STAND on the shores of Wembury Bay and let nature heal you. Here on England's south-west coast, the gentle sway of the trees in the ocean breeze will lower your blood pressure, the sound of lapping waves will banish the stress hormones from your blood, and the pine scent will invigorate your immune system.
On closer inspection, you'll find that something is missing from this scene: namely, all of it. This is no shore. You're in an intensive care unit 325 kilometres inland, in Birmingham. But the illusion will fool your body into healing itself, its creator claims.
Decades of research have built a compelling case for the healing effects of nature. But because this field has been largely overlooked by medicine, it has been difficult to uncover the direct causes. At the same time, a growing body of evidence has begun to suggest that it is possible to hijack ...
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