A new study shows a link between living in a tree-lined neighborhood and improved heart health.

Researchers at the University of Louisville studied hundreds of people in low- to middle-income communities.

In some communities, they planted thousands of mature trees, and three years later found that people living in those areas had a lower level of C-reactive protein. That’s a blood marker linked to heart attack, heart disease, stroke, and more.

This drop is similar to what they see when patients start regular exercise routines.​