Interconnected Health
Nature has been proven to contribute to the improvement of health and well-being by reducing stress, promoting positive emotions, and alleviating physical illnesses. The One Health approach highlights the close connection between the health of humans, animals, and ecosystems, promoting sustainable health solutions.
There is increasing evidence that contact with nature can have positive effects on health and well-being. The positive effects of nature include the reduction of stress and anxiety, the promotion of positive emotions, and the maintenance of interest and attention. Depression and other mental illnesses occur less frequently. On a physical level, various studies have also shown a positive influence on morbidity, particularly in the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, asthma, headaches, and musculoskeletal disorders. Additionally, there are indications that contact with nature promotes social interactions.
Concepts such as "Greencare" or "forest bathing" have been developed and implemented to integrate nature-based interventions into existing therapeutic approaches. Contact with nature can effectively support the achievement of health goals in the context of the bio-psycho-social model.
In der Mind Body MedicineIn Mind Body Medicine, which is committed to the concept of "Whole Person Health," nature plays an essential role. Therefore, access to nature should be evaluated in the context of individual life circumstances and considered in recommendations. Nature can also be used as a therapeutic resource, while simultaneously strengthening the relationship with nature.
Die Gesundheit von Menschen, Tieren und Natur sind eng miteinander verbunden. Die Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO) definiert One Health Human, animal, and environmental health are deeply interconnected. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines One Health as "an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals, and ecosystems." In 2023, the University of Zurich established a One Health Institute. One Health Institute etabliert.
This approach highlights how environmental factors—such as pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss—impact both human and animal health, creating ripple effects across ecosystems. Human actions such as deforestation for agriculture negatively affect wildlife habitats, and contribute to climate change, which in turn affects human health by increasing the prevalence of extreme weather events and food insecurity.
By recognizing these connections, the One Health approach promotes sustainable health solutions that take all areas—humans, animals, and ecosystems—into account, ensuring that improvements in one area do not come at the expense of another.
