You can garden your way to better health

Anyone who has ever gardened understands what a labor of love it can be as you delve deep into the soil to sow seeds and then take satisfaction in your first crop, but new research suggests it also translates into greater health.

According to research, community gardens in metropolitan settings can encourage people to consume more fresh food, get more exercise, and reduce stress and anxiety.

According to a senior study author, Jill Litt, the ingredients we need to consider for successful interventions to address a wide range of health outcomes are these kinds of interventions that have a strong social organization, have access to and contact with nature, and involve active participation. She holds dual positions as a senior scientist at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health and professor in the department of environmental studies at the University of Colorado, Boulder.

In order to supplement the data from earlier gardening studies, researchers decided to conduct a randomized, controlled trial on community gardens for this study.

When there were just 40 gardens in the city, according to Litt, Denver Urban Gardens contacted her to conduct a benefits study. There are 180 now.

"I was hooked. It was the most exciting system because it allowed us to observe how behavior changes, according to Litt. People were interacting with the environment. They had a sense of purpose and belonging, they had social connections, and they were developing trust.

While prior studies were observational, Litt recruited 291 persons who had never gardened in order to conduct a randomized controlled trial to examine the effects of communal gardening. The Hispanic population made up over one-third of the participants. More than half of them resided in low-income homes.

The other half of these adults were given a free plot, seeds, seedlings, and an introductory gardening course through the Denver Urban Gardens program, while the other half were requested to wait for one year before beginning to participate in a community garden (the "control" group). Activity monitors were also supplied to everyone.

At the beginning of the trial, questionnaires regarding dietary intake, mental health, and physical measurements were given to each participant.

In the end, the researchers discovered that gardeners consumed 1.4 grams more fiber on average per day—a 7% increase—than the control group.

Although most people take significantly less than the 25 to 38 grams of fiber per day that doctors advise, According to research, fiber impacts inflammatory and immunological responses that have an impact on metabolism, the gut flora, and susceptibility to chronic diseases including diabetes and cancer.

"Eating a high-fiber diet rich in fruits and vegetables reduces inflammation. Getting in before the disease takes hold is particularly crucial for disease progression, according to Litt.

The researchers discovered that the gardeners increased their weekly physical activity by roughly 42 minutes.

Litt added, "We want to attempt to get individuals to be more active because inactivity is a risk factor for chronic disease, notably cancer, and other chronic diseases.

The study gardeners also reported lower levels of stress and anxiety, as well as stronger social ties.

"What we found was people developing bridges and relationships with others, and they were based on something that they all had in common," said Litt. This reaffirmed their interest in and capacity to continue participating in that activity.

She continued, "This research has demonstrated these community gardens actually have health advantages.

Citing other studies, Litt stressed the significance of the community garden context for this study. Although community gardening has a bigger impact, home gardening is still beneficial, according to her findings.

We're able to test a nature-based solution that is close by in people's communities, which is another aspect of this project that Litt believes is special. "What we're really going for are treatments that are accessible to people very close to where they live, possibly where they work, possibly where they attend school." "This serves as a good urban illustration of something that is available and accessible.

The community must support the gardens for them to be successful. According to Litt, they must be public-private partnerships that are a part of a framework and can rely on a base of volunteers.

The study, which the American Cancer Society helped to partially fund, was released on January 4 in The Lancet Planetary Health.

The effects of gardening on health have also been researched by Ohio State University assistant professor Colleen Spees. Urban community gardens are the focus of Spees' studies, which frequently involve at-risk groups including cancer survivors and people who are overweight or obese.

For Spees, gardening is worthwhile since it provides access to wholesome food and offers the chance to spend time in nature.

There seems to be some type of quieting effect when we withdraw ourselves from what Spees called the turmoil of our everyday existence. "Most individuals discover that taking those times to calm themselves, away from social media, the telephone, cellphones, and all of that, the cacophony of the world, may reduce anxiety and lessen stress." According to Spees, Litt's trial "contributes to the expanding body of evidence showing gardening and/or eating more in line with a plant-focused dietary pattern absolutely can contribute to favorable mental and physical health consequences."

While many people would love growing or gathering produce from a garden, Spees said that it's crucial to integrate a skilled nutrition component to teach them how to prepare the food.

Spees expressed her happiness at the fact that national officials are increasingly appreciating the advantages of produce, farmer's markets, and community gardens.

This represents a fundamental shift for our nation, she declared. We've been waiting for it for a while, and now it's happening. "I want to see it through to completion."