So, gardening season, at last. A lot of us are hearing the call of the cultivated wild right now, and the herb seedlings have just shown up at the Willy Street Co-op this week. As an ex-farmhand, my instincts are that gardening is good for body and soul, so I was curious about what scientific research there might be on the health benefits of gardening.
I found this nice little article which talks about how gardeners "have an increased zest for life, sleep better, have a lowered risk for osteoporosis and diabetes and... have better sex lives." It also talks about how to avoid the pitfalls of joint pain by regularly changing tasks and postures. A little coaching on this from a qualified professional could go a long way.
I always like "functional fitness," and this is nothing if not functional. Research has indicated that it's better for you to do a goal-oriented physical task than to just exercise for its own sake, when possible. If your goal is growing fresh produce and herbs, so much the better. Gardening provides a variety of strengthening exercises, mild cardio workouts, and a healthy dose of sunlight (yes, obviously you want to wear sunblock or wear the right clothing if you're going to burn).
Beyond the cardio and muscle strengthening, I think that the connection which gardening gives us to the Earth and growing plants has to be a major part of this. Again, I have some mainstream backers like Web M.D. on this one, who talk about how being in contact with nature is inherently healing - another aspect of mind-body health.
Happy greening!
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