Improve Your Health This Spring with Gardening

 courtesy: April 2009 issue of FamilyFun magazine.

Gardening Gives a Dose of Nature
Spending time outside yields a bushel of health benefits, including exposure to fresh air and sunlight (the best source around for vitamin D), as well as all the mental and emotional bonuses that derive from communing with nature.

Gardening is a Great Workout
Gardening tasks provide plenty of exercise, from digging, to hoeing, to toting water. Encourage your kids to pitch in by turning garden work into play with a weeding contest or a seeding straw.

It Makes Healthy Eating Fun
Even selective eaters find it hard to resist the fun of nibbling something straight off the plant. Tempt kids with these pick-and-eat favorites: cherry tomatoes, green beans, and strawberries.

It Stimulates your Brain
A garden is like a classroom without all the desks, grades, and homework. It presents endless opportunities for hands-on environmental learning about beneficial bugs, composting, and photosynthesis.

Gardening Boosts Your Mood
A study in the journal Evolutionary Psychology found that just receiving flowers made people feel better - and helped improve memory. Try growing mammoth sunflowers, morning glories, nasturtiums, and lavender.

It Adds Nutrition to your Diet
Most fresh produce offers nutrients, but some vegetables are more high-powered than others. Carrots, tomatoes, and bell peppers are both kid-friendly and super-nutritious.