GARDENING
By: Abby Isassi
Constantly, we hear that going out and spending some time outside is good for our body and our mind.
It’s been known that the Taj Mahal was built to immortalize Shah Jahan’s wife but also, this beautiful garden serves as a sanctuary to escape from the stress of life. And it is not just the Taj Mahal, but in many books, it has been said that nature goes with the gift of freedom.
As plants, the human body needs the chemical properties of the sun to function well, but not only that, being outside in direct contact with the sunlight could help improve your mood.
As a society, we are so used to living a stressful life with the constant necessity of rushing everywhere and being as practical as possible, however, human nature looks for happiness and well being, and the perfect way to achieve this, is gardening.
Gardening is the action of growing plants, flowers or trees, some people even plant vegetables, but how is this related to well-being?.
The magazine of Nature and Health says that the positive association with gardening was observed for a wide range of health outcomes, such as reductions in depression and anxiety symptoms, stress, mood disturbance, as well as increases in quality of life, sense of community, physical activity levels, and cognitive function.
Also, gardening implies moving your body because even though it seems a simple activity, mowing the lawn for example can help you to burn some calories, everything will depend on how often you do it.
Another advantage of the sun is that it can help you absorb plenty of vitamin D. In short, Vitamin D can help your body to absorb calcium, which in turn, can help keep your bones strong and your immune system healthy. Having a garden gives you the opportunity to practice mindfulness because you get the chance to experience the presence of a beautiful phenomenon; the changes of seasons, which is something you learn how to appreciate in the moment that is happening.