I love gardening. In fact, I plan all year just for those few months in the summer where I can play in the dirt and produce the magic of turning that dirt into nutritious foods.
There are so many reasons to have a garden full of fresh fruits and vegetables.
The first is exercise. There's no doubt about it: gardening is hard work. There is bending, lifting, squatting, hoeing and stepping over things. Its estimated gardening burns about 300 calories per hour. Plus, being in the sun induces sweating, which increases the work.
And all that sun is another benefit. We produce lots of Vitamin D in the sun. It is the best source of this vitamin. An hour a day is more than what most people need, though, so be sure to wear a hat. The vitamin D we produce chases away depression, insomnia and can help reduce and eliminate diseases like diabetes and heart disease (when paired with exercise and a healthy diet).
The vegetables are what most people think about when they look at a garden. Yes, the food is great, if you are doing it right. Responsible gardeners don't spray their fruits and vegetables with chemicals. They use old-fashioned methods of crop rotation and inter-planting. I garden every year without using 1 drop of a chemical and haven't lost a thing to insects.
The nutrition and taste of a garden vegetable is so much better than from the store. I rarely get to cook or store for later any vegetable out of my garden. It's not often they make it to the house. I often eat the vegetable right there in the garden. And so do kids. Two years ago, I didn't grow enough cucumber and my step-son ate them right there in the garden, once while it was still on the vine.
Try it. Grow something and eat it right there in the garden. The taste will amaze you. We all know the tale of the vine ripe tomato, right?
The nutrition is often higher. That's because small gardens are not stripped of nutrients; so, the vegetables can absorb the nutrients and we eat them.
Then, finally, is the satisfaction of growing your own vegetables. You become responsible for your food and that increases your self-esteem. It feels good to do it.
Not everyone has the ability or room to grow their own garden and very few have the ability to grow everything they eat. If you have some room, I suggest trying a small garden to start. It will certainly please you when you get your own fresh produce.
Christina Major is the Naturopathic Doctor and Holistic Nutritionist of Crystal Holistic Health Consulting. Crystal Holistic Health helps people, especially women, who have Type II Diabetes, High Cholesterol and High Blood Pressure lower their numbers, get off medication and increase their energy so they can save money, take back control of their lives and improve the health and happiness of their families. You can get a free report on health at http://www.crystalholistichealth.com!
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