(bright jaunty music) - [Announcer] This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

Healthy Parks Healthy Person is brought to you by WCTE PBS, with funding provided by a grant contract with the State of Tennessee.

This was produced under an agreement with Healthy Parks Healthy Person, a legacy program of Tennessee State Parks.

(gentle ambient music) - Time spent in nature is an essential investment in our health.

There are many common issues, or health issues, that are facing Tennesseans, but I think one of the areas that is most pressing is the level of physical inactivity.

(gentle ambient music) - We know a lot of us, in terms of what we think nature is needed even more now than in the past, is that with Covid, we've had more online time than ever.

- Being in a natural setting lowers all of those stress hormones.

It helps us concentrate better.

It's a lot of the reason why we recommend, particularly in this virtual world where everybody's working from home and sitting in front of a computer monitor, to get up and go for a walk.

And it helps us be able to focus when we come back and feel better.

- After living through a global pandemic, it's abundantly clear we need the anti stressors of nature, of sunlight, and of vitamin D, now more than ever.

We need to be able to take our health into our own hands.

(gentle ambient music) (gentle piano music) Tennessee, unfortunately, is consistently in the bottom 10 least healthy states and a few years ago, we were number one in childhood obesity.

(gentle piano music) - The biggest issue that we see in Tennesseans, as far as chronic disease, is obesity and overweight.

We know that almost 70% of adult Tennesseans are overweight or obese, which is higher than the national average.

(gentle piano music) - So, around a quarter of Tennesseans report that they're not physically active.

And we know that, according to the physical activity guidelines for Americans, that adults are supposed to get about 150 minutes of physical activity per week and children are supposed to get 60 minutes of physical activity per day.

The adults are reporting that they're not being physically active, around a quarter of them.

Then we know that we still have some growth to do in order to be able to better support people in their physical activity journey.

- Over the past several years, we've seen a lot of increase in anxiety and depression, and those are probably the biggest populations that I serve now, especially since the pandemic.

We've had much more anxiety.

And also, sometimes, out of that comes dysregulation, so kids don't know how to handle that.

So, they may melt down, they may shut down, different types of things that may impact education, family time, that type of thing.

(gentle piano music) So, back in 2005, I had come across that book "Last Child in the Woods" by Richard Louv and that's where he introduced the concept of nature deficit disorder.

And I remember I'd never heard of that before and I was like, "What is this?"

I was pretty intrigued.

That's not in our DSM.

So, the DSM is the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual" that lists mental health disorders.

And he started explaining that his research, at that time, which was 100 studies, had shown that his children's mental health was declining, so was their time out in nature.

Since then, we have more than 1,000 studies that really show how important nature is and it can help us thrive.

(gentle piano music) There's three things I usually try to tell my parents.

I call it the big three.

And so one is that the research supports how effective nature is with reducing depression, decreasing stress, relieving anxiety, improving creativity, improving focus, and improving regulation.

So, all those are usually things that parents are wanting for their children, so that really resonates with them.

And then the second thing is that if we get at least two hours a week, that's what the research really supports, but you can break that down into 20 minute intervals and that really reduces the cortisol.

And I explain to them, cortisol is that yucky stress hormone that we really don't want a lot of, it's not healthy for us.

And 20 minutes is a doable for many of the families I work with.

We talk about, if you do that six days a week, you've got your two hours.

And then the third thing is that the research also shows us that it improves children's future.

So they tend to be happier and healthier adults if they've incorporated green time into their lives.

And so what parent doesn't want their child to be happier and healthier in the future?

(gentle acoustic guitar music) - The crossover between health and nature, it's not a new idea at all, it's been around forever.

I mean, unfortunately, though, we spend a lot of time indoors now.

As a society, we're forgetting a little bit about the health benefits that come along with the outdoors.

The studies are showing more and more now that spending any amount of time outdoors is an improvement to your mental and physical health.

Hospital rooms that face outside, or face a nature scene or a tree, that those people need less pain medication and they heal faster than people that their hospital didn't have a window or were facing another building or something like that.

And so, the studies are are beginning to compound and to grow on each other that are just showing that being outside is fun and it's enjoyable and you recreate and things like that, but there is an actual health benefit to being outside, just like if you were taking a vitamin or a medicine.

(gentle acoustic guitar music) People are just happier when they spend more time outdoors.

(gentle violin and acoustic guitar music) - So, things that can help with obesity and chronic disease is increasing physical activity, other lifestyle changes, modifying diet, eating more whole foods.

That we know that even independent of weight loss, people that get regular exercise can improve blood sugar, can improve blood pressure, can lower cholesterol.

There's a lot of data out there to support that.

And we know when we look at studies in communities where people walk to work, just the distance that people walk correlates to lower blood pressure readings.

And so we know if you have a little bit further walk, you're gonna be getting more exercise in just walking back and forth to work.

(gentle violin and acoustic guitar music) - If Tennesseans are able to get outdoors and to be more physically active, we can certainly improve as as a state.

Again, that physical activity really helps reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases, which is so important.

And it can also, if you already have a chronic disease, it can also help you manage that chronic disease a lot better.

And so, we understand that parks exist all over the state and they're not all created equal.

So, you wanna do your research before you decide that you want to do some physical activity in a park, especially one that you've never visited.

The state parks website is available for you to be able to explore what type of park you may be interested in going to.

Do you need lodging?

Do you need a place that has pavement?

Are you going to need wheelchair access?

Or are you going to need to be able to roll a stroller?

And so, those things are really important to know ahead of time.

And then making sure that you are using your Healthy Parks Healthy Person app when you get there is really important.

And I think it will do wonders in terms of being able to create access and to promote access to the parks that we have across the state for everyone.

So, my hope is that everyone sees themselves in being able to be physically active outdoors no matter where you come from, no matter what you look like, no matter your physical ability.

(gentle violin and acoustic guitar music) - We know that we can change these health outcomes and then we can help you take your health into your own hands just by getting outside.

(acoustic guitar music) This raised the question, how can we work together across different agencies to encourage Tennesseans outdoors for their health?

(acoustic guitar and piano music) - Turns out that there was a movement connecting the outdoors and health together in a way that was treating people's health issues, whether it's physical or mental health issues.

I had had inspiration to create a program to get more people outside enjoying the health benefits of being outdoors and in nature.

I had personally seen the benefits of what nature had brought to me.

(acoustic guitar and piano music) - There are countless studies showing the positive mental and physical health benefits of spending time outdoors.

And we wanted to create a tool to help make it easier for you to be motivated, to get outdoors, to create a new healthy habit, to spend time with your friends and family, and to enjoy our incredible state.

In Tennessee, we live in one of the most beautiful and diverse states in the country.

We are so lucky and we wanna give you a tool to help you explore all that it has to offer.

(gentle acoustic guitar music) - When I moved to Henry Horton State Park, I had a good opportunity to to start a new program there.

And so, we started Healthy Parks Healthy Person.

It was just a stamp card program.

We got a small grant to our friends group at the park and we made brochures and stamp cards and we made park prescription pads.

- So I love the Healthy Parks Healthy Person program.

So, I am a practitioner who prescribes nature.

I love our little prescription books that we have.

Kids get really excited about them and they're like, "Miss.

Jamie, prescribed me nature, let's go outside."

And so they'll take their little sheet out, we'll talk about different places they can access nature.

Like here, today, we're at the Greenway and it's really easy because there's, like, 15 spots throughout Murfreesboro where you can go access nature.

Some of them have playgrounds.

We love kids to go out and play in playgrounds.

- My favorite thing about Healthy Parks is the fact that it's a very agnostic program that anybody can use it.

It doesn't matter where you live, where you're from, everybody has the capability to put the app on their phone and that you can use the app in any park in Tennessee.

(acoustic guitar music) The very first success story that I remember somebody sending back to us after we released the app live, was a gentleman who sent us an email and he said that he wasn't necessarily a park user.

He had become estranged from his daughter, from what I remember.

He found the program just visiting a park one time through a brochure or through a sign and put it on his phone.

And he began using the program to start going to the park because he wanted a hat or something like that.

And so he started going to the park and getting points through the app.

At some point his daughter began coming along with him and doing the same thing.

And, over time, they started going from one day a week to the park to two or three days a week to where he was going almost every single day to the park and getting points in the app.

He said he felt healthier and felt better and his clothes fit better and things and he had rebuilt that relationship with his daughter by visiting the park with her constantly.

Hearing those stories is some of the best ways to really feel the way the app is working out in the wild.

(gentle violin and acoustic guitar music) - Healthy Hearts Healthy Person is a fantastic app and it's a free resource that people can use to either ignite their physical activity journey or to continue to encourage them to remain on their journey of physical activity.

And it's a tool that that we use in our family.

It's connected to parks, which has been incredibly instrumental, particularly over the past couple of years with with my family, personally.

Whenever we've had an opportunity to pause and go outside and take a break and enjoy some family time together, it's always improved our mood, it's improved how we connect with each other, and it's, kind of become a family tradition.

And so, using that app is a way to connect with the many, many different state parks, local parks that exist across the state.

It's a wonderful way to be able to track your physical activity and also to remain encouraged in that space.

(gentle violin and acoustic guitar music) - And what we know, with some of the research, as well, is we really wanna connect with our senses.

So, what do you see, what do you smell?

What do you touch and feel?

What do you listen to, what do you hear?

And then what do you taste?

So, we have to be a little careful with taste.

So, that's where our imagination can come in.

So I'll be like, what do you think those clouds taste like?

Number one answer is cotton candy for most children.

But again, when we connect with our senses, we get more regulated and that's the great thing with nature is we get more regulated and a lot of our children, teens, and families are just stressed and overworked and they don't have a lot of time, necessarily.

But, again, coming out in nature just helps regulate that that family system.

(gentle violin and acoustic guitar music) - Healthy Parks Healthy Person uses the behavior and reward model to entice Tennesseans to get outdoors for their health.

And, eventually, you will create a new healthy habit where the intrinsic rewards replace the extrinsic rewards that you've earned through the app.

(gentle violin and acoustic guitar music) - As anybody that filled a stamp card, every time they came into a park, they got a stamp when they did a healthy activity inside the park.

And once that stamp card was filled, they got a little reward.

And the purpose was to be the carrot that brought the people into the park with the hope that once they came into the park, and they fell in love with these places, that they would turn that activity into a habit and they would no longer need the extrinsic rewards, that they would come into the park because it meant something and they loved it and they felt the health benefits of being there.

- I think this program is beneficial to Tennesseans.

We have a lot of beautiful parks that people can go out in and enjoy.

It's an opportunity for families to be together and to take small children or younger children or parents or grandparents, and just to be together and have that communication that we often are missing in the world of screens and everybody being connected to their phone.

And so, just getting out and and enjoying the fresh air and all of the beautiful sites that our parks have to offer.

(gentle acoustic guitar music) (gentle acoustic guitar and violin music) - There are 56 state parks in Tennessee and there is one within about a 50 minute drive, or an hour drive, from everybody.

And they're all different types of parks in Tennessee.

Out of those 56 there's hospitality parks and history parks and, you know, nature parks that are just, you know, just have hiking trails and nothing else.

(upbeat music) Every type of a minute you can think of within parks and things to do, depending on what park you're in.

And so there's just about anything you wanna do outside.

You can find it in a Tennessee state park.

(upbeat music) (acoustic guitar music) - So, here at Tennessee State Parks, we try to make your experience as easy as possible.

When you come into a park, there will be signs that will guide you to a visitor's station.

Once you come into the visitor's station, where we will usually have maps that'll be pretty close to the front desk that'll let you know where to go to and also tell you about the park, about our hiking trails, if we have any cabins, campgrounds, and what other things and amenities that the parks offer.

Also at the state parks, we have a very knowledgeable staff.

So, whether a ranger may be in the office, the park manager, or our great front desk staff will be able to guide you and answer any questions you may have.

At our parks, every park's a little bit different, and has different amenities, but, usually, there's something for everybody.

Very easy trails to trails that may be 10, 12 miles long.

Lot of places have water so you'd have the opportunity for kayaking or other water recreational sports.

One of the other great things I love about our park, that a lot of people out of state don't know, is that our parks are absolutely free.

So, it costs nothing to come to the park, but maybe it's a little bit of time to get here and then you can enjoy the rest of the day being out in nature while getting a little bit of fitness in as well.

(acoustic guitar music) - I've done my research, I know what trail I'm gonna take, I'm here at the park, I take out my app, I've checked in, I see that I got my points for my outdoor activity today.

Now I'm gonna put my phone away and go enjoy my walk.

(gentle ambient music) - The future of Healthy Parks Healthy Person has always been to impact more people, to improve the health of as many people as possible in the State of Tennessee and beyond at some point in its future.

And that's why we've made Healthy Parks the way that we made it is so that it can be utilized and be as as impactful as possible in as easy and efficient way as possible.

And so the future for the program, obviously, there's going to be more functionality in the app and more types of rewards and we're gonna utilize that gamification of the app in as best a way as possible.

But when it really boils down to it, what we're trying to do as make as positive a impact to as many people as possible across the state.

(gentle ambient music) For anybody that's not motivated, or that's intimidated to get outside, you know, I would like to say I've never met a person that spent time outside that said it was a negative experience.

I've spoke all over the state about this program and a lot of other other things, but in every presentation that I give, I always ask, "Has anybody spent time outside?"

And normally everybody raises their hand in some way or another, and I said, "Does everybody feel better if they've spent time outside?"

And everybody agrees that going outside, whether it's sunny or rainy or snowy, or whatever the weather is, there' always a mental benefit to being outdoors.

(gentle ambient music) Obviously, we are learning now that there's definitely a physical benefit to getting outdoors.

If you're not motivated or if you're intimidated by just going outside, all it takes is opening your door and going outdoors.

There is a park nearby you, no matter where you are in Tennessee.

That's one of the great things about living in Tennessee, but just going outside, there's always going to be a benefit and you're always going to feel better when you go outdoors.

And so I would encourage anybody with motivation or not that you just spend some time outside.

(gentle ambient music) My favorite thing about working in parks is the reason that I started as a park ranger, was to teach people about the things that I learned growing up, that people aren't learning as often nowadays, about how to go outside, about how to be comfortable when it's raining or how to enjoy the outdoors when it's cold outside and how to do it safely.

And those are things that just aren't passed along as often anymore.

And so I wanted to become a park ranger so that I could help pass those things along.

And then now that I get to go outside and I get to watch these things happening amongst families and folks that are coming out into the parks now and it's just a great place to be.

Parks are almost always a happy place and it's the best job in the world, in my opinion.

(gentle ambient music) (upbeat ambient music) - So I just would love to encourage everybody to get out.

Most people have access to a smartphone of some sort and so get it out, go to the app store that you use, download the app.

I really wanna encourage people to use this as another tool in the toolbox to help people get out.

And not only to be healthier, but also to enjoy the beautiful parks and all of the work that that goes into having these wonderful places for us to enjoy with our friends and family.

Or even just to go for a walk alone and have a little bit of time alone.

So, please check out the app and we would love to see you.

(upbeat ambient music) - I would love to encourage all of you parents, kids, teenagers, whatever age you are, download that app.

Of course, if you're your child, with your parents' permission, I'm gonna do that.

But it's really fun and as a family you can decide what are the activities you'd like to do together.

And then some of you may decide some things that you wanna do on your own.

Maybe you all wanna go for bicycling outside on a park or on a green way or different things like that.

And just have really fun engaging with each other and with nature.

- So I encourage you to use the Healthy Parks Healthy Person app.

Take out your phone, download the app, grab some friends, get your family together, and make a challenge out of it.

See who can earn the most points.

But the most important thing is that you get your physical activity in and you have fun while you're doing it.

- I wanna encourage everybody, right now, to take out your phones, go to whatever app store you have on your phone, and download the Healthy Parks Healthy Person Tennessee app, and sign up and go outside.

As soon as you go outside, log your points and then begin collecting points.

And once you earn some rewards, you're going to start to fall in love with the parks and the places you go and you'll get free stuff in the meantime.

And I can't wait to hear how you get healthy in the meantime.

- For more information, go to our website at www.healthyparkstn.com.

You can follow us on social media at Healthy Parks TN.

Download the free app in the Apple or Android app store and start getting outdoors for your health today.

(upbeat ambient music) Use our free tool that's always in your hand to get outdoors and improve your mental and physical health and enjoy the natural beauty here in Tennessee.

(upbeat ambient music) (upbeat acoustic guitar music) (electro synth music) ♪ Hey, hey, hey ♪ ♪ Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey ♪ ♪ Hey, hey, hey, hey ♪ ♪ Hey, hey ♪ (electro synth music) ♪ Hey ♪ ♪ Hey, hey, hey, hey ♪ (rhythmic electro synth music) (upbeat jaunty music) - [Announcer] Healthy Parks Healthy Person is brought to you by WCTE PBS with funding provided by a grant contract with the State of Tennessee.

This was produced under an agreement with Healthy Parks Healthy Person, a legacy program of Tennessee State Parks.

(bright jaunty music) This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you, thank you.

(bright jaunty music)