News release issued April 29, 2001, effective immediately.
For media inquiries, contact Caroline Booth Lara, Communications Specialist, (580) 224-6379.
  email: cblara@noble.org

The Benefits of Gardening

ARDMORE, Okla. -- If you’re surfing the Web in an effort to keep up to date on new gardening sites, you just might come across one that makes the following offer: "Swap your Thighmaster for something useful—a free book on fitness and gardening." The author's argument is that you can lose weight and get into shape while gardening. As a bonus, you get to eat all the fresh fruits and vegetables you can grow and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

"I spend a significant amount of my time helping my market-gardening clients achieve their financial goals, and as a result, I am often guilty of considering only the commercial side of horticulture," said Steve Upson, horticulturist for the Ardmore-based Noble Foundation. "In reality, most of the residents within the Noble Foundation’s service area garden with another goal in mind: quality of life."

Although this goal isn't as glamorous as profit-oriented gardening, it is just as legitimate, according to Upson. It can mean different things to different people. Most gardeners think of quality of life in terms of a healthy lifestyle.

"The older I get, the more aware I become of the importance of physical activity in maintaining my health," Upson said. "Numerous studies show that regular physical activity reduces the risk of premature death, heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, adult-onset diabetes, osteoporosis, stroke, and certain types of cancer."

Gardening contributes to physical health, since activities such as digging, planting, weeding, and harvesting are all part of three types of physical activity: endurance, flexibility, and strength.

"Gardening is a labor of love. Exercise is just plain labor," Upson observed. "Human nature suggests that you're going to do something you love much more frequently than something you don’t love. Given the choice between a treadmill and gardening, I'll take the garden anytime."

The benefits of gardening are not all in the body; they're also in the mind. Tending your garden is a real stress buster, helping relieve feelings of anxiety and providing a break from the general rush of life. Because the work involved is mainly physical, gardeners have a chance to think about their concerns, meditate, or just spend a few hours daydreaming. They can also feel a sense of accomplishment in a job well done.

"While I'm gardening, I'm thinking not so much about the health benefits as I am about consuming some great-tasting food," Upson noted. "The thought of feasting on fresh roasted sweet corn, a vine ripe tomato, or a cold slice of melon is what really motivates me. Is this quality of life or what!"

Want even more good news? Consider what most of us already know but fail to appreciate: eating garden produce is good for you.

Scientists have built a strong body of evidence that shows that fruits and vegetables promote general good health and may protect against heart disease and several types of cancer. Besides being low in calories and fat, fruits and vegetables contain many essential vitamins and minerals.

They also contain substances referred to as phytochemicals, which are usually related to plant pigments. Yellow, orange, red, green, and purple colored fruits and vegetables generally contain the most phytochemicals. More than 900 different phytochemicals have been found in plant foods, and more will likely be discovered. Phytochemicals work in concert with other nutrients to protect against disease. Supplements and pills contain large doses of only one or two phytochemicals and have not proven effective, Upson explained.

Growing produce for market is an excellent way to generate additional income. However, don't underestimate the myriad other benefits gardening can provide.

"Ever wonder why God placed Adam and Eve in a garden?" Upson said. "The reason is that gardening is good for you!".

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The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, headquartered in Ardmore, Okla., is a non-profit organization conducting agricultural, forage biotechnological, and plant biology research; providing grants to numerous non-profit charitable, educational and health organizations; and assisting farmers and ranchers through educational and consultative agricultural programs.

To learn more, check out the Noble Foundation Web site at http://www.noble.org.

More news releases available at www.noble.org/Press_Release