Health Benefits in Planting a Garden
Planting a garden allows an individual of any age to enjoy a natural health club right in his own backyard. That’s because there are numerous health benefits to planting a garden that positively impact a person’s physical as well as mental well being.
Spending at least 30 minutes every day doing some gardening gives an individual the physical health benefits of doing such exercise as walking or bicycling. Bending, stretching, lifting and reaching while tending to your plants helps to build strong bones and muscles in addition to working all of the body’s major muscle groups. But unlike traditional forms of exercise which can put stress on the joints and cause injury, working slowly and methodically in a garden helps to burn calories and increase stamina and flexibility without any danger. Doing such simple activities as weeding, digging holes and planting seedlings can help burn 150 calories or more during every gardening session.
Being in fresh air encourages deep breathing which benefits the circulatory system and enhances mental alertness. Being exposed to 
sunshine allows the body to absorb Vitamin D which contributes to bone health. Feeling close to nature also greatly benefits an individual’s mental health by inducing feelings of relaxation and calmness. Because gardening is a hobby that is neither competitive nor stressful in nature, an individual can go at his own pace, which helps to decrease both blood pressure and cholesterol levels at the same time combating the stress of every day high-tech living.
Often the best medicine for an individual’s physical and mental health can be found in the simple chores of maintaining a fruit, vegetable or flower garden. Fresh air, sunshine and moderate physical labor combine to contribute to improved good health.
