Digging into health: how gardening can nurture you and your microbiome!

Interested in a gateway to a stronger gut and a happier life? Who isn’t! Let’s talk about gardening🪴… Gardening promotes a holistic approach to health that includes exposure to beneficial microbes, consumption of fresh and diverse foods, and lifestyle factors such as physical activity and stress reduction, all of which can contribute to a stronger and more resilient gut microbiome.¹

In fact, it’s often observed that centenarians, those who live to be 100 years or older, have lived lifestyles that include a lot of physical activity and a strong connection to nature.² Gardening and farming are two activities commonly associated with such lifestyles, and they offer numerous health benefits that may contribute to longevity!

Whether you’re tending to existing plants, starting a new gardening project, or simply enjoying the sights and sounds of your outdoor space, spending time in the garden today can offer numerous benefits for both your physical and mental wellbeing.

Here’s how gardening can benefit you:

1. Physical activity

Gardening involves various physical tasks such as digging, planting, weeding, and watering, which can provide a great aerobic workout that can help strengthen your muscles, improve flexibility, balance and endurance.

The combination of these various types of exercise makes gardening an effective and enjoyable way to meet the recommended 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity per week, as suggested by the NHS.³ Additionally, gardening is often considered a low-impact activity, making it suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels.

2. Mental health

Spending time in nature, soaking up the fresh air, and engaging in gardening activities has been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression⁴ It can provide a peaceful and calming environment, allowing you to unwind and clear your mind.

3. Gut health

Gardening can support your gut health by providing access to fresh produce rich in fibre, vitamins, and antioxidants, essential for a diverse and resilient gut microbiome. Cultivating a variety of fruits, vegetables, and herbs encourages dietary diversity, while organic gardening methods minimise exposure to chemicals that can disrupt gut bacteria. Contact with soil microbes during gardening may indirectly support immune function and microbial diversity within the gut.⁵

Interestingly, studies show that those who grow up in diverse environments, such as on a farm or those who spent regular time in the great outdoors, are less likely to suffer from allergies, sensitivities, or intolerances due to early environmental exposure.⁶ Read more here! Don’t live in a rural area? Fear not! You can boost your immunity through urban gardening too!

4. Productivity and satisfaction

Working in the garden gives you a sense of accomplishment as you tend to your plants, nurture them, and watch them grow. Seeing the results of your efforts can be incredibly rewarding. We can attest to this! Check out CG Head Gardener’s Vic’s post: the contented gardener and Magic Garden Diaries: How Shann got her groove back… for inspiration.

5. Vitamin D

Approximately one in six UK adults and nearly 20% of children have vitamin D levels below recommended guidelines.⁷ Sunlight exposure stimulates the production of vitamin D in your body, which is essential for bone health, immune function, and overall well-being.⁸. Spending time outdoors in the garden allows you to soak up some natural sunlight. For more information on vitamin D, check out this post here.

Explore these five fun activities the whole family can enjoy outside and in case you missed it, take a look at co-Director Shann’s Magic Garden Diaries for inspiring seasonal glimpses into life on the farm at CG HQ!

Questions? Feel free to contact us on live chat (weekdays from 8am to 8pm) to speak to one of our nutritional therapists.