3 essential reasons to indulge in gardening

And if the quest for happiness was simpler than it seems?
And if this one was waiting for us, right there, behind the window?
Yes, in the garden, this space within reach that only expects one thing, that you take care of it.

Here are the 3 essential reasons to go green…

 

1. Eat more healthily

Yes, if you grow your own fruits and vegetables, you will have the pleasure of knowing exactly what is on your plate and tasting fresh products, without pesticides and with superior nutritional qualities. Food is the first link in our health.

Cultivating your garden is easier than you think. Choose your location, return your land, enrich it, if necessary and start by planting aromatics, salads, tomatoes, radishes, zucchini, green beans and… there we go! The hard part is to start, because after we get caught up in the game, you will even see in point 3 that it is scientifically proven!

 

 

2. Being active, moving, keeping fit

Gardening, maintaining your garden, is an activity that requires creativity, humility (we do not control the nature and climate), sweat (even with the right tools, it takes a little bit of work) and envy. Gardening is considered comparable to the practice of a soft sport.

Some figures gathered for you:
1h45 of gardening = 500 calories = 1h of jogging. It makes you think, doesn’t it?

1 hour of activity energy	expenditure in kcal
Heavy work in the garden (ex: build a driveway)	400-600
Clean the garden	400
Rake leaves	250-350
Mow the lawn	250-350
Mechanically removed weeds	200-400
Plant	200-400
Water the plantations	120

Gardening promotes movement and thus maintains the mobility of your body. For that it is important to pay attention to his postures and to choose adapted tools, not too heavy and ergonomical.

  

3. Cheer up, boost your mood!

You all know that exposure to the sun and the outdoors is good for our body. Studies have also shown that taking care of your garden reduces stress because it affects cortisol, the hormone that regulates it. Gardening also provides well-being as it builds self-esteem by creating and seeing growing under our eyes a living space, which reacts to our care, harvesting our vegetables, picking our fruits (acts that release dopamine, wellbeing hormones). Not to mention the satisfaction of savouring our own production, offering it or sharing it with our loved ones.

According to a study from the University of Bristol, bacteria in the soil have a high level of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that fights stress and depression. The more you are in contact with the land of your garden, the more you enjoy gardening and so most certainly you will have a pleasant and fertile garden. It’s called a virtuous circle, no! (It would seem, moreover, that there would be more serotonin in the soil than in the anti-depressants. We say that, we won’t mention it!)

Happiness is in the garden, think about it!