The healing power of nature

Andrew Mangwarara

IT was a refreshing Sunday afternoon when I explored Madokero suburb in Harare once again.

I visited two residences — one belonging to Isaac Mutepfe, and the other to Andrew Mapeta and his wife.

While there, we engaged in conversation, and they shared how gardening is therapeutic for them.

Today, we delve deeper into the role gardens play in the health and well-being of an individual.

Garden enthusiasts attest to the positive impact of these green spaces to physical health considering how nutritious homegrown food is.

Also, patients in hospitals who regularly view trees from sickbay windows are said to recover faster than those who do not.

Seeing a garden from a balcony improves the mood in both depressed and non-depressed elderly patients. Visiting a garden even has a greater impact.

It has also been found that patients sleep better, concentrate more and have peace of mind after accessing gardens. Just adopting a plant and caring for it was shown to improve one’s sense of well-being.

In some experiments, adults were taught the basics of plant care. Additionally, they were given a plant to look after. The results showed that participants became more alert and more responsible as compared to those who did not take part in the exercise.

Community gardens have been shown to reduce stress, tension and anxiety.

These green spaces act as effective extensions of therapy for people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and drug or alcohol dependency.

Working together in gardens, growing food, yields remarkable benefits like improvement in self-esteem, teamwork, social interaction, planning and problem-solving.

Weeding, digging and raking act as forms of exercise.

If you do not like the gym, then try gardening since regular exercise reduces anxiety, depression and other mental issues.

However, it must be noted that other issues can pop up, for example, overexposure to sunlight, and risk of illness due to contact with bacteria and insects.

Similarly, watch out for the risk of injury.

At times you can opt for indoor gardening, which is less risky and much safer for challenged patients.

If you would like to be featured in our green-up campaign, contact us on the number above. Feedback: [email protected] or [email protected]