Why Gardening is So Good for You
By Sara Butler
If you are looking for new ways to stay fit and healthy, then you should invest more time working in your garden! It's true! Gardening has a variety of health benefits you can take advantage of by spending a little time outside digging in the dirt. Here are a few of the reasons why gardening is so good for you.
It's a Good Workout
When people think of gardening, they envision little old ladies pruning their roses, but gardening is a whole lot more physical than that. Pushing a wheelbarrow, wielding a rake, picking weeds, shoveling mulch, and mowing the lawn is a whole-body workout. It's an activity that is goal oriented as well, so it makes it feel less like a workout and more like fun.
It's Good for Mental Health
If you're feeling stressed or frustrated, then it can do some real good for your mental health to go blow off some steam in the garden. Pull those weeds, commune with nature, maybe hack up that bush that's been overgrown for a while. There are so many ways to help manage stress by working in the garden -- just getting out in nature and getting some sunshine is a great way to improve your mood and help you feel relaxed.
It Reduces Your Risk of Heart Disease
Gardening isn't as high intensity as some other workouts, but that doesn't mean it's not good for you. You're still providing some benefits to your heart by doing it. In fact, The American Heart Association says that you can reduce your risk of heart attack or stroke by as much as 30 percent by getting in some physical activity each day -- and that includes gardening. Gardening's combination of stress reduction and exercise is what makes it so great for your heart.
It Increases Coordination
You need a powerful grip and flexibility to shape your garden and that has benefits beyond making your garden look beautiful. Coordination, hand strength, and flexibility are needed for a variety of everyday tasks and can help to improve your fine motor skills, something that is crucial as you get older. Just taking a few minutes per week your garden can help improve these things and set you up for success outside of the garden.
If there's one thing to take away from this, then it's that you need to get out in your garden more!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Round Rock, Tex.