The Benefits of Gardening

It’s been about a year and a half since I started my gardening activities and I have to let you know that it’s been an incredible ride. Since I reside in a humble apartment, my gardening venture started out on a small note … I began with just 3 pots of herbs. As of today, that has improved to 16! During the process, I observed that I’ve gained a lot from my gardening activities. Regardless of spending less than a half-hour a day nurturing of my garden, I’ve observed a significant improvement in my overall well-being. For those reading through this, I believe you seriously consider an interest in cultivating a garden. In an effort to provide you with the reasons why you should try out this very hobby, I’ve created six interesting health benefits which gardening can offer. These are as follows:

REDUCES STRESS

Based on the results of a study conducted by the Wageningen College in The Netherlands, gardening may play a vital role in reducing stress. Outcomes from this research showed that gardening could help lessen the amount of cortisol, the stress hormone. Personally, I have definitely noticed this claim. As a normal interest, there aren’t many activities which can be as peaceful as gardening. My own daily gardening engagement is just to water the flora. It’s curiously refreshing seeing the vegetation grow (and pretty fast too).

STRENGTHENS YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

Soil comes with masses of germs and bacteria, which ordinarily no one would want to lay their hands upon. However, exposure to those microorganisms, mainly for young kids (but adults too), could help boost their immunity. For instance, a report from the NationalWildlife Federation indicates that children that are confined indoors can run the threat of fundamental fitness troubles which include obesity and vitamin D deficiency. For the parents out there, make sure your children are taking part in fun, outside activities like gardening.

GREAT EXERCISE

The concept of gardening may scare you, but once you try it out you’ll be hooked. With my modest garden, I found the learning curve fairly easy, possibly due to the fact that I am growing just a few pots. The quantity of time and effort dedicated for gardening actually depends upon the size or area of your yard. For example, if you have to cut, aerate, or shovel you’ll get terrific exercise. Pruning also can be a good upper body exercise. That’s why I'm not surprised when I heard the statistic that three hours of cultivating my garden can equate to at least one hour in a gym (in phrases of energy). Plus, it’s typically low-impact exercise that you can do well into your senior years without risk of injury.

MICROORGANISM COMPANIONS

Adding to my point on boosting the immune system, unclean items or dirt incorporate a herbal antidepressant known as M. vaccae. Based on analysis, this antidepressant germ raises cytokine levels, which in turns enhance the secretion of serotonin … which makes you happier :)

HEALTHY, DELICIOUS FOOD

That is something I can attest to right now. After I began to care for my own veggies and herbs, I have become more aware of my what I put into my body. The times when I’d be consuming speedy meals from a fast-food restaurant are behind me. Nowadays, I have wholesome vegetables for lunch and dinner and attempt to keep away from too much sugar, dairy, and meat. Overall I feel much better, I’ve lost weight, and have more energy. With any luck, gardening will have the same effect for you.

STIMULATES YOUR BRAIN

This probably applies more to elderly people, however, gardening is a wonderful way to activate your brain. Gardening is an activity that involve a bit of thought and reflection. It consists of social interactions, bodily exercise, and learning by trial-and-error, among others. As announced on CNN, two studies have discovered that gardening may have a positive impact in lowering the dangers of dementia for people in their 60's and 70's.

Gardening is an awesome activity which can be started by anyone. If you’ve wondered “Where can I find community gardens near me?”, YardYum is a great resource that connects wannabe gardeners with landowners who have spare space. So even if you live in a tiny apartment like me, you’ve got no excuses! Start your own garden today and improve your overall well-being!