5 surprising health benefits of gardening
Gardening allows you to have a total-body workout but also gives you the opportunity to have fun, relax and have some delicious food all at the same time. Here are some surprising health benefits you receive from gardening regularly.
1. Stress Relief
A Dutch study compared two groups of people who conducted a stressful task. After the task, one group gardened for half an hour while the other group read indoors. The gardening group were found to have better moods and had measurably lower cortisol levels. Cortisol, the stress hormone, not only influences mood but high cortisol levels have been linked with immune function, obesity, memory and learning problems and heart disease.
2. Immunity booster
The soil bacteria Mycobacterium vaccae that ends up in your fingernails has been found to alleviate symptoms of psoriasis, allergies and asthma. These health problems all stem from issues with immune systems.
3. Improved diet
Those who grow vegetables are more conscious about having a healthy diet and also have the opportunity to eat their fresh produce. By growing vegetables, super greens, herbs and spices and salads, you will not only save money at the supermarket but you will be encouraged to incorporate your fresh produce into your regular diet. You will also get to enjoy the fun experience of testing your fresh produce with different flavours in new meals.
4. Improved heart health
A large Stockholm study found that regular gardening can cut heart attack and stroke risk by up to 30 per cent for those over 60. When you are gardening in the sun, be sure to expose your limbs without sunscreen for ten minutes per day as you will get enough vitamin D to reduce your risk of heart disease, osteoporosis and various cancers. Gardening is a great way to achieve 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity exercise each week.
5. Reduced Alzheimer’s risk
A long-term study followed nearly 3000 older adults for 16 years and tracked various kinds of dementia and assessed a variety of lifestyle factors. Researchers discovered that daily gardening represented the single biggest risk reduction for dementia and reduced dementia incidence by 36 per cent. Another study estimated garden to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s by 47 per cent. Gardening involves so many critical functions including strength, endurance, problem solving and sensory awareness. It is not yet understood what factors influence Alzheimer’s incidence but the benefits of garden cover key areas of health.
To find your gardening essentials, including the products mentioned above, head to the Over60 Shop for high-quality offerings.