The Healing Power of Stories and Everyday Connections

“Nature is one of the only things that can capture our attention without taxing it,” says Julia Hotz. 

Julia, a solutions journalist and author joins us to discuss how to treat a plethora of mental and physical health conditions through community, nature, and beyond. Plus:

-The worthwhile benefits of sea swimming (~02:19)

-An unexpected prescription for type II diabetes (~05:04)

-Denmark’s Culture Vitamins program (~11:40)

-Why art therapy is so effective for kids & PTSD (~15:45)

-How storytelling can heal the mind (~18:43)

-How to work art into your well-being routine (~20:09)

-Her personal favorite social prescription (~22:10)

-The link between relationships & longevity (~32:03)

-The healing power of volunteering (~36:05)

-Why Norway runs a Dementia Farm (~38:35)

-How to find the best social prescription for you (~45:16)

Referenced in the episode: 

-Connect with Julia on Instagram (hotzthoughts) and online (https://www.socialprescribing.co/) 

-Pick up her book The Connection Cure

-Research on cycling and mortality rates (https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2023.1168357) 

-Learn more about the Danish Twin Research Center which found that 80% of health is dictated by the environment. (https://www.sdu.dk/en/om-sdu/institutter-centre/ist_sundhedstjenesteforsk/centre/dtr) 

-More research on the link between social connections and longevity (https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000316) 

-Learn more about Norway’s dementia care farm program (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S074301672100022X) 

-Research on ADHD and nature: One study on 20-minute park walks, a longitudinal study on living in green areas, and a review study on nature exposure and cognitive functioning and attention. (https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1087054708323000 | https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(19)30070-1/fulltext | https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10648-022-09658-5#:~:text=Study%20duration&text=These%20studies%20were%20most%20consistent,impulse%20control%20(Amicone%20et%20al.) 

We hope you enjoy this episode, and feel free to watch the full video on YouTube! Whether it's an article or podcast, we want to know what we can do to help here at mindbodygreen. Let us know at: podcast@mindbodygreen.com. 

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