There’s a frightening phenomenon sweeping our country. And the remedy may just be the fall season.

While it’s not a recognized medical condition, and you won’t find it in any journal, it does represent a health threat that is real. It is Nature Deficit Disorder. The name was penned by Richard Louv, author of the national bestseller Last Child in the Woods, to call attention to the dangerous disconnection between children and nature.

Louv suggests that most children born of the Internet age have had only a virtual exposure to the great outdoors. Let’s face it: When was the last time your child camped in the back yard, spent the afternoon in a tree house, or went on a hike?

Fall in Ohio is a perfect time to turn the tide. The colors of the season provide a beautiful backdrop for families who are exploring the outdoors for the first time, and for those getting reacquainted with nature. And you don’t have to go far!

“In the fall, your Metro Parks are the perfect place to relax, renew and reconnect. The third week in October is usually the best weekend for fall foliage, providing Mother Nature cooperates with enough cool evenings and bright sunny days in the weeks before,” says John O’Meara, executive director of the Columbus Metro Parks.

Columbus and Franklin County Metro Parks feature 15 remarkable natural areas consisting of more than 23,500 acres of land and water in seven Central Ohio counties. Each park is a jewel, with a personality all its own. And each park offers adventure, inspiration and a great appreciation of nature around every turn. Fall is the perfect time to explore and be awed by the blaze of colors that come alive. The Metro Parks Web site (www.metroparks.net) says the experience will excite your sense, and rekindle your spirit. I agree!

And like all of us, John O’Meara has his favorites for autumnal viewing “Don’t miss a hike along the Overlook Trail at Highbanks Metro Park. The 2-mile trail winds through woods and ends at the deck overlooking the Olentangy State Scenic River. The view from the platform offers a panorama of different trees changing from greens to vibrant reds and mellow yellow amidst the flowing waters,” he says.

My favorite is Chestnut Ridge in Caroll in Western Franklin County. The ridge rises more than 150 feet reaching an elevation above sea level of 1,050 feet. It’s considered the first ridge in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, and features an observation deck at the high point of the Ridge Trail. Visitors can easily see the Columbus skyline some 20 miles away through a colorful ridge of Black Oak, Shagbark Hickory and Northern Red Oak trees. The view is worth the price of admission …which of course is always free!

Chestnut Ridge and the other 14 Metro Parks provide a great respite from the hustle and bustle of the city without spending a fortune on gas to get there. Not only are the trails challenging, and the perfect place to hike, walk or run, but they are also the red carpet to the big show that is fall in the State of Ohio.

It goes without saying that a brisk walk will do wonders for your cardiovascular health, but the benefits of exploring go beyond the physical advantages. The impact on your mind may be even more beneficial. Studies show that those who spend quality time outdoors aren’t as stressed. Children who have access to nature are healthier, do better in school, are more creative and enjoy a heightened self-esteem than their homebody friends.

Fall is a great gift. Enjoy the beauty. Use it to build a foundation for an active outside life.

Watch Andrea Cambern on 10TV News HD weekdays at 5, 6 and 11 p.m. and at 10 p.m. on WWHO-TV.