Spring is a great time to get outside and exercise. But if you have limited mobility or don’t enjoy doing rigorous activities like running or biking, there are fortunately plenty of other fun ways to get fit. One great example: gardening! It’s true, gardening is good for you. Every time you dig a hole in the ground, prune the flowers, move rocks around, or push your lawn mower adds physical activity to your day. Gardening is considered a moderate-intensity activity. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that adults do at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) of moderate-intensity activity each week. It’s best to spread your activity throughout the week, so consider working in your garden for 30 minutes every day.
Health Benefits of Gardening
Physical activity is one of the most important steps that Americans can take to improve their health. Gardening offers a number of specific health benefits like the ones below.
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- It’s good for your heart. The American Heart Association says moderate-intensity activity like gardening strengthens your heart, helps control your weight and blood pressure, and can lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. Learn more about Cardiac Care and how Holy Cross Hospital helps prevent, detect and treat heart disease.
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- It keeps your joints healthy. Gardening is a great way for people with arthritis to stay active. The Arthritis Foundation says moderate-intensity activity helps joints stay limber and strengthens the muscles that support and stabilize your hips and knees. If you have trouble bending over to work in your garden, raised flowerbeds eliminate stooping and long-handled tools and attachments can help you reach those hard-to-reach places. Discover more ways to manage your joint paint.
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- It relieves stress. Gardening has meditative powers. When you tend to your garden, it allows you to clear your mind of external pressures and concentrate on nurturing something else. It also exposes you to fresh air and sunlight and provides a physical outlet for tension, all of which help lower your stress. Be sure to leave your phone inside.
- It provides nutritious veggies. When it comes time to harvest, you’ll enjoy one of the most tangible benefits of gardening: a basket full of fresh vegetables. Vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories, and they’re packed full of important nutrients like potassium, fiber and folic acid.
Gardening is not the only way to add physical activity to your life. Other forms of moderate-intensity activity include brisk walking, water aerobics, ballroom dancing and doubles tennis. Holy Cross Health offers a number of Fitness & Health classes in multiple convenient locations throughout Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. We have ballroom dancing, Zumba, walking and much more.
Holy Cross Health presents the information in this blog as a resource for our community. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice or to endorse any particular entity or service. Personal health problems should be brought to the attention of the appropriate health professionals.