Health Benefits of Owning a Garden

Recent times have taught us quite a lot. One of the many lessons being that having a hobby is very important because no one has any idea when another worldwide pandemic can have us cooped up in our homes again. In the earlier days of the pandemic, many of us got scared that food shortage will eventually catch up with us. 

Although lockdown restrictions have been raised and the fear of food shortage is no longer in the air; it would be a good idea to get a hobby. Gardening is a hobby that will not only keep you busy but will also make sure you never run out of fresh vegetables. 

Outside these, owning a garden also promises other health benefits. So, it is a win-win hobby as you will be keeping both your body and mind fit. In this article, we will be discussing some of the health benefits of owning a garden. 

1. Helps You Fight Disease 

When you garden outdoor, your skin will gather nutrients that can help you fight off some diseases. Now, what many of us are unaware of is that humans are a lot like plants. Remember the process through which plants produce their foods? Yes, photosynthesis! It will shock you to know that humans are capable of this too. 

When exposed to sunlight, the skin absorbs it to make a very important nutrient, vitamin D. According to research, your body can make between eight thousand to fifty thousand IU of this important nutrient from being exposed to sunlight for just half an hour. Although, this estimate is based on factors like how much cloth you are wearing and your skin’s color. 

Your body needs Vitamin D for various body functions like strengthening the immune system and your bones. Being exposed to the sun also reduces the risk of you having breast cancer, multiple sclerosis, prostate cancer, and colorectal cancer.

If you are also low on Vitamin D, you are more in danger of developing dementia, metabolic syndrome (which is a pre-diabetes issue, you can read this to learn more about metabolic syndrome), psoriasis flares, and type II diabetes. 

You also have to ensure you are not overexposed to the sun as doing this can result in skin cancer. However, the science behind this is clear; the little sunshine you are exposed to when gardening will go far in helping your body. 

2. Builds Your Strength and Promotes Sleep 

Gardening is a type of exercise. Some gardening activities such as cutting grass, weeding, and raking can be classified as light or moderate exercise. Other activities like digging, chopping wood, and shoveling can be classified as vigorous exercise. 

Anyway, when you work in the garden, almost all the major muscle groups in your body are used. Therefore, when you physically exert yourself in your garden, you will build your strength and may also offset some weight gain related to age. 

Furthermore, research discovered that gardeners have better chances of sleeping for solid seven hours during the night. 

3. Can Protect One’s Memory 

As we grow older, a lot of our body functions may not be the same. One thing that often accompanies old age is memory loss. What if we told you that gardening can prevent this memory loss attributed to old age? For a while now, doctors have been certain that exercise help improves the brain’s cognitive functions.

Debates about if gardening alone was enough to influence one’s cognitive skills such as memory were not uncommon. However, some new studies have shown evidence that gardening may increase the nerves relating to memory. 

In Korea, some researchers did a study on some dementia patients. These patients were asked to do some gardening activities for 20 minutes. After they were done with this, the researchers discovered that the nerves connected with memory had some increased growth. 

Again, in 2014, horticultural therapy was discovered to be effective for the treatment of dementia patients. In Norway and Netherlands, people suffering from dementia participate in Greencare programs. This involved them spending plenty of their days in gardens and on farms. 

4. Can Boost One’s Mood

When you spend some time in your garden, your anxiety level will drop causing your mood to be considerably heightened. Aside from improving your mood, gardening can help increase self-esteem. 

5. Helps People Recovering from Addiction 

For a very long time, people have found horticultural therapy to be quite resourceful, so it should not come as a surprise to you that gardening can be a part of an addiction recovery program. Plants have been discovered to help provoke positive thoughts and feelings in those recuperating from alcohol addictions. 

In a study, some patients in a rehabilitation center were asked to choose between gardening and art as a natural recovery therapy. Those who choose gardening were able to complete their program faster than people who picked art. 

6. Helps People Manage Eco-Anxiety 

For a lot of people, watching the unchecked and gradual effects the human behaviors have on our climate and earth increases their stress levels and leaves them feeling guilty. For these people, one of the hardest parts is the feeling of powerlessness. 

If you are one of such persons, then it is about time you contributed your quarter to mitigate the problem. It may seem like little but it will go a long way in helping you feel less guilty. This will ultimately help you manage your eco-anxiety. 

With all these benefits mentioned, there is no excuse for you not to take up gardening. If you feel space is going to be an issue then we recommend that you invest in some grow boxes. Checking any garden patch growbox review will help you in selecting one that will best suit your needs. 

Self Care 

All these benefits and even more are what you stand to gain from owning a garden. However, while you garden, you need to take care of yourself as there are certain risks associated with gardening. Ensure that you take all the necessary precautions like wearing long pants, and gloves. 

Conclusion 

There are a lot of health benefits that gardening offers. But do not take our words for it. Dive into the world of gardening and watch your body thank you for it.