The Benefits of Gardening
Gardening is one of those activities withphenomenal benefits for the body and mind.
Gardening for your body
No matter how tiring gardening seems, it has many benefits for the human body. Many exercises cannot yield half the calorie burn of gardening, and it also builds muscle. If you doubt it, try gardening for a few hours and then feel the stiffness set in the following day.
What are some of the other benefits of engaging in regular gardening activities? Here are five considerations:
1) Improves heart functioning
Gardening activities ranging from plowing, planting, watering, and weeding have a myriad of benefits for the heart. It strengthens the cardiovascular muscles and reduces the risk of developing diseases, like a heart attack.
2) Reduces body weight
If you’re tired of those excess pounds, start gardening and watch your body slim down in no time. Studies have shown that moderate gardening for one hour burns over 300 calories, and you get to spend time outdoors connecting with nature while that happens.
3) Gives You More Vitamin D
More exposure to sunlight means a higherintake of UV rays from the sun. It increases your vitamin D levels, which is good both for your body and health in moderation. If you want to wean off those Vitamin D supplements you’ve been prescribed, spend a few more hours in your yard.
4) Improves Your Strength
Doing all that lifting and digging is the perfect exercise for your bones and muscles. It builds your muscle strength, enhances your coordination, and increases fitness levels.
5) Gives You Healthier Food
Many people buy farm produce, especially vegetables. Many of the commercial farms use toxic chemicals and other harmful substances, though.
With fresh, organic vegetables from your garden, you will be eating far more healthily, and it is guaranteed to be free of additives or toxins.
Gardening for Your Mind
Gardening is also beneficial for yourthinking and emotions. Here are fivemental and emotional benefits of engaging in gardening activities:
1) Reduces stress
Did you know that gardening works like magic in reducing stress? Engaging outdoors helps relax your body,and focus your thoughts, channeling your anxiety into more constructive activities.
2) Improves your level of happiness
If you are looking for something that will make you happier, gardening is it—literally. It is not only seeing your hard work blooming that will put a smile on your face. Garden soil has M. vacciae, a bacterium associated with reduced anxiety. When inhaled, it can boost your moods.
3) Boosts your self-esteem
Gardening is an activity that can greatly improve your self-esteem, helping you believe more in yourself and your abilities. When you see something grow that you nurtured with your own hands, it’s sublime.
4) Helps learn new things
Every day is a learning process, and gardening is no exception. You can learn a lot of new things as you tend to your garden, including taking more notice of your local ecosystems and natural intricacies.
5) Relaxes your mind
After a long day at work, where you’re glued to a computer or phone, your mind will need time to unwind. Gardening is a relaxing activity to process the day and prepare for the next. It is fantastic for increasing your overall productivity levels at work or school.
Gardening for the environment
Global-warming threatens our ecosystems and the environment. If you want to make a difference, start in your own home with sustainable gardening.
Here are five ways that gardening can protect and preserve the environment:
1) Improves air quality
Plants filter the air and sunlight, with most taking in carbon dioxide and releasing more oxygen. The air exchange is good for the environment, and it’s something you can facilitate by engaging in gardening.
2) Increases rainfall
More garden plants mean more transpiration, which could lead to higher rainfall. Growing plants increases the level of moisture in the atmosphere, which falls back down to earth as precipitation.
3) Reduces soil erosion
Gardening involves covering the land with plants, which certainly prevents damaging soil erosion. Leaving the land bear encourages running water to sweep off the topsoil. By gardening, you can curb the degree of erosion and preserve the nutrients in the soil.
4) Cuts heating and cooling cost
Gardening reduces the cost of cooling and heating in a home and on the planet, as plants have their own cooling systems. The productive processing of gasses brings balance, preventing globalwarming, and reducing future damages. This can help keep your Duquesne bill down
5) Reduce natural calamities
Some landscaping techniques use gardening to avert natural calamities, such as landslides. A conscious garden planner can enhance their area significantly and protect the delicate ecosystems that surround it.
Gardening is an activity that is good for your health and the world around you. It’s also one of the most satisfying activities that you can do at home.
