Digging Deep

GROWING FOOD AND FLOWERS IS JUST ONE BENEFIT OF GETTING IN THE GARDEN – IT CAN IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH TOO

- Elli Jacobs

Mounting evidence suggests that direct experience with nature offers a wide range of health benefits, and what better way to do so than to exercise your green thumb in the garden? A 2017 meta-analysis published in the journal Elsevier that looked at how gardening can be beneficial for our health suggests that gardening can improve our physical, psychological and social health which, from a long-term perspective, can alleviate and prevent health issues facing today’s society.

“Gardening has stood the test of time. Especially nowadays in modern times when technology is running our lives, leaving our phones indoors and stepping outdoors to garden is a great way to counteract the effects of excessive digital screen time,” says Lysn psychologist Breanna Sada.

So, what other health benefits can we gain when we begin to awaken the gardener within?

Garden away stress

There are a few things in the process of gardening which not only reduce stress, but help to prevent it from setting in in the first place. “In order to manage stress, first and foremost you need to take a break from what’s causing it, and gardening is a great way to do that as you’re absorbed in the task at hand and not thinking about anything else,” explains Jane Clarke, gardening expert and content writer at Fantastic Services Australia.

Founder of Bloom College Yvette Timmins agrees it’s our focus on gardening that helps us to slow down, shifting our minds awayfrom the mental chatter to the sensory experience of the visual beauty and scents that surround us. Breanna adds, “Gardening has similar impacts on our stress levels as other relaxation techniques such as mindfulness, as it naturally brings us into the present moment, reduces cortisol levels in the body and subsequently improves mood.”