Health Benefits of Spring Gardening, Good For Your Brain and Body ⚘
- 'The Springtime Pastime That Can Keep Your Brain & Body Healthy, 'The Independent, April 10, 2026. Experts say one spring activity can help to burn up to 300 calories in under an hour.
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It’s the spring growing season once again and millions of Americans are planting strawberries, carrots, leafy greens and other fruits and vegetables in their home gardens to enjoy later in the year. 🍓 One in three U.S. adults is a gardener, according to Penn State Extension service. But many may not know that the spring pastime can provide more benefits than just a full pantry.
Experts say gardening helps to improve physical health, as well as our cognitive abilities - helping to fight the effects of dementia in patients with Alzheimer’s disease and burn calories to maintain a healthy body weight. Spending just 30-45 minutes in a garden a day may burn up to 300 calories, according to the Detroit Medical Center.
“These forms of gardening can actually improve muscle tone and strength, if done regularly,” the center said. “Even the less strenuous forms of garden upkeep - weeding, trimming and raking - can burn off about 300 calories an hour.” That can be incredibly beneficial for people with mobility problems, offering a way to sweat and move while seated.
That’s why experts say people of nearly any age can garden, with the exception of young children who might be hurt by tools.
“Gardening offers many benefits for everyone, including older adults and those with mobility issues,” said David Hillock, a horticulturist at Oklahoma State University Extension service. But beyond the physical boost, gardening also helps to support a healthy brain, according to researchers. It provides mental stimulation, as gardeners have to plan, problem solve and recall plants they’ve cared for, Smita Patel, an integrative neurologist at the Illinois hospital group Endeavor Health, told The Washington Post... - More,
https://www.the-independent.com/life-style/health-and-families/gardening-brain-physical-health-benefits-spring-b2953969.html
- Gardening Could Save Your Brain, Study Finds. Thom Hartmann. 🍏
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