Summer is the Season to Do a Little Digging!
If you’re aged 55 or older, ask yourself one question: when was the last time you spent a little time with nature? Beyond a nice outdoor walk or sitting on the porch watching the sunset, can you remember the last time you truly got your hands dirty?
The summer season is a great time to explore the great outdoors. One simple, relaxing way to become one with nature is to do a little gardening. Believe it or not, there are a number of scientifically proven health and wellness benefits to gardening, especially for seniors. Courtesy of our friends at MedicareInsurance.com, here are just a few worth mentioning.
Reducing Stress and Boosting Self-Esteem
Gardening and mental health have been known to go hand-in-hand for quite some time now. After all, there’s just something so rewarding about being solely responsible for putting food on your family table.
Not only can gardening provide a great sense of accomplishment when you are finally able to reap the benefits of what you’ve sewn (literally), but it can also create a sense of happiness and pride that boosts your self-esteem.
If you suffer from common mental health issues like anxiety or depression, try gardening. You may be surprised how much it helps you cope with your condition.
Building and Maintaining Strength, Endurance, and Cardiovascular Health
Gardening may be a simple concept, but isn’t exactly a cakewalk (at least, not if you’re doing it right). Basically, gardening can be a great way to exercise without actually feeling like you’re exercising, which can be extremely beneficial to people who simply don’t love the idea of getting all sweaty and tired by physically exerting yourself.
Still, a long day of gardening means a long day of many common exercise techniques, including pulling, walking, bending, and squatting. This type of physical activity can greatly reduce your risk of cardiovascular issues, keeping you happy and healthy.
Getting on Track to Eating Healthier
You’d be hard-pressed to find a medical professional who doesn’t tell you that a healthy diet is extremely important to a long and healthy life. Sure, you could get healthy produce from a grocery store, but what’s the fun in that?
Additionally, growing your own fruits, vegetables, or herbs gives you the satisfaction of knowing that your produce hasn’t been treated with pesticides. Pesticides are a common issue with the produce found in many mass-market grocery stores, and have been linked to onset of illnesses and other health issues.
When you grow your own healthy food in your own garden, you not only have the convenience of being able to access this source whenever you want, but you’ll also have the satisfaction of knowing you grew and tended to this food yourself.
There are plenty of ways to ensure your golden years are happy and healthy, and for most of us, that includes high-quality healthcare coverage. If you’re interested in researching and exploring your Medicare or Medicare Advantage options today, the licensed insurance agents at MedicareInsurance.com can help. Give them a call today at (800) 950-0608 to get started!
