National Gardening Exercise Day – June 6th

The 10 Benefits of Gardening

National Gardening Exercise Day – June 6th. While no one really knows how this national day was started, we can guess it probably began with a garden club or a group, as a means to get people out of their house, into their gardens, cleaning it up, and maybe adding some plantings.

Pull those weeds, plant some seeds, and get your muscles moving. The garden accomplishments are not only rewarding and fulfilling, but there are many health benefits to being outside – like soaking up some Vitamin D and working those muscles. But just be careful tho, especially if this is the first time of the year you’ll be doing outside work.

National Gardening Exercise Day – June 6th

Think of gardening as a whole-body exercise that works all of the major muscle groups. Bending over and pulling weeds will engage your arms, legs, butt, abdomen, neck, shoulders, and back muscles. Digging with a spade, tilling with a hoe, and pushing a lawnmower will as well. So will planting seeds and plants.

And as silly as you may think this sounds, because no one ever hurts themselves gardening (said in sarcasm), make sure to do some stretches first. Sure – you might be saying this is a crazy idea, but trust me – come tomorrow your body will seriously thank you. The stretching will definately keep the soreness and stiffness to a minimum.

The 10 Benefits of Gardening

So get outside and enjoy today – National Gardening Exercise Day. And while you’re exercising and working away in your garden or yard, remember there are also many health benefits to gardening as well.

The list of The 10 Benefits of Gardening and how gardening is great for your health and well-being.

1. relieves stress:  gardening for 30 minutes a day lowers cortisol levels, and cortisol is the hormone associated with stress.
2. improves hand strength: garden activities such as digging, planting, and pulling increases your hand strength.
3. helps financially:  grow your own produce that you can easily store or preserve by canning, freezing, dehydrating, or pickling, helps out tremendously when it comes to the grocery store.  which gives you peace of mind that you’re eating healthy
4. get your Vitamin D – the sun:  Vitamin D increases your calcium levels, which benefits your bones and immune system.
5. decreases the risk of dementia:  a study of people over the age of 60, found that gardening could lower the risk of dementia by 36 percent in future years.
6. burns a lot of calories:   all the pulling of weeds, reaching for various plants and tools, and twisting and bending as you plant helps with strength, stamina, and flexibility and IS EXERCISE.
7. eating healthy:  a garden can yield the freshest and healthiest foods available which can have a great impact on our mental health.  PLUS you know exactly what you’re putting in your body.
8. can lower your blood pressure:  just 30 minutes of moderate-level physical activity most days of the week can prevent and control high blood pressure.
9. can make you happier:  the whole motion of growing plants may help boost your mood PLUS give you faith in the future – growing something green, something real, something alive, is a hopeful thing.
10. helps slow climate change:  gardens provide vital green space to reduce greenhouse gasses, lessen your need to buy things, allow you to recycle kitchen waste, and many other positives for our planet

AND AS ALWAYS – HAPPY GARDENING 🙂