By Donna V. Scaglione
Like getting dirt under your fingernails? You might be pulling weeds and digging soil to grow greens for your salad, but did you know you also may be boosting your chances of living longer and healthier? Research shows that gardeners eat more vegetables which help fight chronic disease, have better hand strength, and greater zest for life. They also are more likely to rate their quality of life as “excellent” or “very good.” Here are lots of reasons to grab a shovel.
1. Have more zest for life
Using a life satisfaction survey that asked participants 50 and older to rate their quality of life, researchers found that gardeners scored high. For example, 84 percent of gardeners agreed with the statement, “I have made plans for things I’ll be doing a month or year from now,” compared with 68 percent of people who were not gardeners, scientists reported in the journal HortTechnology. More gardeners than non-gardeners also reported having more energy and feeling less old.
