Wellbeing Benefits of Growing Your Food
The mental health and overall wellbeing benefits of edible gardening, indeed any gardening, has come at a welcome time. In a year that has really proven challenging to all, the value of mental and spiritual health derived from gardens in the home has now really come to the fore. Vegepod’s self-watering, self-contained and portable raised garden beds have provided benefits from sustainable eating to therapeutical horticulture. This type of activity has been proven to:
Lower Anxiety
Aid Depression
Provide a connection to nature
Encourage responsibility, care and feelings of reward
Reduce Stress
Calm the mind
Activate Key Motor Skills
Facilitate Social Interaction
Beyond Blue Australia reviewed multiple methods in their publication What Works for Depression, which you can read here. One of the methods assessed is natureassisted therapy. Nature-assisted therapy is the use of plants, natural materials and the outdoor environment to improve health. It includes therapeutic horticulture (gardening and plant-related activities to improve wellbeing) and wilderness or outdoor adventure excursions. One study has been carried out looking at the effects of gardening for two months in depressed female
Improve Concentration
Engage all the senses
Help overome boredom and lonliness
Reinforce a sense of belonging, inclusion and connection
university students. There were 50 students who either did the gardening or received no treatment. The gardening group was found to improve more. “Harvesting and eating produce you have planted from seed and watch grow over time is an amazing feeling,” says Simon Holloway from Vegepod. “We have seen time and again the incomparable joy of gardeners accessing nature and fresh food from our Vegepods and other gardens. Every backyard irrespective of size or location can achieve a more self-sustainable and environmentally friendly way of life.”.
To find out more about Beyond Blue, click here. To donate points click here. If you need assistance visit Beyond Blue’s support services. Our mental health professionals are available 24/7 on1300 22 4636, Web chat (3pm-12am AEST) and email (responses within 24hrs). For immediate support call Lifeline on 13 11 14 and in an emergency, always call triple zero (000).
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