10 Wonderful Benefits of Gardening
They say that “he who plants a garden will harvest good health and happiness.”
Gardening is one of the simplest hobbies that offer many amazing benefits. So, let me share the 10 Wonderful Benefits of Gardening.
1. Creates a Healthier Heart
Gardening involves a whole lot of planting activities that can stimulate blood circulation and burn calories. You will surely feel energised while enjoying its cardiovascular benefit after gardening. The manual labour of digging, weeding and setting the seeds also helps strengthen your heart.
2. Lowers Stress and Anxiety
There are moments in life when you simply feel low, depressed, anxious or distressed. One of the many amazing benefits of gardening is that it eases stress and other mental and emotional aspects.
During difficult times such as the COVID-19 pandemic, having a garden or even just a small planting space in your yard or on your balcony can help. It eases your mind from thinking of stressful things.
Whether you choose to cultivate flowering or fruit-giving plants, it will provide a feeling of control over what you want to accomplish. On the other hand, the products that you will nourish and produce will create a sense of productivity whilst achieving great relief from stress.
3. Provides Healthier Food Options
Having a vegetable garden does not just offer physical exercise but also a means for healthier food options. Just imagine all the fresh and healthy vegetables or fruits that you can personally harvest from your garden.
According to studies and research, gardening offers a lifetime habit and the privilege of eating healthy foods. Having your garden can also motivate children to eat vegetables and fruits that are good for their bodies and immune system.
4. Replaces Aerobic Exercises
Gardening consists of weeding, digging, sowing and watering, which can replace bending, twisting and stretching routines. These planting activities can take the place of getting a couple of hours of aerobic exercise.
You may not notice it but gardening also offers breathing exercises with a really good source of fresh air. While you are enjoying the fruits of your labour, you will also realise that you are breaking a sweat. As you do this every day, your body increases strength, flexibility and stamina.
5. Helps Form Connections
Another wonderful benefit of gardening is it establishes better connections with the people you work with. Whether at home or in school, it stimulates a sense of good interaction among the persons involved in the planting or harvesting activities.
When I was a kid, I always feared my grandmother but through gardening, we became close and I believe it “nourished” our relationship. You can also learn and share amazing gardening techniques when you work with others.
6. Protects Your Memory
Many doctors have recognised the efficacy of gardening exercises on the cognitive functions of the brain. Seemingly, horticultural therapy can help protect your memory as you age. Research also shows that gardening can be an effective treatment for patients diagnosed with dementia.
7. Boosts Hand Dexterity
As you get old, the motor skills of your limbs, especially the hands tend to become quite rusty. The strength and agility of the hands are reduced and may become limited as you age.
Gardening is one of the best ways to maintain the vigour and dexterity of your hands. You must, however, remember to apply good gardening habits like hand warm-ups and comfortable body positions. It also helps to include multiple planting activities in your daily gardening routines.
When performing gardening tasks, make sure to do them in moderation and not overdo them. Just like any other exercise, too much of it may result in tendonitis, sprains, wrist injuries and carpal tunnel.
8. Helps Boost the Immune system
Just like your plant, you, too, need the benefits of sunlight. A good amount of sunshine in the morning while tending your garden can help your skin absorb vitamin D which attracts calcium. Together, they help keep the bones strong and boost your body’s immune system.
9. Effective Rehabilitation Tool
Gardening or horticulture is a creative and productive tool when you are recovering from an addiction. If you are looking for ways to help you completely sober up, working in your garden can help provoke positive feelings and thoughts.
Many patients have hugely benefited from horticultural therapy. Gardening is a form of neutral therapy that offers experience and opportunity to recover from alcohol addiction.
10. Improve Your Sense of Well-being
Not everyone is endowed with a “green thumb.” So, it can be thrilling to see how your plants have grown beautifully and healthily with your everyday care and nourishment. Seeing how your garden has improved over the weeks can truly boost your sense of well-being and fulfilment.
Gardening is not just beneficial to the plants but to the garden owners as well. Just as plants need care and sustenance to grow and survive, humans also need plants for a healthier lifestyle. If you feel like gardening is the right hobby for you, it may be best to consult garden experts to know the right type of plant and gardening care kits to use.
Contact Mazzega’s Landscaping Services today for the right gardening tools and products!