Plant Your Way To Happiness
Studies show that spending time with plants can support you in the following ways:
It’s time to get your hands dirty.
As the weather gets warmer, I love to go out in the garden. I typically plant some fresh vegetables and herbs like tomatoes, oregano, and basil. I also love to add a few handfuls of wildflowers in places that need a little color and calming. May is the ideal time to start planting.
I’m not alone in enjoying this hobby. Gardening’s popularity has exploded in recent years. After a dip in spending in 2014, the do-it-yourself yard and garden industry is now up to nearly $48 billion a year as of 2017, with 74% of U.S. households participating in the hobby.
What’s more, the 2015 National Gardening Survey showed a growth of 6 million new gardening households… 5 million of them belonging to millennials. These young folks could end up saving this industry (after destroying so many others).
Gardening helps work your muscles, gets your blood flowing, and lowers your stress. Plus, you get the added benefit of healthy foods you’ve grown yourself… pesticide-free. And the calming effect of colorful and fragrant flowers is hard to beat.
Several studies have looked at the health benefits from simple gardening. Tasks like planting, digging, and weeding all give us the same benefits as low-to-moderate exercise.
That’s why I say weeding is the best workout… a workout with results you will see, smell, and even taste.
For instance, a study from Oxford Brookes University in the U.K. found that people who participated in a six-month gardening program had better grip strength. That’s crucial as we get older and our joints weaken. It also found that participants boosted their heart rates while gardening.
