The calendar may still say it's winter, and I'm not sure what the earth has in store as I write this, but I'm already thinking about spring and the possibilities that await. It got me thinking about getting people interested in gardening. I recently gave a presentation on gardening and health to a non-gardening audience and was amazed at the number of people who came up to me and said they never knew how good gardening was and would love it.
Gardening is a great way to maintain your physical and emotional health and promote healthy eating habits. Did you know that gardening is great exercise? Just 30 minutes of digging and shoveling is equivalent to the same time on a stationary bike. 30 minutes of trimming and pruning is about the same time as lifting weights. Reaching up and down, stretching, bending and extending your arms while planting seeds or pulling weeds also helps strengthen joints and increase flexibility. There is nothing better than exercising and feeling full after a new bed.
You don't need to create a zen garden to reap emotional benefits from gardening. A University of Florida study found that gardening reduced stress, anxiety and depression in healthy people who had never worked before. Getting outside, getting some fresh air, and engaging our senses can have a positive effect on our emotional health, helping us feel more alive and energetic. Gardening can also help calm our minds and give us space and time to move into a more peaceful and calm state. When we take care of anything from planting to harvesting, we are rewarded with a sense of accomplishment and increased confidence.
Gardening can also encourage us to eat healthy foods. To increase the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables for the whole family, it is enough for one member of the family to go to the garden! Fruits and vegetables picked fresh from your garden and eaten the same day will also have a higher nutritional content than fruits that have been stored for a long time and traveled many miles. After growing herbs in my kitchen, I realized that I wasn't using enough salt to add flavor to our food. It also led to many conversations with my 8-year-old about herbs, nature, and experimenting with different flavors and aromas.
The best thing about gardening is that it doesn't have to be complicated. Start with one or more plants. If you don't have a patio, try container gardening on a sunny windowsill or patio. Herbs and salad greens are simple plants that produce tasty results in a short amount of time.
If you're interested in starting a garden and enjoying the health benefits that come with it, join UF/IFAS Extension Alachua County as we embark on a culinary and gardening journey for our upcoming Plant to Plate series. enjoy a variety of herbs and other easy-to-grow garden plants.
To learn more about our programs and landscape stewardship in Florida, contact UF/IFAS Extension in Alachua County at 955-2402 or email alachua@ifas.ufl.edu.
- doctor. Cynthia Nazario-Leary is the Community Horticulture and Environmental Development Agent for UF/IFAS Extension Alachua County. Contact him at cnazarioleary@ufl.edu or 955-2402.
This article first appeared in The Gainesville Sun: Dr. Cynthia Nazario Leri: Lawn Health Care
Post a Comment
Post a Comment