A little garden goes a long way! Did you know that growing your food can help you eat healthier? Diets rich in fruits and vegetables can:

• lower blood pressure
• reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke
• prevent some types of cancers
• lower risk of eye and digestive problems

Beyond the harvest of healthy foods, gardening has so many benefits aside from maintaining a nutritious diet, whether it’s a flower, plants, vegetables, or fruit.

Gardening can:

• Help your heart.  Digging, planting, and weeding burns calories, and that’s a good cardio activity for your heart.
• Strengthens relationships.  Working together with friends or family nurtures relationships. Including children in gardening activities helps them learn healthy skills that will last them a lifetime!
• Reduces stress.  Working in your garden can help you practice mindfulness by focusing on the tasks while bringing you closer to nature’s rewards.
• Boost self-esteem.  After all the tilling, planting, weeding, and watering, it feels good to see and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
• Improves Sleep. Spending time outside coupled with your hard work in the fresh air is a good way to help you fall asleep faster.