Dirt Under My Nails

My doctor tells me to move more and stress less. My garden makes both of those feel like play.

I didn’t think of gardening as exercise until the first spring I spread three cubic yards of mulch by wheelbarrow. The next morning, muscles I didn’t know I owned had opinions. That was the day I realized my “hobby” was also keeping me strong.

I’m a gardener, not a doctor. This is my own experience. Please talk with your healthcare provider about what’s right for your body.

It moves my whole body

Gardening is real physical work: digging, raking, hauling, bending, reaching, kneeling, and getting back up again. The CDC lists general gardening as moderate-intensity activity, in the same category as a brisk walk. Yet it never feels like a workout to me, because I’m focused on getting the beans in, not on counting reps.

Over the years my grip has gotten stronger, my balance better, and I sleep more deeply on garden days. I’ve also learned to garden in a way that’s kind to my body: a few stretches before I start, switching tasks every half hour, lifting with my legs, and using a kneeling pad instead of bare knees.

Mulch day: my annual full-body workout.

It calms my mind

A growing body of research links time spent gardening with lower stress and better mood. I don’t need a study to tell me that, though I’m glad they exist. I can feel my shoulders drop the moment my hands are in the soil.

There’s even some intriguing early research on a common soil bacterium, Mycobacterium vaccae, and how it might influence mood. The science is still young, but I love the idea that the dirt under my nails might be doing me some good.

It changes how I eat

When you grow your own food, you eat more of it. That’s been my experience, anyway. I eat salads I’d never bother buying because the lettuce is right there. I snack on cherry tomatoes and sugar snap peas while I weed. Herbs find their way into everything. And food picked minutes before dinner tastes like a different thing altogether.

Dinner, ten minutes after harvest.

Gardening well in your climate

Staying healthy in the garden looks a little different depending on where you live:

In hot, humid zones, I garden early or late, drink more water than I think I need, and take breaks in the shade. Heat exhaustion sneaks up on gardeners.
In sunny, dry, or high-altitude places, sun protection is everything: a wide-brimmed hat, long sleeves, and sunscreen, even on cool days.
In cold zones with long winters, I keep herbs and greens growing indoors under a light. Tending something green through January does wonders for my winter mood.
Everywhere, I wear gloves, keep my tetanus shot current, and check for ticks after working in tall grass.

Gardening for every age and body

One of the things I love most is that gardening grows with you. Raised beds and elevated planters bring the soil up to you. Lightweight, ergonomic tools are easier on your wrists. A few containers on a balcony count as a garden. My oldest gardening friend is in her eighties and still grows the best peppers on our street, in a waist-high planter.

That’s why I garden. It keeps me moving, keeps me calm, and keeps good food on my table. Of everything I do for my health, it’s the one I’d do even if it weren’t good for me.