Spring
is here.
And
here’s a great spring way to get mind and body working well. Planting a
beautiful garden can be a great way to relieve stress!
Gardening
is one of the fastest growing pastimes in the world, as well as one of the
healthiest. As with any hobby that takes you away from the rat race of daily
life, gardening and growing plants can help provide stress relief, improve your
health, and even give you a new outlook on life.
Digging,
raking, planting, pruning, and harvesting are physical activities that provide
a constructive outlet for tensions that build up in our bodies and may lead to stress eat.
Gardening activities draw on your endurance, give you flexibility and strength, build muscle and strengthen the heart and lungs, as well as helping with weight control.
Gardening activities draw on your endurance, give you flexibility and strength, build muscle and strengthen the heart and lungs, as well as helping with weight control.
So
get growing!
Start
small and plant things that you will enjoy. If flowers make you happy, plant a
few flowers. Maybe you would like to grow your own organic vegetables? Or
herbs, such as parsley, dill, thyme, basil and oregano you need for an
entire season of meals. Even the smell of fresh herbs is a great stress
reliever per se, not to talk about great nutritional value. Even a small
vegetable garden can save money as well not to talk about your health.
Get
out in the garden and enjoy the unique combination of exercise, relaxation and rewards that gardening
provides.
If
a large garden sounds like too much work or you don’t have the room, think
about trying micro-gardening. Grow your own plants - food or flowers in
containers rather than in a plot of ground. The size of the garden is
completely up to you.
Patio,
balcony or porch, everything is fine for your micro-gardening. You may not even
need to buy special pots. If you have old flowerpots, buckets, half-barrels or
even concrete blocks, you have the makings of great gardening.
I
don’t have a real garden myself. I grow salad, spinach and herbs in the
containers on my balcony. Remember there's micro-gardening, and then there's
MICRO-gardening.
Benefits of gardening
Getting More Sunlight:
Scientists
have known for a while now that lack of sunlight can be detrimental to our
mental health. Lack of sunlight can make you sleep too much, feel lifeless,
crave the foods that increase your stress level,
and even make you feel depressed. (In fact, there’s a condition called Seasonal
Affective Disorder that affects some people during winter months when there is
less sunlight.)
Getting
out and tending to the plants in your garden will help you get more of the much
needed sunlight, which will also provides an influx of vitamin D, and the fresh air and
actually improve your mood!
Being in the Nature:
When
you are gardening, it takes you back to the basics of life. Being in touch with
nature and being outdoors can help you feel more separated from the stressors
of daily life. With the amount of time we spend indoors and deal with congested
traffic, ringing cell phones, and working on a computer, getting your hands
dirty in soil can give you a connection to nature. Having your piece of nature
right outside your back door or balcony can help you feel some of this
connection.
Uninterrupted Me Time:
This
is huge. This is something all women need the most. Gardening gives you time
alone to work with the plants without the noise interruptions such as the
television, your children, or the family animals. You can use the time to
reflect on what is truly important in life. Or listen to relaxing music while you work. Doing
something as rustic as gardening may also make you more appreciative of the
modern luxuries that we have at our disposal today.
Great Exercise:
Physical activity is a great way to
reduce stress eating. Exercising releases endorphins, which are your body's own
pain-killers. Endorphins create a sense of happiness and well-being. You can
release powerful endorphins while working in your garden, if you plan your
garden "workouts" to provide a steady level of activity.
You
can create a garden workout by alternating movements while you are in the
garden. When you garden, you will need to dig in the dirt, plant the seeds,
then prune and harvest the plants. These activities help you build muscle, help
you become more flexible, and it even helps strengthen your lungs and heart.
It’s clear that we all must take responsibility for ourselves and do what we
can to stay healthy.
Amazingly
digging can be an aerobic activity after just 15 to 20 minutes. And the best
news is that digging burns 329 calories per hour. That’s the equivalent
of playing a doubles tennis match or waterskiing.
Gardening
is a great way to relieve stress while still actually getting exercise at the
same time. Your physical workout also helps boost feelings of well-being.
Take
breaks as needed and if you are out in the sunshine, remember to stay hydrated.
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