What is it about being outside in nature doing some gardening or yard work that is so therapeutic? Seems to me that it is not only good for the soil but also healthy for the soul. Here are some reasons that gardening is good for your heart and soul:
*Tending to a garden gives us a sense of responsibility to another living thing on top of accomplishing a goal
*Nature, Horticulture and Gardening evens the playing field as plants don’t judge us; they just want a little water, some sun, and time to grow
*Gardening keeps us connected and grounded to the earth and other living things. To be in nature and focus on a task such as planting a garden or doing yard work encourages us to get out of our own heads and puts our focus on the immediate task at hand and living in the moment
*Gardening is relaxing; it’s like a nature spa in your own yard. Listening to birds chirping, smelling fresh cut grass or the scent of jasmine blowing in the wind taking in all the green and floral beauty is a type of meditative escape. These activities have been proven to simulate our brains and releases happy hormones. It helps to release levels of serotonin and dopamine, both hormones associated with happy feelings and our levels of cortisol decrease which reduces our stress.
*Gardening is easy and no one needs a degree in horticulture to grow some tomatoes in a pot, or plant some seeds in the soil to see what pops up. You don’t need a farmer’s acre to get started, some of the most fruitful plants can be started in a pot on your patio.
What’s in dirt that makes you happy???? There’s now pretty good evidence to draw at least an outline of a conclusion: breathing in, playing in, and digging in dirt may be good for your health. One reason, digging in the dirt is so good for us might be M. vaccae, which, emerged on the scene around 2007 as a sort of celebrity bacterium. Good news, you can get the stuff anywhere. Step out to your yard, or the neighborhood park, and you’re likely to encounter some M. vaccae.
Have a garden? Even better, grow some food: It is proven that a three to four leaf spinach plant has over 800 species of bacteria inside it so, eating straight from the garden might be one route to more M. vaccae in your life. So get out, get happy and garden!!