Gardening is just plain good for you ~ scientific studies help support that gardening boosts yours overall wellness. At the Glencoe Community Garden, we Grow, we Care and we Give. In addition to the satisfaction of growing organic veggies and herbs that improve people’s diets and providing these nutritious veggies and herbs to those less fortunate, we’ve discovered there are many significant health benefits to gardening that improve your body, mind and spirit. So while we are actively trying to help repair the world by our acts of loving-kindness early on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at the Garden, we are also helping to repair ourselves.
Here are our top 10 benefits to Gardening and joining the GCG’s Early Risers Team.
· Moods Boost and Stress Dissipates
Gardening has been found to lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, reduce your mental fatigue and enhance your mood. The GCG naturally reduces your stress and puts you in a better mood. Come and find out!
· Aerobic Exercise without the Sweat
Gardening helps with your flexibility, strength and stamina as you twist, plant, pull and reach, not to mention walk, lift and bend. Why go to the gym when you can have fun while “working out” at the GCG?
· Vitamin D Rises with Sunlight
Outdoor gardening elevates your Vitamin D, which increases your calcium levels that in turn benefit your bones and immune system. Of course, we wear our sunscreen and sunglasses!
· Stay Sharp with a Healthy Heart and Mind
Physical activity including gardening could reduce the possibility of the incidence of dementia as you age as well as heart disease and diabetes. Fresh air, sunlight and physical activity can all be found at the GCG. The Garden provides a positive impact on your overall wellbeing.
· Connecting with the Earth
Gardening helps improve your mental health as it connects you with the natural world. Stave off a “nature-deficit disorder” by helping out at the GCG.
· Reduce Anxiety and Increase Positive Thinking
Being outside and getting your hands in the dirt reduces anxiety and promotes inner tranquility. The Garden helps improve your sleep quality as your anxiety and stress levels decrease and your physical activity increases. Happiness grows at the GCG!
· Inspires the Cycle of Life
In gardening, we witness the renewal of the lifecycle of growing, dying and growing again. At the GCG, we marvel at the rebirth of the Garden at the beginning of each new season. Join us our Season 7.
· Contributions and Accomplishments Happen
When you garden, you accomplish something every time whether it is weeding, planting, watering or harvesting. Your nurturing makes the Garden a success. It also makes you feel better, increases your compassion, and improves your mental health. The Early Risers Team helps make the Garden a success.
· Nature is Relaxing
Freud once said, “Flowers are restful to look at. They have no emotions or conflict”. Vegetation has a natural calming effect on most people. At the GCG, we put our other responsibilities aside as we focus on our peaceful work at hand and the beauty around us.
· All ages and abilities are welcome
Digging in the dirt is healthy for everyone.
Join the Early Risers Team on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 7:30 am to 9:00am. You are welcome with no long-term commitment. Just stop by, help out and see how you like it. Come as often as you like it and bring your family and friends. Please contact us at gcgarden18@gmail.com Like us on Facebook and Instagram.
The Glencoe Community Garden is a sustainable, organic-practicing, food producing mini-farm and garden. It was established in 2012 as a North Shore community-wide service and educational project by Am Shalom to honor its 40th anniversary. The GCG is built and cared for by volunteers. The Garden’s mission is altruistic, educational, and exploratory. The GCG provides fresh vegetables and herbs to those in need and composts the rest; it offers education on the hows and whys of growing food for healthy life style choices and care of the environment; it showcases initiatives of water conservation, alternative energy sources, composting and vertical gardening; it has multiple opportunities for organizations and groups to participate in Service Days; and it builds community. Each season approximately 3,000 pounds of fresh food is harvested and donated to local social service organization that share the dream of food security for all and the mindfulness for our environment. Come be part of GCG’s efforts ~ we need you and it’s good for you too!
Kommentare