اردو(Urdu) English(English) عربي(Arabic) پښتو(Pashto) سنڌي(Sindhi) বাংলা(Bengali) Türkçe(Turkish) Русский(Russian) हिन्दी(Hindi) 中国人(Chinese) Deutsch(German)
Sunday, November 10, 2024 13:42
Glass Skin Makeup Finding the Balance – Population Growth and Water Conservation Enabling Tomorrow: Unveiling Pakistan’s Digital Sisterhood Initiatives Mariam Malik – A Promising Squash Player Women’s Mental Health in Pakistan Muscle Spasms: Causes and Management Benefits of Adding Fish to Your Menu The Art of Table Setting for Formal Dinners Mastering the Morning Rush: A Guide to Effortless Dressing for Work Fun Activities for Chilly Winter Evenings Enhancing Facial Features with Precision and Grace Editor’s Note Dysfunctional Family Dynamics and Women Glow from Within by Nourishing Your Skin with DIY Skincare Elixirs Managing Glass Waste: An Eco-Friendly Approach Meal Planning for Beginners Mental Detox – A Break from Social Media Positive Psychology – Minimizing and Maximizing Preventing Parental Burnout Recipes Sister Zeph :A Saint of Education for the Underprivileged Strategies for Reducing Energy Consumption in Pakistan The Chimera of Freedom of Speech: India’s Suppression of Women Journalists in IIOJK Women of Conflict: Life and Struggles of the Women of IIOJK Editor's Note March 23, 1940: Reminiscing the Past For a Bright Future Accelerating Gender Equality through Economic Empowerment Investing in Women: A Catalyst for Progress Navigating Trials and Triumphs of Military Life The Iron Lady (Poem) Isra Arif: An Aspiring Pakistani Watchmaker Rethinking the Educational Landscape and Pakistani Women Eliminate Paper Clutter and Organize Your Life Digitally Fashion to Filters: Impact of Social Media on Body Image 12 Ways to Navigate the Professional Landscape Balanced Diet in Pregnancy Relaxation After Workday – a Need or a Want DIY Face Masks for Radiant Skin Recipes Editor's Note Joint Services Pakistan Day Parade A Powerful Potrayal of the Indomitable Spirit of Women Empowerment Rise of Women-led Health Startups Within Pakistan Achieving Harmony: Prioritizing Women’s Mental and Physical Wellbeing Breaking Barriers: A Woman’s Inspiring Journey to Becoming a Lieutenant Colonel To Daughters of the Nation Overcoming Challenges and Fulfilling Aspirations Beyond Boundaries: Improving Female Mobility in Pakistan’s Public Transport Networks Career Transitions: Navigating Change and Reinventing Yourself Teaching Empathy and Social Skills to Kids Dietary Fiber: Why It Is Beneficial for You Composting: How to Reduce Food Waste at Home Spring 2024: A Fresh Makeup Palette fot the Season Ahead Editor's Note Challenges of Motherhood for Working Women My Beloved Daughter A Walk Down the Memory Lane: UN Mission in Congo Everlasting Memories Unlocking Women’s Potential Through Skills’ Development Arooj Bashir A Comb of Lies: Female Targeted Disinformation Ovarian Cancer – Its Symptoms and Prevention Building Resilience and Grit in Your Children Minimalist Lifestyle: There Can Be More with Less Healthy Aging and Lifestyle Choices What Makes Reading Most Relevant Today Editor's Note SIFC Broadens Women-led Tech Horizons Womenomics and Pakistan: Analyzing Female Labor Participation in Pakistan’s Economy MINUSCA–The Voyage of a CIMIC Peacekeeper Debunking Weight Lose Myths Importance of Understanding & Managing Screen Time in Childern Zero Waste: Single-Use Product and Waste Management Lifestyle with Her Breathing is Exercising Navigating Chaos with Chai and a Smile Style with Her Acne; Breaking the Break–out Cycle Overnight Roast Leg (Parsi Style) Editor's Note Burgeoning Divorce Rate: Analysing Trends and Causes Marriage: The Second Time Around An Emblem of Merit & National Representation (Tête-à-tête with Brigadier Helen Mary Roberts) The Military Move Cord Blood Awareness Month: Celebrating Potential and Progress Freelancing: Cruising Against the Flow The Art of Becoming Your Child’s Best Friend Rediscovering Pakistan Skincare Guide for the Monsoon Season Slay All Day Recipes A Mother Reborn; A Feminist History of the Partition of Pakistan The Educational Reforms that Shaped the Pakistan Movement Impact of Independence on Pakistani Women From Plate to Waste:Making Meals Matters Sentinel of The Sky Academia or Appetite Tooth to Teeth Celebrating Pakistan’s 77th Independence The Rhyme of Resilience How to Carry a Minimal University Look Hyperpigmentation; The Bane of Pakistani Skin Dr. Shaista Lodhi In Session I am at The Crossroads of academics & future prospects Recipes Editor's Note The Unseen Battlefield: Where the Spirit of 1965 Must Rise Again Melodies of Patriotism: Noor Jehan and 1965 Indo-Pak War The Spirit of September Iron Ladies that Inspire Generations: In Conversation with the Mother and Wife of Captain Saad Bin Amir Shaheed Balancing Work and Motherhood Profile Optimization for Online Work Polycystic Ovary Syndrome in Teenage Girls Water Conservation: To Give is to Receive Child Neurodiversity: Accepting and Supporting Differences Exosome Therapy and Hair loss Surviving Workplace Rumors: A Guide to Staying True to Yourself Recipes Editor‘s Note Women of Substance Serving for Global Peace Empowering Peace: A Personal Narrative as a Female Peacekeeper in a Conflict Zone Bridging Divides My Experience as a UN Peacekeeper Understanding the Basics of Breast Cancer Screening: What You Need to Know Prioritizing Mental Health: Essential Self-Care Practices for Women Resilience: Navigating Life’s Challenges and Adversities The Zero Waste Challenge: How to Set and Achieve Your Waste Reduction Goals Secrets to Smarter You as the New Parent of Your First Child The Resilient Women of Today‘s Pakistan Empowering Women in E-Waste Management Status of Women in Islam Manicure& itsBenefits Chicken Tikka Tacos Editor's Note Eliminating violence against women in Pakistan Iqbal’s Concept of Khudi and Modern Women Empowering Rural Women in Pakistan: Revitalizing Art and Culture Through Digital Tools Empowering Women for a Greener Future: Education and Capacity Building in Climate Solutions Reading as Self-Care: The Advantages of a Good Book for Women’s Mental Health Women in Tech: Navigating the New Frontier of Digital Empowerment Winter Garden Retreats: Designing Outdoor Spaces Overpopulation at the Cost of Maternal Health Layering Like a Pro: How to Stay Stylish and Warm in Winter Art of Balance: How Women Are Navigating Career and Family Life Heel to Toe Bliss Recipes
Advertisements

Hilal Her

Health Benefits of Gardening as a Hobby

August 2023

As Phyllis McGinley said, “A hobby a day keeps the doldrums away.” With 1440 minutes a day and 168 hours in a week, we certainly are spared with enough time to adopt a hobby in our lives. Amidst daily life’s chaos, maintaining a hobby ascertains harmony and contentment. Dan Buettner, an American author and explorer, studied the blue zones (five extraordinary places on Earth, where people are known for their longevity) and discovered one common hobby amongst many and that was gardening. A hobby is acquired out of one’s own interest and persistence converts it into a habit and that is when one reaps the benefits of that activity. 



Gardening as a hobby is always beneficial as it provides you with a great deal of satisfaction and calm. Your physical health will improve as a result of your calm mind. Gardens and landscapes have long been used as refuges from the strains of everyday life.
Gardening taken up as hobby is a fun and peaceful way to connect with nature, but did you know that it also has numerous health benefits? Gardening is a mentally and physically healthy pastime that may be enjoyed by people of all ages. You also get to consume the tasty fruits, vegetables, and herbs, or enjoy the beauty and smell of the flowers that you grow, in addition to enjoying all the natural beauty because of the greenery around you. Overall, gardening is a rewarding and satisfying hobby that offers physical, mental, social and environmental benefits. So take some tools and get your hands dirty to enjoy the benefits it brings to various aspects §of your life!



Health Benefits
Ever wondered why we feel calm and relaxed once we are out in the sun? Well, Andrew D. Huberman, an American neuroscientist encourages people to get exposure to the sun during 8am-10am, as it is the best time to soak in the sun for health benefits. Now, what actually happens is that while working in the garden and getting exposed to the sun, our bodies release serotonin, ‘a happy hormone’ that generates the feelings of joy and happiness in us.
The sunlight helps to synthesize vitamin D within our bodies, which contributes to our vitality and robustness. It is medically proven that when we have low vitamin D levels, we feel lethargic and sluggish. Vitamin D is directly responsible for our teeth and bone strength and also our immune system’s. In the long run, gardening helps in reducing the chances of osteoporosis and lessen any bone-related afflictions. 
While gardening might not seem to be an intense exercise, it definitely contributes to our heart health, stamina and strengthens our hands. From pulling out a weed to sowing a seed in the soil, hands have much to do. Digging the soil, uplifts our spirits. Digging stirs up microbes in the soil and inhaling them stimulates serotonin production. 
Watering plants, mowing the grass, pruning and moving pots from one place to another, all require strong hands. Because of the various actions involved, gardening develops agility and strength in our muscles and joints. This is one of the most significant advantages of gardening as it minimizes the danger of losing hand strength in later years.
Ageing is the ‘declining phase’ of human life. Therefore, one needs to be more vigilant when it comes to healthcare. One of the concerning factors of ageing is that we become forgetful. Now, there could be multiple reasons for it but one of the most pertinent ones is the absence of mental exercise.
A sedentary lifestyle leads to ailments like cardiovascular diseases, obesity and diabetes, and  also affects our brain functioning. Recent studies reveal that the key to longevity is in moving and the key to stay sharp in old age is in the fingers. From our fingers to our brain and back again, gardening meets all the needs as it involves both moving around and doing the little chores by using hands and fingers. It is a great mental exercise that strengthens our neurons and neural connections. Resultantly, our ability to react to our surroundings enhances with time. 
Adding kitchen scraps to the compost requires little physical strength but more of our attention. Likewise checking on worms or adjusting the water supply in a garden demands a vigilant mind. Hence, maintaining a garden facilitates longevity by lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia.
You must have read it many times that nature has a healing effect and that we need to be out in the nature to balance ourselves. The very sight of colorful flowers dangling in the garden releases endorphins also known as ‘happy hormones’ that uplift our mood and leaves a positive impact on our minds. While gardening, we find ourselves totally consumed, absolutely detached from all the worries of the day.
It is no wonder that one feels better after taking care of their garden for the day. The routine of tending to your plants and working with your hands helps to relieve stress and anxiety.
Productivity
A hobby disciplines us once we are hooked to it. When it comes to gardening, it needs our foremost attention as pulling out a weed or checking on the new grown bud requires the early morning hours. Therefore, getting up early comes as a follow up. Nature is at its purest form in the morning and the air is rich in oxygen released by trees during photosynthesis at night. 
Watching a seed grow into a tree fills one with a sense of accomplishment and gratitude. Being up early gives us ample time to plan, execute and achieve the goals assigned for the day. The time spent outdoors away from screens and mindless scrolling proves to be much healthier and productive, and helps improve focus and concentration on the task at hand. A garden binds us to a purpose.
Gratitude
Gardening eventually leads us to grow our own food. What supports the idea more is the concern of substandard food available in the market. The growing use of pesticides and fertilizers not just have adverse effects on the environment but also on the human health. Allergies and diseases concerned with nervous system, immune system and reproduction have grown exponentially in the recent times. 
Growing our own food visually educates us and instils gratitude as we keenly observe the growth of a tiny seed into a big plant. We value food more and waste nothing, knowing the labor and love that went in. 
Enhances Your Social Circle
If you find like-minded companions, gardening can be an enjoyable group pastime. Introduce gardening to your children and seniors at home, and enjoy the pleasures of family time while gardening. Looking after your garden, you will most likely attract other garden enthusiasts in the area and can begin exciting new garden initiatives with them!
Sustainability
Looking at the bigger picture, gardening contributes to healing mother nature by giving us an opportunity of living a sustainable life by helping us counter the impact of deforestation and pollution; taking up gardening as a hobby helps you make your contribution to the environment by filtering pollutants from the air, absorbing carbon, which ultimately reduces the carbon footprint. Right from sowing the seed straight out of homegrown food to making up our own compost from food scraps, everything organic goes into the earth without the usage of pesticides. Homegrown food is cheaper, fresher and most importantly organic. It looks vibrantly beautiful and tastes much better than the ones kept in the aisles of supermarkets.
After all of your hard work, the benefits of gardening as a hobby can be substantial! The rewards and benefits are unequalled, whether it is a little terrace garden, potted plants on the balcony, or a full-fledged lawn garden. HH


Email:[email protected]