The Good in
Gardening How gardening has so many positive benefits, from mood enhancement, improving cognitive abilities, education and fitness, as well as creating a beautiful surrounding for you to admire.
By Brad Young 1
Gardening As A Treatment Gardening can often be dismissed as being for the elder generation, or for the wealthier in society who have nothing better to do. When in actual fact, it offers tremendous health benefits and is great for improving general fitness and well-being, as well as offering you a calmer mind. It is by no coincidence that gardening is often used as treatment for those with dementia, or depression, as the presence of nature can often have healing effects, even if viewed from indoors. The interaction with nature, sunlight and fresh air naturally lifts moods and can offer a great comfort. For many, gardening keeps them outside and active. As a gentle form of exercise it helps avoid heart problems, diabetes and strokes, whilst also building core strength and stamina. Yet, as an hours gardening can use as many calories as jogging four miles, it is important to be aware of how vigorously you are working so as to avoid injuries. It is important to warmup and perform stretches before and after you take to a gardening session to avoid experiencing serious aches and strains due to not realising just how hard you are working your muscles. With this done properly, however, it will not be long until you begin to notice just how strong you become lifting plants, soil, water, digging and so on.
Helps Arthritis For those suffering with arthritis, where finger, hand and wrist movements can be severely limited, there are tools created to help take the pressure off their joints. Joint protection should be used by all who garden regularly, regardless of suffering with arthritis or not, as your wrists and knees can take a lot of your weight without you realising, and this can cause problems in the longer term. photo credit: James
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Improves Concentration Aside from the physical benefits of gardening, it is also proven that a person’s well-being as a whole can improve from the activity. By being outside, even when it is not particularly sunny, you are provided with a great source of vitamin D. This is the chemical that helps us regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in our bodies which help to keep our teeth and bones healthy. Furthermore, if you begin to grow your own fruit and vegetables, you will be able to add a fantastic source of vitamins and proteins to your diet, for free! Regular gardening benefits cognitive abilities, such as improved concentration and mood enhancement.
Gives Meaning To Life There is also the life cycle when tending to a garden that is often found to inspire hope for gardeners: from the growth of a seedling into a blossoming plant, many come to understand a meaning in life, and gain a sense of their own purpose in the world. This is especially positive in rehabilitating patients and even prisoners, as well as treating those with mental health problems such as depression, where hope can often be overlooked.
photo credit: Studio Artist Beth Elliott With an Armful of Weeds
The Greater Good Another way gardening has been used for the good of those in need is with the National Gardens Scheme (NGS). This was originally founded in 1927 to raise money for the nurses of the Queen’s Nursing Institute (QNI) by making interesting and beautiful gardens open to the public. This has continued to the present day, with now over 3700 gardens available to visit. Many of these gardens are privately owned and so can only be viewed through the scheme. Most of the proceeds are donated to charity, including the money raised from teas and coffees, and plant sales. photo credit: Watering Can 3
Allotments
photo credit: Paddock Allotments & Leisure Gardens As an excellent way to encourage others to pick up the hobby, gardening gifts for men, women and even children can be brought from local garden centres, online or in many DIY shops. If you are not able to access a garden, it is possible to buy an allotment in most places across the UK. This is a great way to socialise with other gardeners, and even learn some tricks of the trade from those who have been doing it for years!
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Conclusion Gardening is an activity with huge physical and mental benefits. It improves cognitive functions such as memory and concentration, and it can gently aid in coping with disease and illness, as well as mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Aside from the official benefits, by being outdoors and working with nature, many find it calming and therapeutic, and a welcome distraction from other troubles. Gardening can also be a great hobby with which to spend time with others. It is also educational in the way it can offer the chance for children to learn responsibilities, the cycle of life and aspects of biology from an early age.
Sources: http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=453 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/3348659/The-garden-workout.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/gardeningadvice/8920209/How-gardening-helps-Alzheimerssufferers.html http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=1867&pageNumber=3 http://www.ngs.org.uk/about-us.aspx http://www.thrive.org.uk/ http://www.nursingtimes.net/nursing-practice/clinical-zones/mental-health/gardening-as-a-therapeuticintervention-in-mental-health/1921374.article http://www.allotmentplots.com/buying-guide/
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