Find Bliss Among the Blossoms

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Weed out disease

Gardens are good for bodies in other ways as well, such as motivation for regular exercise. All that pulling, lifting, and digging is a great way to expend calories. A person weighing 180 pounds will burn about 200 calories in 30 minutes of gardening.

More and more evidence shows that people who consume diets rich in fruits and vegetables and get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day are less likely to develop a host of illnesses, including heart disease. Best yet, all this bounty is no farther than your backyard.

Your children may moan and groan about having to help in the garden, but you should encourage them to join in. Not only will they develop a lifelong love of things that grow, but research has shown that they will also have you to thank for a healthier diet.

For example, researchers at the University of California at Davis, had fourth graders plant seeds and tend a garden. After 17 weeks of gardening, the children made a surprising discovery—they liked most of the vegetables they once had considered loathsome.

Among the vegetables the children grew to love were carrots, broccoli, snow peas, and zucchini. Now that’s the miracle of gardening.