5 Benefits of Gardening
As AquaGrove growers have experienced firsthand, there are numerous benefits gained from gardening. It’s true that fresh, organically grown food is good for your body, but the act of gardening offers benefits that go far beyond daily nutrition.
If you follow us on social media, then chances are that you saw our post last week that highlighted the fact that gardening has been shown to lighten mood and lower levels of stress and anxiety. The information recently gained from Mayo Clinic also emphasized that there is gratification in planting, tending, harvesting, and sharing your own food. Additionally, growing and eating your own fruits and vegetables can have a positive impact on your diet – both in easy access to healthy food sources and control over how the food is handled.
To better understand its many benefits, here are 5 ways that gardening can improve health and wellness:
- Stress Relief - According to the Journal of Health Psychology, a research study was conducted in order to provide scientific evidence for the psychological benefits reaped from gardening. In the study, stress-relieving effects of gardening were hypothesized and tested in a field experiment, compared with the stress relief provided by reading. Gardening and reading each led to decreases in cortisol (stress hormone released by the adrenal glands) during the recovery period, but the gardening group exhibited significantly stronger decreases. It was also noted that positive mood was fully restored after gardening.
- Productive Hobby - From a less scientific perspective, gardening can simply be fun and serve as a pleasurable and productive escape. Sensory-oriented, plant-dominated, and chock-full of beautiful colors and fragrances, gardening not only nurtures our bodies with what we grow, but it can also nurture our minds through a process that can be meditative and relaxing.
- Social Connection – The CDC has reported that social connections are important because they help lower stress, improve resilience, and provide support during difficult times in life. A strong sense of belonging lowers one’s risk of depression and anxiety. Gardening is an activity that brings people together and can enhance social connections. Whether online or through local groups, there are many ways to connect and network with the gardening community. Often, experienced gardeners enjoy and are willing to share their expertise, time, and methods with new gardeners. With AquaGrove, bonds and friendships have formed in the classroom when students work together to grow, tend to, and nurture their gardens.
- Improved Diet – Anyone who grows their own fruits and vegetables can positively impact their diet. Gardeners are more inclined to include vegetables as part of their daily routine, leading to a healthier and well-balanced diet. Not only is the food easy to access and readily available, but it is not processed and can be grown free of pesticides and other additives.
- Emotional Benefits – Along with stress relief, gardening is known to increase happiness. And while a singular activity can’t necessarily make someone instantly happy, the fact that gardening has been found to increase levels of serotonin and dopamine make it a great place to start. Additionally, gardening offers a sense of purpose and accomplishment - There are great rewards in planting and nurturing a garden.
The various benefits of gardening can be discovered through AquaGrove aquaponics. Getting started has never been easier with the start-up guide and online customer care. To learn more about learning and growing with AquaGrove, contact a team member today.