Green and blue health: The benefits of experiencing nature on overall health

Nature provides fertile ground for well-being and wonder, celebrated by primitive peoples, romantic artists, and nature lovers like the American landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. Today, over 2,500 international studies show why and how experiencing nature has a positive impact on physical, mental, emotional, and social health. These multidisciplinary scientific teams claim that immersion in natural environments can alleviate and/or prevent “diseases of civilization” such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, chronic respiratory ailments, anxiety disorders, stress and depressive states, hypertension, or hyperactivity disorders in children. These chronic, non-communicable diseases, linked to our way of life (sedentary lifestyle, poor diet, smoking, stress, air pollution, etc.), are the main cause of mortality worldwide. Access to nature can play a central role in public health prevention, provided that natural ecosystems, both terrestrial and aquatic, are accessible, well-maintained, and free from pollution. Recognizing the crucial link between human health and the natural environment facilitates the roll-out of nature-based therapies, at the interface between sport, health/wellness, and biodiversity preservation. At local and regional level, promoting these new green and blue health activities contributes to quality of life and social cohesion, and fosters environmentally respectful behavior toward natural environments.