Healthy Gardening

Mention the word "fitness" to most people and they immediately think of the
of the gym. But spending hours pumping iron may not hold much appeal. So the
good news is that the gym may be much closer to home than you think --- in
your very own garden! Indoor or outdoor, you can reap almost the same health
benefits from gardening as you would from a workout in the gym and it isn't
just your body that gets healthier after gardening. Your mind and emotions
can also improve. Gardening, like other forms of moderate exercise, will
help lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels if you do it for
around 30 minutes per day. Exercise such as gardening has even been found to
help prevent type II diabetes, heart disease and strokes. Dr Mark Harries
from the Royal College of Physicians confirms that gardening has positive
physical effects "Physical activity is always useful for the body. If it's
something you enjoy -- like gardening -- then it's better. It means that
your exercise is not just a chore." Here are a few of the benefits of
gardening. The power of light from the sun or man made helps the body to
make vitamin D, which is essential for healthy bones and may slow the
progression of osteoporosis. Positive powers of sunlight also work on the
mind. Gardening takes you on a unique journey of discovery. It gives you an
opportunity to exercise your mind and your hands and there's always
something new to learn from your garden. Learning new skills is a sure-fire
way to keep the brain alert. Researchers at University of Florida have found
that just walking thought a beautiful sensory garden, lowers peoples stress
levels. The sensory garden is thought to have the same effects on the mind
as art therapy. But it isn't just doing some gardening that reduces the
stress. Soaking up the colors, sounds and smells of your garden and taking
the time to appreciate the peace and tranquillity it offers will also help
to remove tension. Gardening is definitely good for your mind, body and
spirit, and can help build self--esteem, so make gardening part of your life
for a healthy life and healthy food.