How Gardening Everyday Keeps the Doctor Away

Gardening Is Not My Forte

While my neighbors in California created cheerful gardens, my spider plants shriveled in plastic pots. When we moved to New Mexico, the last place one thinks of planting a garden, things changed.

Not long after we arrived, my beloved rescue dogs, Rudy and Dakota, passed away. I thought of planting a tree to commemorate them but my brown thumb history and lack of knowledge stood in my way. Then came COVID. Like many people, the pandemic propelled me to find purpose and meaning in new ways.

My husband, Ken and I try to live as sustainably as possible. As vegans, our lifestyle helps reduce our carbon footprint. But with climate change looming over us, I felt compelled to do more. Knowing the distress our pollinator populations are in, I tossed my poor track record aside and researched xeric landscaping to learn how to create a drought tolerant garden that also attracted birds, bees and butterflies.

Thirty-five home-made gopher baskets, two crabapple trees, and forty-three plants later, I was thrilled to see the beginnings of a garden mostly irrigated from rain barrels and gray water. But gardening had another surprise awaiting me. I discovered it’s good for your health.

5 Secret Health Benefits of Gardening

1. Goodbye to Grumpy–Much like a good therapy dog, gardening can decrease anxiety, stress, and help us feel less depressed. At first, the digging, weeding and watering felt labor intensive. But I was soon enjoying my morning and evening strolls through my plants, encouraging them to grow, and getting to know them like good friends. When hummingbirds visit my bright orange trumpet vine, I’m beyond thrilled.

2. Immunity Ally–Sunshine and Vitamin D go hand in hand. Not only is this nutrient vital for our immune system, but it also strengthens our bones, and can lower your risk of various cancers. And what better place to get a good dose of sun than a garden which thrives on sunshine too.

3. Longevity Builder–Do you want to live to be one hundred years old? Instead of going to the gym, many centenarians include gardening as part of their lifestyle. Digging holes, pulling weeds and carrying bags of compost can make you stronger and works out muscles you didn’t know you had. You’ll sleep like a dog too.

4. Brain Booster–Dementia becomes an unsettling concern as we age. Besides limiting sugar intake and eating a healthy plant-based diet, prevent your cognitive decline by tending to a garden. A 2006 study, tracking 2,800 people over the age of 60 for 16 years, concluded that gardening could lower the risk of dementia by 36%. Raking and hoeing does a brain good!

5. Purpose Powerhouse–Nurturing a seedling that grows into a thriving plant that in turn feeds hummingbirds, monarch butterflies, and honey bees is surprisingly satisfying. Not only am I contributing to the health of the planet but at sunset I absorb the rich colors of scarlet pentstemons and the violet stalks of Russian sage beside blue salvias- moments of pause that feel like a shower for the soul.

A Dog in the Garden

Less stress, stronger immunity, better cognitive health, a longer life-span and connecting to purpose are powerful benefits that gardening offers. But sharing a bond with a companion animal can also benefit us in similar ways.

Grace, my rescue dog, is also my co-gardener. She not only helps me dig holes, and lets me know where rodents are hiding so I can add a few coffee grounds to deter them, but watching her lounge under a tree reminds me that she too has blossomed over the short time we’ve been together. Her nourishment, much like the plants, has come from a steady dose of love, positive attention, and patience. As Grace thrives, Ken and I also benefit from increased laughter, more playfulness, and the unconditional love she offers us at every turn.

I think Rudy and Dakota would be happy to know their memory lives on amid the burnt orange penstemons, cheery Mexican hats, and the sweet scent of chocolate daisies. I often wonder if they’ve come back for a visit when I spot an unexpected hawk or roadrunner perched on the wooden arch leading into the garden.

When life challenges us, it helps to hit the pause button and turn to the wisdom of nature. With her abundant flora and magnificent animals, nature can be a true health and wellness ally – brown thumbs or not.

Stay Pawsitive,

💜 Carlyn MDO

PS: What one piece of wisdom have you discovered in nature?