Nature-related stories often include statements on how being outdoors can improve our mental and physical health, but what does that mean in the real world and in people’s actual lives? 

In 2024, Cindy Wojdyla Cain, the Forest Preserve’s public information officer, searched for individuals who are making these statements come to life for an up close and personal Healing With Nature series.

“The six people I interviewed were so open and honest about their lives and how nature had helped them become healthier and feel better,” Cain said. “They showed how the beauty of the natural world around us can inspire physical movement and mental healing. Whether it was weight loss, life-threatening illnesses or mental stress, nature truly is a valuable tool that can help.”

One woman lost a massive amount of weight walking on paths at Whalon Lake in Naperville. A combat veteran soothed his anxiety by hiking Hadley Valley trails and picking up litter near his home. A man with serious heart issues plays his harmonica at Monee Reservoir as a way to be in the outdoors he has loved since childhood.

A recently retired woman grappling with her new, non-working life turns to nature to find purpose and meaning with hikes and forest bathing. Finally, a man who lost a friend to cancer and is fighting his own battle with the disease, improved his health drastically by walking 5 miles a day with his friend's widow, who also needed nature to deal with the death of her husband. 

If you haven’t read all the stories, here are links to and summaries of each entry in the 2024 Healing With Nature series: 

Outdoor walks help Naperville woman lose 100 pounds

Julie Jacobsen, a 54-year-old Naperville resident, says being outside was an essential part of her 100-pound weight loss journey. In the process, she says she became healthier, happier and more fulfilled than she ever has as an adult.

“Incorporating the fresh air, the wildlife, the trees, the waterways, the prairies, the sounds and smells is very motivating,” Jacobsen said. “ … I have always found inspiration in nature, in wildlife, in the trees, in the vistas, in the rocks, the waterways, the changing skies and clouds, the seasons. The outdoors calms me, centers me, grounds me, invigorates me and inspires me.”

Combat veteran finds his ‘flow’ on forest preserve paths

Combat veteran Nick Wallace, a former Marine sergeant, picked up 70 bags of trash at a preserve and he said being in nature helps him reduce his anxiety and provides pure enjoyment.

“It feels good to be a part of something,” he said. “And to be helping the preserves and helping nature and keeping it looking good. It’s good exercise, you’re doing beautification and it’s not only the place near where I live, it’s also a forest preserve. It brings gratification and a way to get away for a minute from the hustle and bustle.”

As time ticks by, ‘Harmonica Jack’ makes beautiful music in nature

Beecher resident John Keslin talks about how he's still having fun playing the harmonica in nature, even though he is facing serious heart issues.

“I don’t like being indoors – ever,” he said. “So, as soon as I get up, I get out. … I find it peaceful, relaxing. Maybe that’s why my heart still works at all. … I can still walk 1 to 3 miles a day, no problem.”

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Easing life’s transitions with the calmness of forest bathing

Barbara Collins, a Bolingbrook retiree, turned to nature and her history with plants to find a new purpose in life after retirement. She now practices forest bathing and it has helped her transition to her new life. 

“You may walk a half mile, but take three hours to do it,” she said of forest bathing. “You have to be quiet and observant and to use all your senses. The goal is not getting there – it’s being here. I’ve walked in the woods all my life, and this was a different way of looking at things. ... When you are out in nature it can have a calming effect on you if you pay attention to it and if you absorb it.”

Crete man battling cancer finds health and hope on paths at Goodenow Grove

Tom Scott of Crete is giving thanks this year for the people in his life who pushed him to start walking at Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve as he was recovering from cancer. The daily hikes have given him better health, hope for the future and a new appreciation of nature. He has been walking 5 miles a day with friend Nancy Baker of Beecher. 

“I believe if more people got into nature there would be a whole lot less stress in the world,” Scott said. “Life gets crazy at times but if you take a little bit of time to enjoy nature, it helps. It frees your mind and brings you back to a happier time in your life. Out here, you forget it all.”