About

Welcome to the Outside Health blog. I believe the key to making life better for all of us is to make it easier for children to grow up healthy. This blog will explore some of the ways that I think we can make that happen, starting with children’s play and connection to the natural world.

The name Outside Health was chosen to reflect how being outside and connecting with the natural world can enhance learning, health, and well-being. The name also refers to the fact that many of the solutions to today’s great health challenges actually lie outside our traditional health care system.

I am a Nova Scotia-based pediatrician with education and experience in public health and community recreation, a year-round hiker and backpacker, and an advocate for play and nature in communities.

I grew up in rural Nova Scotia, on Canada’s east coast. Like many of my peers, I spent much of my early years outside, often barefoot, climbing trees, playing with water, building treehouses and forts, and with increasing independence to explore.

To read more about the experiences that led me to start this blog, see my first post entitled, “Welcome to the Outside Health Blog.”

I look forward to connecting with others who share similar interests. I can be reached by email at outsidehealth@gmail.com.

Thank you for reading and all the best!
Heather