50+ Lifestyles

Gardening is Good for You!

By Mary Schricker Gemberling

 I have never questioned why I garden, but I do know that the benefits, both mental and physical, are far reaching.

    “We come from the earth, we return to the earth, and in between we garden.”

    As I write this article on a sunny mid-March day, I am eager to finish so I can head outside and enjoy the unseasonably warm temperatures. My rational self tells me that it will probably get cold again and perhaps even snow, but that’s ok because under the already raked leaves in the garden my tulips are emerging and in a short time the green stubs will morph into a magnificent palate of color. My passion for gardening is multi-generational, started by my mother and passed on to my sons. Each spring I plant a flower and a vegetable garden, both of which seem to expand every year. Since retiring, I have had time to learn more about planting and using herbs and have incorporated the fruits of my labor into many of my recipes, resulting in healthier eating habits. In our travels, Gary and I often visit gardens or fresh flower and vegetable markets to admire the plants and flowers unique to the area.  I have never questioned why I garden, but I do know that the benefits, both mental and physical, are far reaching:

• Gardening activities provide both cardio and aerobic exercise. Studies show that an hour of moderate gardening can burn up to 300 calories for women and 400 for men.  From walking behind a mower, bending and stretching, planting and trimming, and hauling plants and soil, gardening provides a kind of cardiovascular workout.   Strength, endurance and flexibility are all improved by gardening, making it one of the best all-around exercises, helping to reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and osteoporosis. In a study of 3,310 older women, researchers from the University of Arkansas found that women involved in yard work and other types of gardening exercises had lower rates of osteoporosis than joggers, swimmers, and women who did aerobics.
• The therapeutic benefits of gardening have been recognized since humans first cultivated plants, but there is now a growing professional practice linking gardening to numerous, wide-ranging mental health benefits.  ‘Horticultural Therapy’ is based on the physical, mental and emotional healing that is possible from regular interaction with a garden.  It is successfully used in a variety of situations and is useful in helping people with special needs, the elderly, and those who have mental health problems.
• Gardeners who grow their own plants or vegetables are more likely to eat a wider range of fruit, vegetables, salad and herbs than non-gardeners. Eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables is essential to a healthy diet.  Those gardeners who raise their own herbs and use them in cooking are one step ahead. The use of herbs in cooking reduces the need for salt and other seasonings that are linked to high blood pressure and other serious medical conditions.
• Gardening is a great activity to share with your children and grandchildren. Not only is it a healthy change from the sedentary, and electronic world that engulfs our young people but students who actively engage in designing, planting and maintaining a garden, show improved attitudes towards education and significantly higher scores on achievement tests especially in the area of science.
• A garden provides an oasis of calm in a mad, mad world; a personal, private and peaceful place to escape to, from time to time when we need to restore a sense of balance and wellbeing. The term “garden”, which is of Germanic origin, means “yard” or “enclosure” and denotes ways of organizing earth, water and plants, as well as people, animals and art.
  It is so much easier for me to enjoy life when I am surrounded by flowers, vegetables and all the wildlife they attract. Gardening provides an outlet for creativity and artistic expression. It fosters confidence as there are no mistakes in gardening, only experiments. It cultivates patience, gives me hope, and strengthens my faith as I wait for that seen or plant to sprout and the barren earth to become a canvas of vibrant and varied colors.

    “He who plants a seed beneath the sod and waits to see the plants, believes in God!”

Mary, a former educator and Seniors Real Estate Specialist, is the author of three books, Hotel Blackhawk; a Century of Elegance, The West End Kid, and Labor of Love; My Personal Journey through the World of Caregiving ( available at www.amazon.com )