‘The Coromandel Cure’: science-approved health holidays and a Hauraki destination

It pays to have a healthy skepticism about destinations promising health treatments.

In the 1900s, the Rotorua sanatorium promised visitors a dose of “nature’s cure.” This was a combination of electroshock therapy, hypothermia, and a porcelain prosthesis. In Japan, they swear by the healing practice of shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing”—a practice that leaves a person neither calmer nor cleaner than a walk in the forest.

So when Destination Hauraki started promoting “The Coromandel Cure,” we had to find out more.

The tourism board of Auckland’s most popular summer hotspot has sought to back up its claims with science. Apparently a 48 hour break at the beach has now been proven to lower heart rate, improve sleep and is generally a good idea.

The 87-page study, commissioned by Coromandel and conducted by Dr Karen Fernandes from the University of Auckland, shows that signs of stress are reduced by 33 per cent, and rates of relaxation double. It was found that spending two days at Hotwater Beach decreased an average of -1.54 beats per minute, which resulted in an approximately 5 percent increase in sleep quality. Although my heart rate generally rose on the last day of vacation, which is a possible side effect of anxiety when returning to work.

“The results found that participants’ self-reported stress levels dropped by a staggering 56%,” she said, describing the long weekend in Hauraki as “a welcome antidote to the ills of city dwellers’ busy lives.”

The fact that Dr. Fernandez has a PhD in marketing and not medicine is incidental.

Becca Goldsworth, one of the sample group of 14 people, called the experiment the best study she had ever been involved in.

“Instead of studying taking pills or sitting in an observation room, I got to experience The Coromandel and enjoy a much-needed break.”

Naturally, she has the endorsement of Thames-Coromandel Mayor Len Salt and the local tourism marketing team. After a rocky start to the year, with storm-damaged SH25A expected to be closed until March 2024, the report is just what the doctor ordered.

Megan Nunn, marketing manager, said there are many places around the world that recommend spending time in nature and vacationing for their health benefits. Now Coromandel has “data to back it up”.

Although the study has not yet been followed by any academic evaluation, we would like to volunteer to try to replicate the results. Register with us for your Whitianga beach ‘pier review’.

What the Doctor Ordered: Nature breaks may be medically prescribed

“Physiotherapy” has come a long way since the Rotorua Baths.

New Zealand has been a pioneer in the field of “green prescriptions”. Te Whatu Ora has been providing outdoor recreation and time in nature as part of its health and wellbeing programs since 1998.

The idea has spread throughout most of the English-speaking world.

In the United States, across 35 states, medical professionals can prescribe free passes to national parks under the Park Rx program.

Since 2018, Scottish GPs in the Shetland Islands have been writing ‘natural prescriptions’ for their patients through the NHS.

Since 2019, doctors in all 10 Canadian provinces have been able to prescribe natural rest periods; More than 10,000 were written in the first five years of the program.