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Garden as medicine?

Important when gardening: Do everything in peace, and treat yourself to a break more often
Photo: DLeonis, fotolia

Feel-good world

International studies prove, "The shortest path to your health leads to the garden." - That's what well-known fitness expert Professor Thomas Wessinghage says. And: "An afternoon of gardening makes you as fit as a week of wellness treatments."

Never was the desire for the garden as great as it is today: Allotment clubs have a new influx, especially from young families, and more and more front gardens in the cities are lovingly cared for. "This is a very gratifying development, " says well-known fitness expert Professor Dr. med. Thomas Wessinghage (57), medical director of the rehab clinics of the Medical Park Group in the Tegernsee valley.

"People just feel how good it is to nurture the garden, and international studies now confirm how healthy gardening is for both body and soul." The main results: Gardening promotes muscle growth, strengthens the bones, the immune system, the heart, and it also does the skin good.

More muscles

"Sowing, weeding, digging plants, mowing the lawn, raking leaves - gardening is a very versatile and really athletic training, " explains the expert. "The muscles are stretched, as in gymnastics, when you bend properly when wecking or if you stretch vigorously while picking.

You are stressed as in strength training, when you rake or digging about. All of this builds muscle. Strong musculature, especially in the back and in the abdomen, effectively protects against back problems, for example. "In addition, blood circulation increases and the entire organism is well supplied with oxygen.

Solid bones

Medicine researchers from the State University of Arkansas in the US found: Regular work in the garden protects against osteoporosis (bone loss). Women over 50 who garden at least once a week even have higher bone density than athletic peers who regularly jog, walk or swim.

"That's another positive effect of strong muscles, " explains Professor Thomas Wessinghage. "They bend the bones more effectively, and this movement stimulates the metabolism in the bones, allowing them to absorb more stabilizing calcium."

A lot of vitamin D strengthens this process. The vitamin is needed for the body to store calcium in the bones. Our skin makes vitamin D with the help of sunlight. Professor Wessinghage: "The more people work outside, the more vitamin D circulates in the blood."

Effective defense

"You experience the garden as a source of rest and relaxation, which lowers the stress hormone cortisol, and also reduces cortisol levels in the blood." Our immune system thanks us, because too much of the stress hormone weakens the defense in the long run, "says Professor Wessinghage,

"And because gardening increases circulation throughout the body, it can better utilize nutrients and necessary building blocks for key defense cells." Gardening thus increases the number of cells that detect and kill bacteria, viruses and fungi.

Strong heart

Extensive research proves that as much as 50 minutes of gardening protect our hearts. Because the varied physical activity promotes good HDL cholesterol. This type of cholesterol helps to keep the inner walls of the arteries free of deposits. "That reduces the risk of arteriosclerosis and blood clots, " explains the fitness expert.

In addition, around 30 minutes of vigorous activity in the garden protects against diabetes every day. When gardening, the cells of the body absorb plenty of sugar. This reduces the risk of too much blood sugar permanently damaging the veins. "Of course, the movement also strengthens the heart muscle, " says the fitness expert. "That's why gardening protects the heart in three ways, so to speak."

Nice skin

Dermatologists discovered: The UV rays and the blue portion in the sun's light have an anti-inflammatory effect. This can relieve eczema, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and acne. "Often, the complexion in the summer is better for those affected, " says Professor Wessinghage.

"But it depends on the dose too much sunlight is harmful Before you go in bright sun in the garden, you should always generously rub the free skin with a good protective lotion or cream."

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