The bounty of healthy food that a kitchen garden offers, is compared to none and so is the feeling of looking at those beautiful blooms and fresh cut grass in a beautiful garden. All of that might be true and good enough reason to create a green space in your home but there are so many more benefits that come from gardening.
1.) Vitamin D: Most of the people in the country are deficient in this particular Vitamin which is so important for our body. One of the primary benefits of gardening is getting a lot of sun exposure which gives us this important nutrient in abundance. Vitamin D increases the calcium level in the body and helps to absorb it which is beneficial for your bones and immunity.
2.) Mood Booster: Wageningen University and Research Center in Netherlands suggest that gardening helps in fighting stress and relieving tension by reducing the cortisol levels (the stress hormone) better compared to many other relaxing activities.
3.) Burning Calories: Gardening is a very rewarding activity, not just in terms of the result and produce but also in terms of your physical health. A regular gardening activity is a good way of getting exercise and burning those calories and strengthening your heart. A fun way to work out and lose weight as well, most gardeners normally have a low body mass index compared to non-gardeners. So, move away from that TV and get into this fun and gratifying activity.
4.) Boosting the immune system: They say excess of everything is bad. Which in this case means, a little dirt in your fingernails every now and then doesn’t hurt. In fact, the bacteria and dirt on your hands and nails while gardening can help boost your immune system and helps in getting sick less often. It strengthens your body to fight against infections and ward off allergies.
(We still need to wash those hands after we are done with the muddy activities.)
5.) Family bonding activity and enjoying what you grow: With technology taking over all the aspects of our lives, we tend to just give in after an exhausting day by letting our young ones sink into the phones. This has led to reclusiveness, obesity, low communication and introvert attitudes amongst the children. Involving them in activities like gardening will help them connect with you better and they get to learn about where the food comes from. Growing their own food will make them enjoy the food better while learning how to grow them as well. Gardening can be a fulfilling family activity with multiple benefits in terms of physical activity, learning and emotional bonding as well.
With vertical gardening options available, one doesn’t even need to worry about space, just pick a wall and start installing planters and adding your favorite greens. Looks like a mini garden already and a couple hundred calories burnt!
