Before the COVID-19 crisis, only individuals with green thumbs and some families had the knack for growing flowers, shrubs, and trees in their yards. But during the pandemic, outdoor gardening has become increasingly popular among many households.
Why? Home gardening offers individuals with outdoor physical activities, while community gardening allows for social interaction. Outdoor gardening also boosts the property’s curb appeal and home value. Even planting vegetables and growing trees with fruits enable you to put food on the table.
But if there’s one primary reason to try outdoor gardening, it’s the fact that it’s beneficial to your physical health and mental wellness. That said, here’re why home gardening is beneficial to your overall health:
1. To get exposed to sunlight for Vitamin D
Vitamin D is good for the body, as it is vital for tons of functions. On top of these are boosting your immune system and strengthening your bones. It also reduces the risk of cancer, diabetes, and dementia.
One great source of Vitamin D is exposure to sunlight. Through home gardening, you can get regularly exposed to the sun. In fact, your body can absorb between 8,000 and 50,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D for about 30 minutes.
2. To boost your mood and reduce your stress
We cannot deny the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on your mental health. Home isolation can lead to stress and psychological distress and even escalate to anxiety and depression. As such, you and your family need some worthwhile and productive activities.
What’s good about home gardening is how it can decrease your stress level and improve your overall mood. It can go as far as stopping you from getting stressed and depressed brought about by the crisis.
3. To become physically active
The stay-at-home orders and restricted movements during the pandemic can lead individuals and families to a sedentary lifestyle. Chances are they spend most of their time online and have fewer physical activities. Such a lifestyle can be detrimental to their overall health and well-being.
It’s best to get into home gardening during this pandemic. For one, you can go outside of your house and sweat out regularly. Also, maintaining your garden can be your best form of physical activity to keep you fit and healthy. While at it, you and your family can engage in outdoor sports and exercises. That said, install a natural or artificial lawn for your children’s playground or construct a paved area around your garden for outdoor workouts.
4. To ease your loneliness and increase social interaction
Aside from allowing you to have some physical activities, home gardening can pave the way for social interaction. Socialising is all the more necessary during the pandemic, as it can ease your loneliness.
That said, it’s a good idea to pursue outdoor gardening with your family. Get every household member to participate in growing plants and trees. If not, try to venture into community gardening so you can have time to interact with other people in your locality.
5. To protect and improve your memory
Did you know that as simple as home gardening can improve your memory? Such cognitive function is all the more vital for the elderly. In fact, research shows an increase in brain nerve growth among older people with dementia in an assisted living facility.
Hence, your seniors should get into outdoor gardening. This regular activity can help protect their brain and improve their cognitive function.
6. To purify your outdoor air
In science, we learn that trees and plants release oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide. That’s why it’s best to have surrounding trees and many plants around your residential property.
As such, home gardening can be your best source of oxygen. Trees and shrubs can provide you and your family with quality air circulation. You can go outside to get and breathe some fresh air.
7. To have a source of healthy and nutritious foods
It can be a good idea to plant and grow some herbs, vegetables, and fruits in your backyard. In fact, some families impacted by the pandemic have resorted to outdoor planting for their food supply and sustainability.
That said, start growing herbs, green leafy vegetables, and trees with edible fruits in your backyard. If you want to have healthy and nutritious foods, outdoor planting can be your best option.
The health wonders of home gardening
There’s no denying the benefits of home gardening to people’s health. As discussed above, it is best for your physical body and mental wellness. Whether you have a green thumb or not, consider growing trees, shrubs, and blooms in your yard. Ultimately, doing so can foster your overall well-being and that of your family.
