Ease the stress, keep the blood flowing

“GET into the gardening habit this year and you will see what it would do for you.
It does not call for a lot of yard space; not even a lot of time, but it would do some things for you that nothing or no one else can. All you need is some earth space and pots; the love to see things grow and a desire to reap good things; then you can gear yourself to reap the countless blessings it has to offer.”

Rita Melville of the Campbellville community has what one would consider a thriving farm, both in the front and back of her yard. In front, she has a lot of flower trees, which are sprinkled with pepper and tomatoes trees; thyme – fine and thick leaves; turmeric and ginger, among other plants.

At the back and sides of her yard, she has some larger trees, which include the soursop tree; a small mango tree; banana suckers; newly bearing lemon and lime trees; papaw trees and others.

“I am a retired teacher and even when I was busy teaching I always loved the earth; I always loved to see things grow and also to reap…whenever I am able to reap my stuff it makes me feel so very good – there is something about reaping that touches my soul and makes me feel good,” she said. “When I go down in my yard and pick some tomatoes, fresh pepper or thyme to put in my pot, you won’t understand the joy it brings to my mind; when I am able to pick some fresh fruits from my own garden and eat them, I do not even want to wash them sometimes because I feel that they are so pure – no fertiliser and [they are] growing in a clean place,” she told the Pepperpot Magazine.

VERY LITTLE EFFORT
A Norwegian study posited that the effortless attention of gardening may even help improve depression symptoms, stating that people who had been diagnosed with depression, persistent low mood, or “Bipolar II Disorder” spent six hours a week growing flowers and vegetables.

Further, it explained that after three months, half of the participants had experienced a measurable improvement three months after the gardening programme ended. The researchers suggest that the novelty of gardening may have been enough to jolt some of the participants out of their doldrums, but some experts have a much more radical explanation for how gardening might ease depression.

William Maynard, a community garden programme coordinator for the City of Sacramento’s Department of Parks and Recreation said that there are lots of different movements in gardening, which help people to get some exercise benefits out of it.

He added, “Gardening is hardly pumping iron, and unless you’re hauling wheelbarrows of dirt long distances every day… But digging, planting, weeding, and other repetitive tasks that require strength or stretching are excellent forms of low-impact exercise, especially for people who find more vigorous exercise a challenge, such as those who are older, have disabilities or suffer from chronic pain.”

LOWERING DEMENTIA
Some research has also suggested that the physical activity of gardening can help in lowering the risk of developing dementia. In fact, separate studies of people in their 60s and 70s for up to 16 years, have found that those who do gardening on a regular basis had a 36 per cent and 47 per cent lower risk of dementia than non-gardeners, even when a range of other health factors were taken into account.

These findings, though not definitive, do suggest that the combination of physical and mental activity involved in gardening may have a positive influence on the mind. However, the sight, smells, and sounds of the garden are said to promote relaxation and reduce stress.

Melville agreed that the food harvested from a person’s own garden is not only the freshest but safest food that can be eaten. She said that she would indeed subscribe to the saying that “People who are growing food tend to eat healthily.”

BEAUTY AND HEALTH
You can dress up your yard and make it look really beautiful, but at the same time you can be growing some of the best and healthiest plants in that same space, says Melville, as she invited the Pepperpot Magazine on a tour of her yard.

“Only my closest friends know all about my garden. People do pass and look, some of them even beg for a plant or two, but they do not know how much is within this yard. I utilise all of the space I have available because the more you plant the more you feel the desire to do so, especially when you see the rewards of your loving labour,” she stated.

Melville stated that it started so long ago that she cannot now remember, but at that time she always had a love for beautiful flowers and would always ask for or pick a piece wherever she went, which she then planted.

She said that as time went by she started collecting seeds and small plants that she planted and as she began to reap fruits, vegetables and other things nothing could have stopped her from fulfilling her desire to plant.

“It became a hobby; I love reading, cooking and keeping a good home and the like – I can consider some of them real hobbies because I always pay attention to things that would make my home look good, but I think that the greatest of them all (my hobbies) is doing my gardening,” she said adding that everywhere she goes people always comment on how young, happy, relaxed and clean-skinned she appears. She credits it all to her gardening, which she said is the best therapy ever, in the midst of all she may encounter from day to day. (mercilinburke2017@gmail.com)