, PhD, LEED AP BD+C, Associate Director, Center of Health Systems & Design and Senior Lecturer, Department of Architecture, Texas A&M University, presents information on the effects of windows on patient and caregiver health.

   Communities in Nature—the Daily Dose Panel Keynote: Diana B. Allen

   Diana B. Allen, Chief, Healthy Parks Healthy People, National Park Service, discusses how having nature where we live and play is a critical component to long term health. Research encompassing access to, quality of, and quantity of nature exposure can benefit communities in need, as well as our growing population and the way we develop both our urban and rural areas.

   Communities in Nature—the Daily Dose Panel Keynote: Myron Floyd

   Myron Floyd, PhD – Dean, College of Natural Resources, North Carolina State University, discusses how having nature where we live and play is a critical component to long term health. Research encompassing access to, quality of, and quantity of nature exposure can benefit communities in need, as well as our growing population and the way we develop both our urban and rural areas.

   Bayou Greenways Retrospective Study

   Alan Pan, MS, Data Scientist, Center for Outcomes Research, Houston Methodist, gives a retrospective of the Bayou Greenways 2020 initiative and it’s health effects.

   Rivers of Recovery

   Keith Tidball, PhD, Senior Extension Associate and Assistant Director, Cornell Cooperative Extension, reviews how fly fishing can have therapeutic effects on veterans.

   Designing Systems to Prevent Physician and Nurse Burnout

   Terri Menser, PhD, MBA, Scientist, Center for Outcomes Research, Houston Methodist and Zhaoyue Shi, PhD, Instructor of Translational Imaging in Radiology, Houston Methodist, discuss…

   The Human Handprint—Built Environment Design for Nature and Human Health

   Rick Archer, FAIA, LEED AP, Senior Principal, Overland Partners, reviews how design and the built environment can affect human health.

   Nature-Based Climatic Responsive Community Planning and Design

   Dongying Li, MLA, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning, Texas A&M University, reviews how nature-based community planning needs to respond to future challenges presented by climate change.

   Grow It Yourself

   Taehyun Roh, Ph, Assistant Professor, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, reviews the health effects of hydroponic vegetable gardening…

   Developing Health Behavior Change Scales for Health & Nature

   Jay Maddock, PhD, FAAHB, Professor, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University reviews…

    

   Learn more about The Center for Health & Nature at: https://centerforhealthandnature.org

2. Communities in Nature Panel – 2020 Health & Nature Symposium

   November 3, 2020 3:55 pm Leave a Comment

   Communities in Nature—the Daily Dose:

   The Center for Health & Nature hosted the 2020 Health & Nature Symposium: Collaborating for a Healthier Future on October 7, 2020. The symposium brought together over 225 researchers, medical practitioners, and conservationists for a one-day virtual event that discussed the effect nature has on our health and well-being. Not only within a healthcare setting, but in the communities and places we live in and work.

   The “Communities in Nature” panel highlighted research that showed the impact nature has on the communities and the health and wellness of those that live there. Our first keynote speaker, Diana Allen, highlighted the National Park Service program, Healthy Parks, Healthy People. Our national parks are gateways to health and wellness and the National Park Service is developing programs to transform our parks into a health and education resource for all.

   The second keynote for this panel, Myron Floyd, Dean of the College of Natural Resources at North Carolina State University, reiterated the value of these programs during his discussion, Nature Matters to Black Lives. All people benefit from nature and value its importance equally, but disparities exist when it comes to access to nature. To reap the full benefit nature has on our communities, we must create an environment of safety for people of color and other minorities.

   The two research studies presented in this panel provided science-based evidence quantifying the impact a network of nature trails has on the health and well-being of those surrounding urban populations. They also discussed how nature can be an effective tool for people that have suffered physical and psychological trauma.

   Bayou Greenways Retrospective Study (Houston Parks Board)

   Alan Pan, MS – Data Scientist, Center for Outcomes Research, Houston Methodist

   The Bayou Greenways is an initiative of the Houston Parks Board to develop a network of trails and open greenspace to connect Houstonians to opportunities for better health and wellness and increased urban and social cohesion. This retrospective study is evaluating existing health data to determine the impact this initiative has had on adverse health events. This study is underway with results expected by December 2020.

   Rivers of Recovery

   Keith Tidball, Ph.D. – Senior Extension Associate and Assistant Director, Cornell Cooperative Extension

   Rivers of Recovery is research focused on the rehabilitation of physically and psychologically wounded veterans. This research looks at pairing time spent in nature with activities such as fly fishing and the therapeutic response. Repetitive tasks, such as casting, are known to create breaks in thought. These breaks in thought, when paired with a passive setting such as nature, invoke a relaxation response. This combination has shown increased therapeutic outcomes during treatment.

   The symposium was hosted by the Center for Health & Nature and is a partnership among Texan by Nature, Houston Methodist Hospital, and Texas A&M University. The Center drives research that quantifies the benefit of nature on our health and well-being, developing science-based programs for healthier populations.

   Read more from our blogs featuring the first panel – Nature in Practice and the third panel – InCorporating Nature. Check out all of the presentations from the 2020 Symposium on our website and on our YouTube channel.

3. Nature in Practice Panel – 2020 Health & Nature Symposium

   3:47 pm Leave a Comment

   Nature in Practice—Clinical Solutions for Our Health and Well-Being:

   The Center for Health & Nature hosted the 2020 Health & Nature Symposium: Collaborating for a Healthier Future on October 7, 2020. The symposium brought together over 225 researchers, medical practitioners, and conservationists for a one-day virtual event that discussed the effect nature has on our health and well-being not only within a healthcare setting, but in the communities we live in and places we work.

   The event started with the panel, “Nature in Practice”, highlighting research showing the effect nature has on prevention, treatment, and recovery of patients and how nature can maximize optimal mental and physical health outcomes for patients and the medical teams that treat them.

   The panel keynote, John Henderson with Park Rx America, discussed Park Rx programs that work with health and social service providers to prescribe time in nature to their patients to improve their physical, mental, and emotional health. Through their work, they have revealed that success is dependent upon not only the personal behaviors and habits of the patient, but the doctors as well. Medical personnel plays a key role in the success of these programs and their personal behavior’s influence their willingness to prescribe time in nature to their patients. Continued clinical studies will continue to strengthen the case for nature as a prescription and provide the data needed to help change behaviors.

   The two research studies presented in this panel provide science-based evidence that show nature’s positive effect on stress and pain during cancer treatment, and whether virtual exposure to nature can fill the gap when real nature is not available.

   Virtual Reality Gardening and Stress Prevention for Oncology Patients; Bring Nature Indoors

   Renee Stubbins, Ph.D. – Senior Oncology Dietitian, Houston Methodist

   This study researched the impact of nature on patient pain, distress, anxiety, and fear while undergoing chemotherapy infusion. Patient groups received their treatments in one of three environments—a traditional windowless treatment room, a room with a garden view, and a room with a virtual reality nature experience. Data collected from patients showed both the garden view and exposure to nature through virtual reality resulted in significant reductions in pain levels and stress of patients during infusion as opposed to those in a traditional treatment room. They also saw prolonged benefits between treatments. Elderly patients interestingly favored virtual reality over window exposure to nature during their treatment sessions. These findings show the potential for nature to be used as a supplement for reducing some of the negative side effects experienced by cancer patients.

   Influences of Virtual Window on Hospital Patients’ and Caregivers’ Health & Well-Being

   Dr. Zhipeng Lu, Ph.D., LEED AP BD+C – Associate Director, Center of Health Systems & Design and Senior Lecturer, Department of Architecture, Texas A&M University

   Extended time spent in windowless environments has shown to have negative impacts on health and well-being by creating negative feelings of isolation, entrapment, and tenseness, leading to increased stress levels. In a hospital setting, stress not only has a negative effect on patients, but also the medical staff providing care. This research is investigating whether virtual windows will help influence patient and caregiver well-being when windows are not an option. The study is specifically looking at results in a hospital setting and will compare nature still photos to nature photos with movement. Results of this study could directly impact future design of building environments where windows are not possible and help reduce stress for patients and caregivers.

   The symposium was hosted by the Center for Health & Nature and is a partnership among Texan by Nature, Houston Methodist Hospital, and Texas A&M University. The Center drives research that quantifies the benefit of nature on our health and well-being, developing science-based programs for healthier populations.

   Read more from our blogs featuring the second panel – Communities in Nature and the third panel – InCorporating Nature. Check out all of the presentations from the 2020 Symposium on our website and on our YouTube channel.