Gardening Is Good for You, Just Ask Your Doctor
Gardening is good for your health! Here is some evidence for you to consider. Think about it...not only can you have some fresh vegetables from your garden but you can improve the value of your property while getting fit and possibly living longer.
Exercise
Gardening gets you out in the fresh air and sunshine -- and it gets your blood pumping and joints limbered up. There are lots of different movements in gardening, so you get some exercise benefits out of gardening in addition to feeling better. You can pace yourself and unless you're hauling wheelbarrows of soil long distances, it probably will not do much for your cardiovascular fitness. But digging, planting, weeding, and other repetitive tasks that require minimal strength and some stretching are excellent forms of low-impact exercise, especially for people who find more vigorous exercise a challenge. As a pleasurable and goal-oriented outdoor activity, gardening has another advantage over other forms of exercise: People are more likely to stick with it and do it often. It's not just exercise for exercise itself, which can become tedious. It's exercise that helps with the limberness of your limbs and the use of your hands. You've got a motivation for why you want to grip something. You're not just gripping a ball, you want to pull a weed. You tend to loose yourself in the gardening activity and forget you are getting the exercise.
Brain health
Some research suggests that the physical activity associated with gardening can help lower the risk of developing dementia. Two separate studies that followed people in their 60s and 70s for up to 16 years found that those who gardened regularly had a 36% and 47% lower risk of dementia than non-gardeners, even when a range of other health factors were taken into account. These findings are not hard core facts but they suggest that the combination of physical and mental activity involved in gardening may have a positive influence on the mind. For people who are already experiencing mental decline, even just walking in a garden may be therapeutic. The sights, smells, and sounds of the garden are said to promote relaxation and reduce stress.
Nutrition
The food you grow yourself is the freshest food you can eat. And because home gardens can be filled with fruits and vegetables, it's also among the healthiest food you can eat. Not surprisingly, several studies have shown that gardeners eat more fruits and vegetables than their peers. Studies of after-school gardening programs suggest that kids who garden are more likely to eat fruits and vegetables. And they're a lot more adventurous about giving new foods a try. Fresh, garden food tastes better than something that has been shipped across the country and then on the store shelf.
Gardening is both challenging and rewarding
There is no question that gardening can be challenging and that is what makes it so interesting, mentally stimulating and eventually rewarding. No two seasons are the same from a weather stand point and then there are soil conditions and bugs. MVG staff members are here to help you or you can call the county agent's office and the Master Gardeners answering the phone can help you solve your problems.
33 years of growing
Meadow View Growers