Multiple Health Benefits of Gardening at Home- Green Earth

Last Updated on July 1st, 2020

Gardening is the most fun and inexpensive activity that boosts both physical and mental health. It doesn’t matter whether you have a whole garden in your home or just balcony or kitchen garden, results are all the same – lots of happiness. We have listed few positive effects of gardening here but there are many more.

1. Makes you Responsible

Taking care of a plant is not less than taking care of a child. Yes, you read that right, when a plant is in early stages, we have to take care of that just like a newborn baby. Watering it enough but not more than required, adding fertilizers from time to time, pruning if necessary and keeping it in or away from sun. Gardening puts you in control of other lives and this can teach you many real-life lessons.

It prepares you for the upcoming life challenges which are un-avoidable, not only personal but professional as well. When you must manage a team or a project, this habit of looking after others and doing what is necessary will help you a lot. Planning and designing your garden are just like planning any other important thing in your life. You can give your child duty of few plants and then see how they behave.

2. Connect with Nature

With everything available at our doorstep nowadays, we don’t spend much time outside our houses, I am not talking about shopping and partying, but enjoying nature. In summers, we simply switch on the AC if we feel hot and don’t even think about going to park in the evening to enjoy comparatively better temperature. Starting your own house garden or working in the community garden lets you spend some time with nature. you can enjoy that time with peace.

When there is nothing else disturbing you, its just you and those plants. Soon you will start treating them like your own. You will feel more aware towards the harm we are causing to environment and start thinking of the ways in which you can contribute.

3. Plants Don’t Judge

Some people do talk to plants (not in a creepy way of course). We all have few things that we find hard to share with others specially because we are afraid of being judged. Not everyone is lucky to have such confidant in their lives and if you don’t have one then you can share your feelings and emotions with plants. While taking care of those, you can say whatever you want. It will lighten your heart and you will feel so much better.

4. Therapy and Exercising 

Gardening releases hormones like serotonin and dopamine which boosts our immune system and makes us happy.  Getting our hands dirty and coming in contact of soil bacteria like Mycobacterium vaccae releases serotonin. Harvesting releases dopamine. Studies have proved that one hour of gardening after a stressful day will keep depression at bay. It relieves stress and anxiety. Activates like digging, planting and pulling will strengthen your hands and researches have proved that few hours of gardening is as good as exercising. It gives you a chance to bond with your family and especially with kids. You will definitely notice better sleep patterns once you start doing this.

5. Encourages to Live in the Moment

Gardening is a completely engaging activity. You have to be focused and cannot do other things simultaneously. From planting a seed to harvesting the plants, everything is so much interesting and time consuming. You may not like it when you get your hands into the soil for the first time but gradually you will start enjoying it.  I myself found my love towards gardening recently and this is all I can think about now. I keep looking for new videos on how to take care of indoor plants, how to propagate my healthy plants into new ones.

6. Healthy Eating

When you see green healthy plants around you, you feel like eating healthy by default. Imagine going to your balcony full of plants or looking at your kitchen garden, it will trigger you to make something fresh and green to eat or to drink. There are so many fruits and vegetables that you can grow at your home easily and if you have ample amount of those with you then why would you look for junk to eat. Right? Aloe-vera is one of the easiest plants to grow and healthiest to consume. You can make juice or add it to other drinks. Mint and coriander are examples of such plants.

7. Gardening Boosts Self–Esteem

There are few points in our lives when we don’t feel accepted by others or by society due to some reason. I have seen kids behaving differently when their academic score is lower than others and even grownups like us behave strangely, when we feel that our efforts are not appreciated. We start doubting ourselves and it lowers are self-confidence. We suddenly start feeling “not good enough”. It can be on our jobs or in our relationships as well. If you are in that phase, then gardening can help you.

When you see your plants growing and flowering, you will automatically start feeling good about yourself. Your will see that efforts are finally paying off.  You grow with your plants and develop qualities that you might be lacking earlier. Gain confidence that if you can take care of a life then you can do anything else you want. You won’t be scared of taking up new responsibilities in both personal and professional life.

8. Helps With Infertility

Studies have proved that gardening helps you if you are struggling with infertility issues. Today major reason of infertility is stress. We are always busy with our work, stressed due to one thing or the other. Gardening is the best natural therapy to reduce stress and it can help you in conceiving.

Diet is also one of the factors for these problems and with your own kitchen garden, you can ensure healthy food for yourself. So, if you are not able to conceive, first try natural strategies like this and then go for medicines. Gardening will also bring you guys closer emotionally and prepare you for your baby.

Let us know if you find this article helpful.

Stay healthy! keep planting!

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Dr. Amanda

Amanda is a certified nutritionist and fitness yoga trainer, and writer in the areas of health, fitness and nutrition.

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