Book Review: The Natural Health Service by Isabel Hardman

The Natural Health Service is written by a journalist, broadcaster and author who lives with mental health challenges. The Natural Health Service is her testament to the nature-based, outdoor remedies that have worked for her in managing her mental health.

Topics and chapters include topics on cold water swimming and bird watching, as well as being mindful in nature, where she spends time looking for rare orchids.

As part of her research for the book, Isabel Hardman has interviewed numerous people, including professionals and users of services such as gardening for wellbeing and equine therapy.

If you prefer to learn about these topics in a no-nonsense, non wishy washy style, this is the book for you as the author has a cynicism for any wellbeing claims without the backing of science.

The author is also practical and realistic in that she makes it clear that the outdoors, and the various therapies that she comes across and partakes in, are complimentary to therapy and other forms of help given by medical professionals.

The author raises the topic that many of these complimentary therapies do not have sufficient controlled trails and research, but makes the point that it is difficult to obtain these due to a lack of funding given that there is no magic pill at the end of it that will make companies lots of money.

It is important to the author to breakdown the barriers that many people have in accessing natural therapies, and often discusses free or cheaper alternatives available to everyone, such as Park Runs – not only are they free in many locations all over the country, they are actively working to start runs in places that don’t have a very high take up of runners, such as areas of social deprivation.

So, if you’re interested in any of the following, and you’d like to read a book that’s practical but full of tips and well-researched information, try reading The Natural Health Service by Isabel Hardman:

Community Gardening

Houseplants

Forest bathing

Running outdoors

Cold water swimming

Animal assisted therapies

Birdwatching

“Trees don’t care about out mental illness. Even resting your hand against the trunk of one of these trees feels as though you are giving your cares to a great, old friend, one you can lean on without fear of being let down.”

“I protect my runs and swims, even if it means turning down extra work.”