Stay healthy while getting into the weeds

You may have heard that gardening is good for you, and that’s true. It’s a great activity that provides physical, mental and emotional health benefits.

It’s a fun hobby to do alone or in a group. And you can do it anywhere — try it in a yard, grow a few patio plants or even nurture a small window herb garden.

Or maybe a community or volunteer garden is right for you. No matter what you choose, youcan have fun and enjoy eating what you grow!

Top 5 reasons to sink into the soilGardening helps you get close to nature, and it can do so much more. It can1:

1. Give you exercise2. Boost your mood and lower stress3. Help you connect with others4. Provide sunshine and vitamin D5. Lower your risk for dementia1 Hayes K. 5 secret health benefits of gardening. AARP website. June 14, 2017. Available at: aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-2017/health-benefits-of-gardening-fd.html. Accessed March 21, 2019.

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Put these planting perks to the testStay groundedGardening is a great opportunity to put worries and distractions aside and focus on the here and now. When you garden, try being present in the moment and really connecting with the sights and sounds of nature.

More reasons to love gardening Researchers looked at how gardening affects depression, anxiety, stress, mood, body mass index and more. The results showed that gardening can improve physical, psychological and social health. And this can lessen and prevent various health issues facing us today.2

It’s easy to get startedFind your neighborhood gardenGo to communitygarden.org to locate the closest garden.

Learn more about plants and flowersVisit bhg.com or garden.org for gardening tips and advice.

Show us your green thumbShare your best gardening photos on social media using #aetnacares.

“Gardening is an excellent way to get physical activity. Active people are less likely than inactive people to be obese or have high blood pressure,

type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, heart disease, stroke, depression, colon cancer, and premature death.”

— Centers for Disease Control and Prevention3

2 Soga M, Gaston KJ, Yamaura Y. Gardening is beneficial for health: a meta-analysis. Preventive Medicine Reports. March 2017; 5: 92 – 99. Available at: sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211335516301401. Accessed April 2, 2019.

3 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Gardening health and safety tips. December 23, 2015. Available at: cdc.gov/family/gardening/. Accessed April 2, 2019.

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