Hello @Gems community...
Amidst the hustle and bustle of the modern world, stopping for a moment and getting in touch with plants allows people to return to a primitive state that has been abandoned.
Creating something really beautiful with your hands, making a beautiful garden or a garden full of fruits and vegetables, is one of the results of gardening. But the activity also brings health benefits to those who mess with the land.
Working in a garden relieves daily stress and even improves mood. And if you decide to plant vegetables, you can still have healthier and fresher food at your disposal. See some of the ways gardening can help us physically and mentally and how to bring these benefits to you and your family.
- Stress relief:
A recent study showed that gardening can be more relaxing than many other forms of leisure. Two groups of people who were stressed separated in the following activities: indoor reading or gardening, for 30 minutes. At the end of the study, the group that stayed in the garden was in a better mood compared to those who spent time reading.
We live in a society in which we must always be connected and pay maximum attention to everything around us, whether through cell phones or emails. But this vigilance is limited and can lead to fatigue of attention, which is accompanied by bad mood, irritation and stress.
Fortunately, fatigue is reversible, and one of the ways to do this is with gardening, as this is a time when we don't need to strain to pay attention: this process is practically involuntary. That is, swapping your cell phone for plants is a great way to end stress and fatigue.
- Improves mental health:
Effortless gardening care can improve mental health and prevent symptoms of depression.
People diagnosed with depression, persistent bad mood, or bipolar disorder spent six hours a week growing flowers and vegetables. After three months, improvement in all participants was visible and good humor continued even three months after the gardening program ended.
Experts suggest that gardening is strong enough to get people out of the turmoil. But some scientists have a more radical (and weird) theory of how gardening can end depression.
- Exercise:
Playing with plants can't be compared to throwing iron, and unless you're loading wheelbarrows full of dirt every day, gardening probably won't do much for your cardiovascular fitness. But digging, planting, weeding, and repeating other tasks that require strength and stretching is a great form of low-impact exercise.
Therefore, gardening is an activity that can be done by older people, people with disabilities and even those who suffer from chronic pain. Also, gardening allows you to have contact with fresh air and the sun, which makes your blood move better.
- Brain health:
For people who already have mental disorders like Alzheimer's, simply walking in a garden is therapeutic. The sights, smells and sounds that exist in the natural environment promote relaxation.
- Nutrition:
The food you sow is the freshest you can eat. And it is even more delicious to eat something that you have grown yourself. Thinking about it, why not make a garden full of fruits and vegetables? In addition to being a fun exercise, the trend is for those who plant their own food to eat healthier.
This is also a good incentive for children to eat more vegetables and fewer artificial foods. Studies of school gardening programs suggest that children who play with gardens are more likely to eat fruits and vegetables. And they are much more adventurous when it comes to trying new foods. Many eat green foods with a strong flavor, like arugula, without fear.
How to start
You don't need a large garden to benefit from gardening. If you're tight on space, it's worth planting even in small containers, like vases and buckets, as long as they're clean and have holes in the bottom.
There are numerous gardening tips in books and on the Internet. Another way to learn new ways to care for plants is to talk to that neighbor who has a vegetable garden or who likes to cultivate a beautiful garden. Most will enjoy sharing the skills, and this is a good way to start putting your hands on the ground.
