People of all age groups can experience the benefits of keeping and enjoying a garden. With the annual Rapaura Springs Garden Marlborough festival coming up in November and the weather growing warm, now is a great time to get started.
“Gardening is a great way to stay fit and active, and besides the physical exercise there are many healthy benefits to gardening such as eating home-grown fruit and vegetables.” says Churchill Hospital General Manager Nicki Stretch.
Growing your own vegetables and herbs provides you and your family with a healthy variety of fresh food. Not only does this help reduce the cost of your weekly food spend, but you are in control of what goes into the production of your fresh food and can grow organic if you choose.
Gardening gently improves your endurance, strength, mobility and flexibility. And being outdoors in the sun provides the opportunity for your body to make Vitamin D, an essential vitamin that assists with strengthening our immune system and promoting better bone health… Of course care must be taken to reduce your risk of skin cancers, so be sunsmart, be sure to limit your exposure to short intervals and know when to cover up.
Connecting with nature and taking time out can also help you feel more relaxed and reduce stress, depression and anxiety. And nothing beats the satisfaction of seeing your efforts come to abundance. Being able to share this with others by trading or donating what you don’t need, also feels good.
