Hope Prevails Blogs

Eating disorders are often misunderstood. They are not simply about food, weight, or appearance, but complex mental health conditions that affect thoughts, feelings, and behaviours around eating and body image. For many, they develop as a way of coping with overwhelming emotions such as stress or trauma.

A growing body of research shows that green and blue spaces soothe the stress response, lift mood, and support recovery. One landmark study found that hospital patients with a view of trees recovered faster than those facing a brick wall, showing that a small change in environment can lead to measurable benefits.

Living with chronic illness is often described as a full-time job—managing symptoms, appointments, medications, and the ups and downs of your body’s limits. But what’s less talked about is the emotional cost of living with a health condition that doesn’t go away.