If you aren't playing the dirt, are you even living?
Grow all the things!
Gardening is good for health, both physically and mentally. Get your exercise, get your daily Vitamin D, improve your mood, build your immunity and enjoy life just a little more today than you did yesterday!
Let me give you 5 reasons you should be outside everyday.
Reason #1 - Increase Your Physical Activity
This is probably one of the simplest ways to increase your physical activity without feeling like its a chore. Weeding your garden can be done from a standing position, a sitting position, or a kneeling position. Try changing your positions up every once in awhile. While I don't recommend strenuous lifting, even just carrying the water hose or the watering can is an increase in your muscle use. I am a little crazy and enjoy the weight of hauling a bag of soil or pushing a heavy wheelbarrow across the yard. Never mind the fact that you will put in many extra steps just walking out there to look and see if that plant has flowered yet or if that tomato is ripe enough to pick yet.
Working in the garden restores dexterity and strength, and the aerobic exercise that is involved can easily use the same number of calories as might be expended in a gym. Digging, raking and mowing are particularly calorie intense; there is a gym outside many a window.
Reason #2 - Eat Healthier
Try your hand a growing your favorite herbs or vegetables. My favorites are the ones I can pick and eat in the garden. The fruit and vegetables that are produced have a positive impact on the diet.
"Therapeutic gardens have been used in hospitals for thousands of years, and were strongly supported by Florence Nightingale; they improve the surroundings for patients, visitors and staff. Ulrich has emphasized their beneficial effects on stress, especially if the spaces support biodiversity, with increased satisfaction reported by those who use them." – Royal College of Physicians, London, UK
Reason #3 - Gardening is beneficial to Mental Health.
Several trials have revealed the beneficial effects on mood and mental health of simply observing nature, or even images of natural scenes. In a Japanese study, viewing plants altered EEG recordings and reduced stress, fear, anger and sadness, as well as reducing blood pressure, pulse rate and muscle tension.
Buck D. Gardens and health; implications for policy and practice. King's Fund; 2016. www.kingsfund.org.uk/publications/gardens-and-health. [Accessed 29 March 2018]
Sempik J. Aldridge J. Becker S. Social and therapeutic horticulture: evidence and messages from research. Loughborough: Centre for Child and Family Research, Loughborough University; 2003. https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/dspace-jspui/bitstream/2134/2928/1/Evidence6.pdf. [Accessed 29 March 2018]
Reason #4 - Family Bonding
What’s this about togetherness and family bonding? As Illinois State University professor Karen Stephens points out, “children sometimes feel they’re on the low end of the family hierarchy. So the pride in contributing yummy vegetables or a blooming centerpiece for the dinner table bolsters self-esteem. By sharing … they develop a sense of cooperation, loyalty, responsibility and unity.”2
Research shows that families who garden together enjoy better health and well-being: Children eat more vegetables Gardening provides stress relief, relaxation and physical exercise Gardening together gives families a chance to spend quality time together outdoors. Families form long-lasting bonds by working together for a common goal.
Reason #5 - Gardening can build self esteem!
Maybe you don’t think you were born with a green thumb, but after tilling, planting, nurturing and harvesting plants, you might see a slightly different person in the mirror: a person who can grow things and is a little more in tune with the earth.
It always feels good to accomplish new tasks, and if you can grow a garden, what can’t you do?
Don’t Forget Gardening is a learning curve.
Get to living a little more. If you have never gardened before you will likely kill a plant or 20. The most important thing is to keep trying until you find your sweet spot. Maybe flowers that pollinate interest you, plant some. Maybe fruit trees would make you happy, plant some. Maybe succulents are your favorite thing to see, plant some. It doesn't matter where you start, what matters is that you do!!
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