Nature as Medicine Patient Resources

The Osher Center offers Nature Prescriptions for interested patients as well as ongoing Nature as Medicine resources and support.

How to get a Nature Prescription:

• Tell your UC Health provider that you are interested in a Nature Prescription
• Self-refer by calling 513-475-9567 (ask for Dava) or email us at osher.integrative@uc.edu or  Join our Nature as Medicine email list for the latest program updates, events, and opportunities!

Welcome! To get started, please watch this Nature Rx Welcome Video from Barbara Walker, PhD, Director, Nature as Medicine Program.

Why Nature as Medicine?

Research has shown that spending time in nature offers numerous health benefits. Being surrounded by nature can help reduce anxiety, lower blood pressure, enhance immune system function, and boost self-esteem and mood. People living with chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes, cancer, depression, and anxiety, as well as those pre- and post-surgery, have been shown to have improved health outcomes when spending time in nature. Read more: UC News: The Healing Power of Nature

Nature as Medicine Monthly Meetup

Please join Dr. Barbara Walker, Director of the Nature as Medicine Program, for a monthly meetup to learn about the program, receive guidance on how to write your own personalized nature prescription, evidence-based nature as medicine education and tips, and upcoming wellness events and classes that will help you meet your nature prescription goals.

When: the first Monday of each month from 1-1:30 p.m.
Where: the Clifton Library (3400 Brookline Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45220) - meet in the lobby!
Who: anyone interested in learning more about the Nature as Medicine Program

The meetup will be immediately following our weekly Wellbeing Walk in Burnet Woods with the Clifton Library!

Wellbeing Walks in Burnet Woods - In Partnership with the Cincinnati Public Library

Powered by the Cincinnati Public Library - Clifton Branch and the Osher Center for Integrative Health at the University of Cincinnati, we’re excited to announce our new walking club every Monday!

Join us once a week for a walk on a paved path through Burnet Woods. Together, we’ll take in beautiful views and fresh air! The first Monday of each month, the Osher Center will lead a Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing) experience during our walk and share more about the health benefits of walking and time in nature.  

The Details:

• When: Every Monday from 12:15-12:45 p.m.
• Where: Meet at the Clifton Branch Library (3400 Brookline Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45220) front porch
• This program is weather-permitting, and walks will last approximately 30 minutes.
• All bodies and abilities are welcome.
• No registration required.

Mindful Bird Watching

The CHPL Bird Nerds and the Civic Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati invite you to come discover why
birdwatching is the ideal activity to combine with the practice of mindfulness!

What is Mindful Birdwatching? It’s birdwatching quietly, intentionally, and calmly while engaging with the natural world around you! Traditional bird watching is often associated with bird checklists, field guides, and carrying binoculars or cameras, which can all be fun, but we’re inviting you to come to enjoy a more meditative approach. 

The Details:

• When: Third Saturdays, May-September from 9-11 a.m.
• Where: Civic Garden Center (2715 Reading Road, Cincinnati OH 45206). Please enter parking lot via Oak Street.
• All bodies and abilities are welcome.
• No registration required.

How to Write Your Own Nature Prescription 

Write your own prescription through Park Rx America

• Place: Where do you feel safe and comfortable outside?
• Activity: What do you enjoy and can commit to doing outside?
• Frequency: How many days per week and for how long?

Tips for Incorporating Nature into Your Routine

1. Schedule regular "nature breaks" throughout your day, even for 10 minutes at a time.
2. Bring greenery or images of natural spaces into your home and office, both of which have been shown to lower stress according to studies.
3. Try “green exercise” — moving your workout outdoors provides benefits. A recent study found that a short, leafy stroll improves working memory and concentration substantially more than completing the same brief walk inside.
4. Turn a regular meeting into a walking meeting outdoors.
5. Eat a meal outside in nature (turn any meal into a fun picnic).
6. Try a no-cost Cincinnati Parks Foundation wellness program such as yoga, forest bathing or meditation.

Read more: UC News: The Healing Power of Nature 

Video Resources

Nature & Lifestyle Medicine

There are 6 Official Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine, and now mounting evidence supports Nature As Medicine as The 7th (Unofficial) Pillar of Lifestyle Medicine.

The Osher Center offers lifestyle medicine consultations, covered by insurance like any other visit with your provider, you will initially meet with your physician or nurse practitioner for one hour. They will learn about your personal, medical and family history; your dietary, exercise and sleep habits; your sources of stress and coping mechanisms, and then will assess your health concerns and evaluate your symptoms, order any necessary tests and create mutually agreed upon lifestyle prescriptions.

Our goal is to work with you to create a personalized self-care plan that you can implement and sustain with your lifestyle. To schedule a consultation, call 513-475-9567.

Community Resources