Growing your own food in a garden is not a new idea. Still for our grandparents it was an essential way to have access to affordable, reliable, nutritious food. Gardening has regained popularity in recent years, despite the easy and cheap access to foods in supermarkets, and especially interest in gardening has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. People have been spending more time at home and have turned to their gardens and balconies to connect with nature, relieve stress, and have food available.
Why you should start gardening
Observing the growth and development of gardens and kitchen gardens is a rewarding challenge but there are also numerous benefits to working the land.
Increased exercise
A busy day in the garden can be a good form of exercise. While working in the garden, functional movements are performed that simulate an exercise for the whole body. Squats and lunges are performed while weeding. Carrying bags of mulch and other materials works large muscle groups. Digging, raking and using a walk lawn mower can be physically strenuous activities.
Yes they can burn as many calories as in one session at the gym. If you are not used to this type of activity, you are likely to feel some muscle soreness after a busy day of gardening. Gardening can also improve balance, strength and flexibility.
Improvement of diet
Growing and consuming your own fruit and vegetables can have a positive impact on diet. Gardeners are more likely to include vegetables in a healthy balanced diet.
Different vegetables offer a variety of unique health benefits. Bell peppers contain capsaicin, which has anti-inflammatory properties and may reduce the risk of heart disease. Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C and potassium. They also contain lycopene, an antioxidant that can reduce the risk of prostate cancer. Sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, an antioxidant that may help slow the aging process and reduce the risk of certain types of cancer. Spinach can strengthen the immune system and broccoli protects the body’s cells from damage.
Time spent in nature
Being outdoors is beneficial to physical and mental health. People tend to breathe more deeply when outdoors. This helps cleanse the lungs, improve digestion, boost the immune response, and raise blood oxygen levels.
Spending time outdoors reduces heart rate and muscle tension. Sunlight lowers blood pressure and increases vitamin D levels.
Stress level reduction
Almost any form of exercise can reduce stress, including gardening. It was demonstrated that eases mood and reduces stress and anxiety levels. It is very rewarding to plant, tend, harvest and share your food.
Routines provide structure to our day and are related to improved mental health. Gardening routines, like watering and weeding, can create a relaxing rhythm to relieve stress.
Social connection
Gardening it brings people together and strengthens social ties. Urban gardening communities are filled with people willing to share their experience, time, and occasionally their plants with new gardeners. Community garden areas bring together people with different backgrounds to work towards a common goal.
Social connections are important because they help reduce stress, improve resilience, and provide support during life’s tough times. A strong sense of belonging reduces the risk of depression, anxiety and suicide.
How to start gardening or a vegetable garden
If you’re considering starting a garden in your home, here are three tips:
Start small
It’s easy to get excited and want to have a large plot with lots of plants. Don’t take on more than you can handle because it could cause more stress. The bigger the garden, the more work it requires. It could quickly overwhelm you if you don’t have enough resources or time to take care of it. You can always increase the size of your garden in the future.
Build a network of contacts
Find other people interested in gardening. Learn from each other’s successes and failures.
Research suitable plants
Find plants that are well suited to your climate or hardiness zone. Talk to local expert gardeners or your city’s agricultural office for advice on which plants are thriving in your area. This improves your chances of success and reduces stress and possible disappointments.
Amazing health benefits of gardening
Planting flowers and vegetables can lead to bountiful bouquets and delicious crops for your table. But did you know that gardening can also work wonders for your well-being? Here are eight surprising health benefits of gardening.
Gardening can boost self-esteem
You may not think you were born with a green thumb, but after you’ve plowed, planted, tended and harvested your plants, you may see a slightly different person in the mirror: someone who knows how to grow things and is a little more attuned to the earth.
It’s always nice to be able to accomplish new tasks and if you can grow a garden, what can’t you do?
Gardening is good for the heart
All that digging, planting, and weeding burns calories and strengthens the heart.
There are physical benefits to the manual labor of gardening. It’s hard work gardening, and it comes with some cardiovascular benefit.
Gardening reduces stress
Gardening can help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Maintaining a garden gives you a chance to focus on something and put your mind to work with a goal and task in mind.
Gardening can make you happy
Getting your nails dirty by digging in the dirt can make you quite happy. In fact, inhaling M. vaccae, a healthful soil-dwelling bacterium, can raise serotonin levels and reduce anxiety.
Gardening can improve hand strength
All those digging, planting, and print runs don’t just produce plants. Gardening also increases hand strength. It’s a great way to keep your hands and fingers strong for as long as possible.
Gardening is good for the whole family
Gardening can be a one-on-one activity or an opportunity to bond with family and friends. The happiness and stress relief that gardening provides is a beautiful thing to share with loved ones. Also, gardening has special benefits for children. Early exposure to earth has been linked to numerous health benefits, from reduced allergies to autoimmune diseases.
Gardening can provide you with a vitamin D boost
A healthy dose of vitamin D boosts calcium levels, which benefits your bones and immune system. Exposure to sunlight has helped older adults achieve adequate amounts of vitamin D. But don’t forget about sunscreen. Indeed, researchers estimate that half an hour in the sun can produce between 8,000 and 50,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D in your body, depending on how much your clothes cover and the color of your skin.
Growing your own food can help you eat healthier
If you have a vegetable, herb or fruit garden, you’re getting fresh produce that you know hasn’t been treated with pesticides.
READ ALSO: The do-it-yourself vertical garden
Photo by Pelargoniums for Europe / Ona Creative / Mrs. Menghor / Zoe Schaeffer
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