The more soil that gets under your fingernails, the more you are exposing yourself to bacteria — and the more bacteria you expose yourself to, the harder it will be for them to invade your body and leave you feeling unwell. If you have young members in your family, get them involved in the gardening as early as possible too — possibly even in utero, as pregnant women can greatly benefit their baby by spending time outdoors.
The immune system is like a muscle that can be trained and built up, and early exposure will leave children less likely to develop respiratory conditions such as asthma as they grow up. Just taking a seat outdoors and breathing in the fresh air can do your lungs the world of good.
This is due to the sun filling our bodies with Vitamin D, which does us the world of the good. Next time you take a look at your pet and find them basking in the sun, take a leaf out of their book — cats and dogs fully understand how great they feel when they allow their bodies to flood with Vitamin D! Our bodies generate Vitamin D as a chemical reaction as soon as sun bounces off our skin, and the benefits provided by this interaction are legion. The most important service that Vitamin D provides is the growth of calcium within the body, which is obviously essential to people of all ages to keep bones and teeth strong and healthy.
The benefits do not end here, however, as Vitamin D also further bolsters the immune system, regulates the flow of insulin throughout the body and thus drastically reduces the risk of developing a condition such as diabetes, keeps the heart and lungs healthy, and even reduces the risk of cancer.
Have you ever attempted to sketch, paint, craft or write? There are few things more satisfying that taking an idea and turning it into a reality, and your garden will be the perfect place to do so. You have all the makings of a peaceful mind. All that matters, in the grand scheme of things, is that you spend time outside embracing your creative side. Mindfulness is an increasingly popular way of combatting the stress and anxiety that is such a part of the modern world. While it is still largely considered a spiritual exercise, banish any thoughts of orange robes and chanting form your mind — mindfulness is actually a science, designed to prevent our busy brains from overwhelming us and blocking us from enjoying the little moments of calm that we all deserve.
Can you think of a better space than a garden for such an activity? The idea behind mindfulness is simplicity itself — simply be. Feel that tension in your shoulders slip away as though it was never there in the first place. It could include weeding, watering, planting or propagating.
Williams is also on the Board of Cultivating Community , an organisation that provides opportunities for low income and migrant communities to access healthy, affordable, and culturally appropriate food through their Public Housing Community Gardens. He says community gardens help to build a sense of community, but also help to promote positive mental health benefits.
Perrins-Margalis, N. The immediate effects of a group-based horticulture experience on the quality of life of persons with chronic mental illness. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health , 16 1 , Soga, M. Gardening is beneficial for health: A meta-analysis. Preventive medicine reports , 5 , Sowah, D. Vitamin D levels and deficiency with different occupations: a systematic review. BMC public health, 17 1 , Vaz, M. A compilation of energy costs of physical activities.
Public Health Nutrition , 8 7a , Van Den Berg, A. Gardening promotes neuroendocrine and affective restoration from stress. Journal of health psychology , 16 1 , The survey asked participants to rate their stress and wellbeing, as well as to list any therapeutic benefits they gain from gardening. Pleasure and enjoyment was the reason why 6 in 10 people garden. While just under 30 per cent said they garden for the health benefits, one in five said wellbeing is the reason they garden, and around 15 per cent say it makes them feel calm and relaxed.
But it was not just able gardeners who benefited. Those with health problems stated gardening eased episodes of depression 13 per cent , boosted energy levels 12 per cent and reduced stress 16 per cent. She has an MPhys in mathematical physics and loves all things space, dinosaurs and dogs.
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