Let's Get A Little Bit Dirty.

I hope that you’re not too disappointed that this month’s LifeMap is focused on gardening. To be more specific, I’m referring to the many benefits of gardening. I’m all about finding fun and healthy hobbies and this one is a doozy. It’s great for staying active, getting outdoors, and producing something you created with your own two hands. It’s a hobby that will benefit your physical health, improve your emotional health, help you eat healthier, save you money at the grocery store and florist, maybe even increase your level of socialization.?It is possible for you to harvest a cornucopia of health benefits from your garden. Too good to be true??Let’s see.

Paths Forward

? Physical Benefits. Working in the garden with the moderation required by your health status and age can build strength and flexibility in the arms, legs, and back. On a beautiful day being outdoors in the fresh air is way better than sweating indoors at a gym. Focusing on the tasks at hand will make your exercise time swiftly fly by. Gardening has also been shown to:

- Reduce blood pressure thus lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke.

- Help fight obesity.

- Build strength, mobility, dexterity, and balance.

- Improve the quality of sleep.

- As long as you wear appropriate protection from the sun, being outdoors is healthful as it boosts your intake of Vitamin D which is related to improving your immune system, increases your calcium absorption for stronger bones and reduces the health risk other diseases.

? Mental Benefits. Filling your lungs with plenty of fresh air, and producing something from the earth that is useful, healthy, and almost magical is beneficial to your emotional health and overall sense of well-being. Studies have shown that regular gardening provides:

- Stress relief.

?- Mood regulation and supports overall happiness via the production of dopamine and serotonin.

- Help preventing specific cognitive and mental health disorders

- Encouragement for life-long learning by accessing new information, engaging the mind,?building new gardening skills all of which prevent boredom, and builds self-esteem and a sense of accomplishment.

? Eating Healthier. I’m not here to preach but, if you’re like most Westerners, you don’t eat the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables. One way to improve this is to eat produce that just plain tastes better than most of what you can find in the grocery store. This means home-grown. There is nothing like a fresh tomato or berry right from the garden. And you’ll know precisely what fertilizer (organic of course) was used and that your crops are free from pesticides and poisons.?If one vegetable comes in strong and another comes in weak, you can trade produce with fellow gardeners. (Or learn how to preserve the excess or donate it to the local food pantry.)

In any event you’ll be consuming a wider and healthier variety of produce, fruit, and leafy greens. More veggies mean more vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. The next thing you know you’ll feel better, look better, and have muscles like Popeye.

? It’s A Family Thing. Joining in a project together increases increases family cohesion, teamwork and provides communication opportunities.?This includes elders who can help with less physically demanding aspects, share their gardening experiences, memories, and any relevant family history. Children of any age can help and will be amazed at what can spring forth from the earth (almost like magic) from their partnership with the sun and the rain.

? Why Not Save A Few Bucks. Everything at the grocery store costs more than ever. Yes, you may need a new tool or two but if you’re a smart shopper you’ll find that seeds, seedlings, maybe some mulch and a good pair of gardening gloves will not break the bank. Another really nice feature of a garden is that it looks so lovely while its producing food and flowers for your table for way less than you’ll spend at the store.?One hostess gift that all cooks appreciate is fresh produce and a handful of fresh flowering blooms that you’ve lovingly grown yourself.

? No Yard Of Your Own? Many condo associations and apartment complexes allow small garden plots abutting your unit or in common space devoted for a community garden. Even a small balcony can hold a couple of tomato plants or pots of flowers. Speaking of community gardens some communities / neighborhoods put land?or an empty lot aside for small personal plots where you can socialize with other gardeners, share useful tips, and maybe try to grow something new and different. Perhaps you have a friend with a yard who would love to have garden if he or she had someone with whom to share the upfront work (and fresh goodies.)

LifeMap(sm): Mother Nature has many ways to reward you. Allow her to thank you for being a good steward of the little patch of this earth you inhabit.