Gardening, if done correctly, supports physical and mental he alth. Here you can find out exactly why gardening is so good for us.
What many gardeners have always felt is also proven in studies from various countries: gardening has many positive effects on us humans. This includes not only the promotion of physical, but also mental he alth. We will show you how gardening affects the gardener and how he althy and safe gardening can be successful. In this way, you are not only doing something good for your garden, but also for yourself.
Gardening Can Promote Physical He alth
Exercise in the fresh air helps to stay he althy. Of course, this only applies if you actually become active: Listlessly tugging around in the bed and turning on the lawn sprinkler alone do not count. Swing the spade, turn your compost or spread a cubic meter of mulch in the beds. You will definitely be rewarded as we show below.
How sunlight promotes he alth
Exposition to sunlight has clearly proven effects on our physical he alth. The formation of the vital vitamin D, the lowering of blood pressure and the strengthening of the immune system are just some of the well-known effects. Sunlight also ensures that our inner clock works: those who are outside a lot find it easier to wake up and fall asleep. Sunlight also has a positive effect on the skin and can relieve eczema and neurodermatitis.
Effects on the circulatory system and musculoskeletal system
Light to moderate activity trains the cardiovascular system, which with regular exercise can lead to permanently lower blood pressure and cortisol levels. This has been shown to prevent heart disease. Cortisol also affects the utilization of carbohydrates and fats. In addition to calorie consumption, regular gardening can therefore protect against obesity and type 2 diabetes. The mobility of joints is also promoted through the diverse movement sequences, whichcan prevent joint problems. Gardening also benefits the bones: Studies show that gardening prevents osteoporosis. It is also a he althy balance for people who are exposed to one-sided physical stress at work. Anyone who sits, stands or lifts a lot often has unevenly developed muscles. The variable movements involved in gardening help to compensate for this and prevent postural errors. Older or disabled people in particular can benefit greatly from gardening: it can offer them sufficient activity to stay in shape as much as possible.
Effects on Vision
Working in the garden is even valuable for our sense of sight: Those who spend a lot of time indoors and look at screens for a long time tend to be far more nearsighted. The movement in free space, on the other hand, ensures that your eyes also have to adjust to objects that are far away and thus slows down the deterioration of your sense of vision.
Effects on the immune system
In the garden, the immune system is not only strengthened by sunlight. Through contact with the soil and plants, the gardener comes into contact with various microorganisms. Soil bacteria sometimes have a surprisingly large influence on our immune system. Some seem to stimulate our defense mechanisms, making us less susceptible to disease.
Grow your own he althy fruit, vegetables and herbs
Anyone who runs a kitchen or herb garden produces he althy food. This often leads to a broadening of the food spectrum. According to studies, kitchen gardeners tend to consume more fruits and vegetables overall, which gives them a big boost in terms of heart and metabolic he alth. The products from your own garden are also usually free of pesticides. Using fresh medicinal herbs from the garden to treat minor ailments is often more effective than buying dried herbs in tea or capsule form.
Gardening safely and he althily
Gardening is only a win for us when it is done safely and he althily. We have compiled the most important tips for safe and he althy gardening so that you can take advantage of the benefits without being harmed.
- Anyone moving around the garden should use an existingHave tetanus vaccination.
- Depending on the type of work, you should put on the appropriate protective clothing. It prevents you from being harmed while working with or without equipment.
- Protect yourself from communicable diseases by avoiding insect and tick bites.
- Protect yourself from sunburn and extreme heat.
- Only work with motorized or electronic devices if they work properly and always act according to the manufacturer's specifications! Do not be afraid to ask someone for advice and help if you do not feel confident using the device. The same applies to handling chemicals and fertilizers. Careless use of either can harm you and others.
- Be careful with your own body. Lift carefully and never out of the strength of your back. Instead of hurting yourself as a result of overconfidence, ask for help. Instead of kneeling, squat or use knee pads consistently.
Gardening can boost mental he alth
You are probably familiar with the expression that a mentally balanced character is "grounded". Not only experience shows that gardening makes you happy. Science is also on the trail of this phenomenon, so that garden therapy is now a recognized building block in many social projects and psychological treatment concepts.
Effects on the psyche
Connection with nature and a relationship with the food consumed is proven to be a reliable source of confidence, contentment, relaxation and happiness in general. The reasons for this have so far been uncovered, at least in part:
- Our body uses solar energy to produce vitamin D. Getting enough vitamin D makes it less likely to develop depression.
- Being active in the garden has been linked to stress reduction in experiments. Regular gardening is therefore also less prone to stress-related diseases.
- Gardening encourages creative and action-oriented thinking, so it has been proven to alleviate and slow down the development of dementia.
Perceived Productivity
In today's working life, one's own productivity is often difficult to grasp. Carrying out work that leads to a self-made product that can be touched, experienced or even eaten is therefore for manypeople no longer take it for granted. For this reason, gardening is often experienced as very meaningful and satisfying. Not only physically, mentally or emotionally handicapped people, but also normal "desk workers" can experience the pride of creating something with their own hands. This generates new experiences and self-confidence.
Gardens connect people
Gardening often has a social aspect. Talking to the neighbors at the garden fence, talking to strangers and friends about swapping seeds, young plants or parts of perennials, or giving away excess vegetables - the garden always provides opportunities to exchange ideas with those around us, and thus also promotes ours social networking. Since we are social creatures, this is also important for us to stay mentally and physically he althy.
If you want to start gardening right now, with all the benefits of gardening, here's an article on gardening with kids. Because children also benefit immensely from the time and experience in the garden.