Have you ever picked a deep red tomato? When you pluck it off the vine it is firm and soft at the same time. As you bite into it, it's sweet and fresh and delicious!
1) The produce tastes great.
This is just one benefit of growing your own food. It taste like nectar from the gods. Foods that are picked when they're ripe have more intense flavor and more nutrients than those that are picked early for shipment to your grocery store. You will also tend to eat more fruits and vegetables because they are available to you.
2) Gardening can be great exercise.
You might be surprised to learn that gardening can be a workout. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers gardening a moderate-intensity level activity. Just two and one half hours a week in your garden can reduce chronic diseases.
3) Gardening can make you happier.
Spending time outside in nature and gardening can help you maintain a sense of well-being. Gardening also can be a stress reliever and a calming activity.
4) It saves you money.
Your grocery bill will decrease for herbs, vegetables, fruits, bean and legumes or grains, depending on what you grow. It is a great way to save in the spring, summer and fall, depending on what season you are growing in. If you are living in a warm climate, you can have crops all year round.
5) You always have gifts to share.
Not only will you have healthy food at your fingertips you will also have extra to share with your friends and family. If you are entrepreneurial, you might also be able to sell your extra to get a little extra cash, depending on the selling laws in your local government.
6) Children can get involved too.
Children that are part of the growing process are more likely to eat more fruits and vegetables. They also show more nutritional knowledge about their food. These children tend to eat a more plant-based diet for the duration of their lives. So it sets up good habits for the rest of their lives and can help reduce chronic disease as adults.
7) It's fun!
Here is the best benefit of gardening — It's fun!
I have a personal testimony about gardening. A patient that is a master gardener brought me four plants with herbs for the window sill in the office. I thought they would be dead in a few weeks but they survived for 18 months, until I was ready to create a plot in the side yard. That was over 10 years ago, and I love and look forward to gardening every year.
If you already garden you know what I mean. If you haven’t started yet, join in the fun. You will be surprised how simple it can be. You can start with a pot or a plot of land. Container gardening works in apartments, too. So there is no reason not to start now!
Love Vibrantly,
Dr. Dae
Dr. Dae's website: www.healthydaes.com
Dr. Dae's book: Daelicious! Recipes for Vibrant Living can be purchased @ www.healthydaes.com
Dr. Dae's Bio:
Dr. Daemon Jones is your diabetes reversal, hormones, metabolism and weight loss expert. Dr. Dae is a naturopathic doctor who treats patients all over the country using Skype and phone appointments. Visit her or schedule a free consultation at her website, www.HealthyDaes.org
Sources:
7 Surprising Financial Benefits of Gardening - US News. (2014, May 7). Retrieved April 22, 2015.
http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/my-money/2014/05/07/7-surprising-financial-benefits-of-gardening
Harding, A., & 2011, C. (2011, July 8). Why gardening is good for your health. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/07/08/why.gardening.good
Benefits of Gardening for Children. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
http://www.childrenandnature.org/downloads/CYEfactsheet3gardening2009.pdf
What are the physical and mental benefits of gardening? (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2015.
http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/what_are_the_physical_and_mental_benefits_of_gardening
Reviewed April 23, 2015
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith