Gardening provides many benefits like the scent of flowers, fruit and vegetables which elevate your mood, or the enjoyment of a salad harvested fresh from your backyard. Whether you have a large garden or a few pots on the balcony, gardening will help you relax and reduce stress.
Being active lowers your risk of type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease and osteoporosis.
Gardening is a great physical activity, engaging muscles in your back, core, arms, legs, hands as well as your eyes. Weeding and planting are closeup work, engaging your fine motor skills. When you do these tasks, you are constantly adjusting the focus of your eyes, which helps strengthen the muscles that control eye movement.
It’s a good idea to be prepared to ensure you have a pleasant and safe gardening experience. Just follow our easy tips.
Beat the heat Prevent heat-related issues. Be sure to drink plenty of water and non-alcoholic, low-sugar fluids. Avoid going outdoors when the sun is at its peak and take regular breaks.
Cover Up Long sleeved shirts and pants in lightweight breathable fabric are best. Shoes with sturdy soles, gloves and goggles that will protect you from chemicals, insects, the sun and sharp objects like tools and thorns. Wear a hat to protect your face, neck and ears.
Sunscreen While sunlight is good for your plants, it's not so good for your skin. To protect your skin from sun damage, avoid exposure in the middle of the day, cover up, and apply sunscreen generously to sun-exposed areas of your body.
Eye Protection Just like gloves and gardening tools, good quality sunglasses should always be part of your gardening equipment! Sun or no sun, it is essential to protect your eyes. Gardening exposes us to a lot of ultraviolet rays. Proper eye protection is essential, as the sun's harmful UV rays can cause cataracts, eyelid cancer and increase the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), even on cloudy days.
Sunglass lenses come in a wide variety of colours and tints. While medium to dark tints are popular, you may want to consider polarized sunglasses. Since they minimize glare, they provide exceptional comfort, perfect for spending days in the garden!
Happy gardening!
