As of 2022, 80% of the population of the United States lives in urban areas. Science tells us those living in urban areas are at higher risk of unhealthy lifestyle factors like high-fat diets, lack of adequate exercise, and higher levels of stress. On top of this, there are also more pollutants in city environments. This makes preventative health care even more important in these locations in the United States and worldwide.
Being in nature can provide a wide variety of health benefits, such as decreasing behavioral problems like anxiety and depression, especially in children. Daily communing with nature can lower the risk of diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Taking moments in nature can also promote a longer lifespan. Additionally, one study followed over 200 adult psychiatric inpatients and found traditional therapies along with horticulture therapy lowered anxiety in participants significantly.
Getting Back to Nature
One way to do this is to promote horticulture therapy. Horticulture therapy combines the art and science of growing plants with physical and social involvement to promote overall health. Horticulture therapy can help people strengthen their bodies as well as improve their mental health. Therapeutic gardening is becoming more and more popular in the field of healthcare. Some hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and/or retirement communities can contain gardens like these.
Depending on the size of your living space, a small outdoor or indoor garden is possible. Plastic or fabric pots of varying sizes are available at most garden centers. Small hydroponics setups are also another possibility. This can involve a small fish tank and growing light, using the tank water for fertilizer. Another option is to become a part of your local community garden by renting a small space to take care of during the spring and summer months. Finally, if growing plants is not something you choose to do, making a point to go on walks outdoors several times a week can also be beneficial.
Resources:
Joubert, A., Jankowski-Cherrier, B., Rossi, A., et al. 2024. “Impact of Horticultural Therapy on Patients Admitted to Psychiatric Wards, a Randomized, Controlled and Open Trial.” Sci Rep; 14: 14378. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-65168-0
Masashi Soga, Kevin J. Gaston, Yuichi Yamaura. 2017. “Gardening is Beneficial for Health: A Meta-analysis.” Preventive Medicine Reports; 5: 92-99. ISSN 2211-3355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2016.11.007
United States Census Bureau. 2022.”Nation’s Urban and Rural Populations Shift Following 2020 Census.” https://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2022/urban-rural-populations.html
T., Pratheeksha & Kulkarni, Balaji. 2023. “Therapeutic Horticulture and its Benefits.” Fundamentals of Horticulture (BS GLOBAL PUBLICATION HOUSE); 3: 110-121.