My garden, my health-For a complete well being |09 March 2012
Better-tasting food and saving money on food bills are not the only vital reasons to give for growing our own goodies, but also complete well being.
The therapeutic benefits
The therapeutic benefits of gardening have been recognised since humans first cultivated plants, but there is now a growing professional practice linking gardening to numerous, wide-ranging health benefits.
'Horticultural Therapy' is based on the physical, mental and emotional healing that is possible from regular interaction with a garden. For people with special needs, or the elderly and infirm, as well as those who have mental health problems, or who are recovering from physical illness, it can be useful in helping.
Can be one of the best all-round exercises
Gardening provides aerobic, isotonic and isometric exercise, the combination of which benefits the muscles and bones, as well as the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. Strength, endurance and flexibility are all improved by gardening, making it one of the best all-round exercises, helping to prevent things like heart disease, obesity, diabetes and osteoporosis.
Added to this is the fact that physical exercise releases endorphins, which help to alleviate stress and its negative results. Studies have shown that simply being in a garden lowers blood pressure. A healthy dose of gardening will also stimulate the appetite and foster a good night's sleep.
Being a gardener you are more likely to eat a wide range of fruit, vegetables, salad and herbs than non-gardeners, even if they don't cultivate the produce themselves. Eating a wide variety of fruit and vegetables is essential to a healthy diet.
Choosing to grow a citrus fruit
Among the many citrus fruits you can grow here are a few thus providing your daily vitamin C:
lime, lemon, oranges, mandarin, mango, papaya, pineapple, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, watermelon.
Prominent role of vitamin C
The most prominent role of vitamin C is its immune-stimulating effect, e.g., important for defence against infections such as common colds. It also acts as an inhibitor of histamine, a compound that is released during allergic reactions.
Importantly, vitamin C is also able to regenerate other antioxidants such as vitamin E. Vitamin C is required for the synthesis of collagen, the intercellular "cement" substance which gives structure to muscles, vascular tissues, bones, tendons and ligaments. Due to these functions, vitamin C – especially in combination with zinc – is also important for the healing of wounds.
Contributed