Growing your own food has so many health benefits — physical, mental, social, you name it. Gardening is a good form of exercise, it can improve your diet, reduce your stress levels, and bring you closer to others with community garden beds.
Studies have even found that the physical exertion of working in a garden may help offset both age-related weight gain and childhood obesity. And researchers at the University of Pennsylvania reported that people who garden are more likely to get a solid 7 hours of sleep at night.
It's safe to say that gardening is good for your overall well-being, but it can feel overwhelming when you haven't grown anything before.
Our registered dietitian, Amber Worst, has shared some quick tips on how to get started with gardening at home, and a recipe you can try this summer.
Whether in a garden bed, in pots on the deck, or on a farm, harvesting your own produce and herbs can be a great opportunity to stay physically active and spend quality time with your family. Typically, kids enjoy eating the vegetables and fruits more if they help with growing them.
Plus, gardening at home has many nutritional benefits — you're getting the produce right from the source. You can eat it at its peak ripeness and get an abundance of nutrients right from your backyard.
To start, plants need soil, water, and sunlight to grow. Choose a location that gets adequate sunshine, and plan out how much space you have or how you will plant — either in a garden bed or pots.
Define as a family what you'd like to grow. If you're planting in a container, carrots, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs, lettuce, peppers, spinach and zucchini are easy to do.
If you're planting in the ground or a flower bed, you can also plant the same veggies and herbs, plus beets, green beans, kale, and pumpkins. Or if you only have a small area, such as a window sill, herbs are a great thing to grow.
Cucumber tomato salad recipe:
Ingredients:
2 cups cucumbers
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp honey
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp fresh herbs, optional
Instructions:
1) Trim off the ends of the cucumbers, then halve them lengthwise. Then slice into quarter-inch thick half rounds.
2) Place the cucumber, tomatoes, and sliced red onion in medium bowl.
3) To make the dressing, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper in a small bowl or cup. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to gently mix.
4) Gently stir in fresh herbs if you are using them, like parsley, basil, or dill.
We hope these gardening tips will help you prepare healthy meals and get active this summer. At OnSite Wellness LLC, health and wellness is our specialty.
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