Healthy Garden, Healthy Body

At Gabriel Ash, our customers regularly tell us about the health benefits they experience just by spending a few hours a week in the garden. Gardening can have a great effect on your mental and physical health.

The modern world can be a merciless cavalcade of stress and anxiety so it essential to regularly take a step back from life and remember to manage your stress. A garden is universally recognised as being an effective de-stresser and is scientifically proven cause a significant reduction in the stress hormone, cortisol.

Being out in the open can be more effective than anti-depressants according to scientists. Fresh air is the best form of eco-therapy you can utilise. It is free and always there, so spending as much time out in the open is advisable and has significant health benefits.

Gardening can give you a real sense of achievement. Watching your garden grow after months of digging, watering, sowing and fertilising is one of life’s great pleasures. Achieving positive results from something you have created is great for self esteem and gives you confidence to keep learning and improving your techniques.

Horticulture is also a great social tool. Meeting friends at the allotment, spending time with the family in the garden or visiting some of Britain’s great gardens are all great ways of interacting with people. Sharing ideas and implementing them can make your gardening experience whole. Joining a gardening club or community scheme will provide purpose and structure to your life.

Physically, you will be working all your muscles in the garden. Lifting, carrying, planting and digging all require differing degrees of physical exertion. It will keep you limber, flexible and ensures you burn off a lot of calories. Blood pressure and cholesterol levels can be burnt off which will lower your chance of diabetes.

You will find that many gardeners will treat their plot of land like a work of art. They use it to express their identity and creativity. Gardening is a form of self expression, and being able to express yourself in your own way will provide a benefit to your mental health.

Finally, growing vegetables will ensure you know what exactly you are eating. In the wake of recent food scandals, it has never been more important to consider growing your own. It will provide you with the ultimate thrill of consuming your own organic produce.

Please share any of your health related stories with us.

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