Fitness for Your Green Thumb: Why you should build a garden this spring

TDB Fitness Newsletter 4/24/2022

Have you ever considered growing a garden? With food prices rising this spring, now may be the time to give this hobby a try. Luckily, it’s good for you in a lot of ways!

Vinnie in his garden… Photo by Renea

Try building a garden this spring!

I’m the kind of person who takes some convincing to get dirty. However, Vinnie’s love of gardening has enriched our lives so much over the last few years, even I start to get excited for the ground to thaw every spring. Our yearly garden has provided us with a source of nutrition, exercise, and quality time. Here’s a few reasons you should consider planting a garden this spring:

• Benefits for physical fitness: Gardening requires a lot of physical labor. During the course of your time in the garden you will likely find yourself squatting, bending, lifting weight, and working up a sweat. A few hours gardening a week can be just as good for you as a few hours in the gym per week.
• Benefits for your mood: Most gardening is done outside in relatively good weather. Spending time in the sunshine lifts your mood, as does spending time with nature. Nurturing your plants over time gives you a project to focus on, promotes learning and problem solving, and provides you with the satisfaction of achievement when you get to harvest the fruits of your labor (literally).
• Benefits for your nutrition: Make your garden a vegetable or fruit garden and you’re providing an in-house source of nutrition that will likely improve your diet. Homegrown fruits and vegetables stay fresh longer than store bought. They also taste fresher and aren’t exposed to dangerous pesticides. Prepare your produce and freeze it to benefit your diet all year long.
• Benefits for the environment: Home gardens allow us to contribute to a cleaner, healthier Earth. The produce we buy at the grocery store is often grown using industrial farming practices that contaminate the ecosystem and contribute to pollution. When you grow food at home, you’re disrupting this farming industry. Also, composting allows you to convert your kitchen food waste products back into soil. This cuts down on waste and provides a healthy, free soil option for your garden next year.

Not everyone has the space or the land to grow a full fruit and veggie garden. However, even windowsill or container options can provide you with many of the benefits I listed above. Gardening can be challenging, dirty work, but we know that we grow the most when we embrace challenges outside of our comfort zone!

Stay in touch with us this summer, we would love to know how your garden is doing!

Team Announcements

Happy Birthday Vinnie!

Saturday 4/23 was Vinnie’s 33rd birthday! We have been spending a relaxing weekend in Florida to celebrate. Thank you for all the birthday wishes.

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