Not only does it give us the vegetables and herbs we use, but did you know gardening can actually make you healthier and extend your life?
Yes, it's a form of exercise, but gardening takes you into a different mind set, a higher level of consciousness.
Research shows that gardening has a direct correlation to a longer life.
But wait, there's more.
This horticulture therapy focuses on connecting with nature so you can reconnect with yourself.
Here are some of the ways that gardening helps us reconnect and become centered.
Reduces Stress
Stress relief is a natural when gardening. Actually, no other relaxing activity helps more in fighting stress.
The very sight and smell of herbs and plants give new life to your relaxation and peace of mind, releasing stress.
Just being out in the sunlight while gardening increases the secretion of serotonin (a natural antidepressant) and melatonin (the sleep hormone) in the brain, keeping the brain balanced, centered and grounded. As a result, you'll enjoy a healthy sleep cycle by maintaining the circadian rhythm (the brain’s internal biological clock).
In addition, gardening keeps your mind distracted from your problems for a while. The garden calls for your mental focus on gardening, helping you forget your personal issues while digging in the soil.
A 2011 study published in the Journal of Health Psychology reports that gardening promotes neuroendocrine and affective restoration from stress. It says that gardening leads to reduced levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) in the brain and infuses positive moods that promote relief from stress.
Gardening Fights Depression
It's rather simple, gardening helps improve symptoms of depression, reducing the secretion of cortisol and aids recovery from depression.
A 2007 study published in the Neuroscience concludes that a certain type of bacteria found in soil aids in increasing serotonin metabolism in the brain. This in turn helps boost your mood and relieve depression, so gets those hands dirty.
Another study published in Research and Theory of Nursing Practice in 2009 suggests that therapeutic horticulture can be used for treating clinical depression.
Improves Mental Health
There are studies suggesting that gardening is helpful in lowering the risk of developing dementia.
In a 2006 study published in the Medical Journal of Australia, researchers analyzed 115 cases of dementia, researchers found daily gardening helped reduce the number of cases of dementia by 36%.
Physically it's Healthy
Different aspects of gardening, such as gripping, stooping, lifting, stretching, walking, standing, kneeling, sitting and squatting, require body movements that provide exercise benefits. In fact, activities like digging and raking are high intensity physical activities.
