Candice Shoemaker, PhD
professor, Urban Food Systems, Horticulture Therapy, Horticulture and Natural Resources, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas.
Gardening may be one of the very best-for-you activities around. Not only do many of us love the whole process of planning, planting and cultivating our little corners of the earth, but growing things like herbs, fruits and vegetables also provides nutritional, environment, financial and — according to new research — significant fitness benefits.
According to Candice Shoemaker, PhD, a Kansas State University horticulturist who has conducted numerous studies on the physical activities involved in gardening, working daily outdoors is a great way for older people to meet the physical activity recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which urges at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity most days of the week.
Current research being conducted by Dr. Shoemaker and her colleagues compares the long-term health of non-gardeners, gardeners (those whose gardening doesn’t meet the CDC definition of moderate physical activity) and active gardeners (those whose gardening can be classified as moderate physical activity). Early findings showed that the “active” gardeners are in significantly better physical health than the other two groups — and that both the gardening groups have greater hand strength and pinch force (two areas often weakened with age) than the non-gardeners.
Previous research had found that gardening tasks that use the whole body (like raking) meet the CDC and American College of Sports Medicine definition of moderate intensity physical activity. And Dr. Shoemaker points out that all that lifting and stretching involved in gardening can improve body strength and flexibility.
Is there a way to get in shape for gardening? I asked Paula Kramer, PhD, professor emeritus and former chair of the department of occupational therapy, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, an avid gardener herself, to suggest some warm-up activities. Her advice was to practice some range-of-motion stretching of arms, back and torso (holding each stretch at least 20 seconds each time) for several days before digging in.
In addition to stretching, Dr. Kramer suggested a number of ergonomic considerations:
Last but not least, I read a lovely little study that reinforces what gardeners already know — gardening also can facilitate emotional well-being. Research published in the American Society for Horticultural Science journal HortTechnology found that caring for a houseplant can bring happiness to those in assisted-living facilities. Study authors Claudia Collins, PhD, and Angela O’Callaghan, PhD, both associate professors at the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, Las Vegas, say changing from independence to assisted living can negatively impact adults’ sense of health and well-being if they feel a loss of control over the details of their lives. One way to improve the physical or emotional state of people with diminished life control is to encourage them to take responsibility for a plant, the authors say. Truly, gardening helps plant seeds of well-being.