4 Reasons Why Gardening is Good for Your Health
Spending quality time with nature can have countless benefits. Not only does gardening have therapeutic and cathartic qualities, but it also strengthens the immune system and increases your constitution. Gardening does not only teach you how to grow things and value life, but it also helps you get in better shape and improves your health and quality of life. We have compiled a list of reasons why gardening is incredibly useful for your health and why you should incorporate it in your routine.
It burns calories and keeps you in shape
Never underestimate gardening as a fantastic and effective workout tool. Depending on what you do and the time you spend doing it, gardening can be a hard workout that can keep your body fresh and in the desired shape. According to a study carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you can burn up to 330 calories by spending just an hour gardening. More importantly, it does not need to be intense gardening; in fact, this can easily be accomplished by simple tasks such as raking leaves, mowing the front or back yard, trimming hedges, planting flowers or other plants and pulling out weeds. The calories eliminated with just one hour of gardening exceeds those lost while lifting weights for the same amount of time. Since it is considered as moderate to high-intensity workout, the National Institute of Health recommends 30 – 45 minutes of gardening at least five times a week. You can even buy the necessary tools to help you with enjoying the task while also losing a significant number of calories. If you are unable to go to the gym for whatever reason, then gardening is healthy, manageable and effective!
It eliminates stress effectively
Did you know that gardening perth gardening is a more effective stress buster than most other activities? Not only does spending time surrounded by blooming shrubbery make you feel fresher and healthier, but it also calms your nerves and relieves stress. You will find yourself in a better mood and a lot more active after spending an hour outdoors gardening and looking after nature. Gardening also improves breathing as being outside in the sunlight could significantly help improve your mood and eliminate any traces of Seasonal Affective Disorder where depression occurs during wintertime when sunlight is restricted. Experts have also claimed that cortisol – a stress hormone in your brain – could also be reduced through gardening and improve your memory and learning.
It gives you better, powerful immune system
It is common knowledge that vitamin D is essential for the immune system as it helps to absorb calcium, keeping your bones healthy and strong. Vitamin D deficiency is spread across many countries and gardening is the key tool that could help rectify this problem. Spending more time outside helps increase vitamin D levels in your body and keeps it protected from bone breaking or muscle damage.
It significantly lowers the risk of dementia
Experts have suggested that physical exertion related to gardening activities can reduce the risk of developing dementia. The impact of dementia can be absolutely life changing so all precautions should be taken in order to prevent it. Gardening helps you relax and concentrate better on the task at hand. Your attention is on the growth and nourishment of the flora and fauna and this significantly improves your mental health, eliminating the chances of ever suffering through dementia.