Do you garden?
Whether you are green fingered or a plant phobic by nature, the last year has brought about a rapid increase in our interest in gardening. Spending more time at home has meant more time to focus on any outside space or even just window boxes we have access too.
There are many reasons for our health that more time in the garden is a lockdown habit that should be here to stay. Increasing evidence supports that gardening is both good for body and mind, Specifically some studies have shown that gardening is beneficial for sleep, age related weight gain and even childhood obesity.
Horticultural therapy is a professional practice where gardening has been used to benefit health in certain groups. This has been shown to help those with dementia, depression, as well as cancer. Gardening as therapy has also been helpful in many social prescribing projects thought the UK benefitting those from socially deprived groups as well as vulnerable adults.
What if you don't have much a of a garden or (like me!) struggle to keep anything green alive? Thankfully you don't need to have a big garden to see the results. A review of over 70 studies showed that even the small acts of gardening, such as planting seeds, taking cuttings or even viewing gardens were associated with reduced anxiety and depression and better blood sugar levels.
Keep Well, Dr Clara
