There are a number of reasons for you to have a fresh herb garden. Gardening does wonders for the mind and body and research has confirmed this. One study found that cancer patients recovered from treatment more quickly and had a higher rate of remission over those who did not participate in some type of outdoor activity. Growing a fresh herb garden has also been found to benefit those with special needs, is a gentle way to increase range of motion in those with mobility issues, and increases hand-eye coordination.

Cultivating a fresh herb garden is a great way to get the beneficial effects of the sun. While we have been warned for years to stay out of the sun as much as possible, new research has found that our indoor lifestyles, with most of our time spent in front of a computer in the office or the television at home, have lead to a population that is drastically lacking in vitamin D. Vitamin D is responsible for healthy bones, particularly in those who are overweight or post menopausal women. We should still limit the amount of time we spend in the sun to about thirty minutes at a time, and wear sun screen if it will be any longer than that. Sunscreen has been found to inhibit the absorption of vitamin D, so a short period of time outdoors without it is fine.

Working in your fresh herb garden has other physical benefits as well. Instead of going to the gym, spend some time in your fresh herb garden. Imagine the workout you can get from lifting water cans full of water, or a wheelbarrow full of mulch. The bonus here is that not only do you get a workout, but you’ll also end up with some great tasting herbs.

One of the most obvious benefits of growing a fresh herb garden is the fresh herbs you get at the end. Adding fresh herbs to dishes is one of the key tips that every nutritionist and diet expert will suggest because herbs add a lot of flavor without a lot of calories. Things like salt, sugar, and fats add flavor to dishes as well, but they have a whole host of well documented health effects and none of them are good. You can use fresh herbs to flavor a pasta sauce, or if you have a wide variety, you can even use them to make a salad. Some herbs such as Mint, some varieties of Sage, Lemon Balm, and others make a lovely tea as well. The possibilities are endless.

The last benefit of growing a fresh herb garden that I want to touch on is the emotional and spiritual benefit. Many people aren’t aware that the simple act of growing herbs connects them with the nature of the earth. The planet has it’s own natural rhythms and cycles, and growing herbs is a great way to connect with that. Growing fresh herbs is also emotionally uplifting, and has been found to be helpful in treating mild forms of depression.

Whatever your reason for wanting to grow a fresh herb garden, the benefits are many. Give it a shot and see if your mind, body and spirit don’t have a bounty as rich as your garden.

Related posts:

1. Why You Might Want To Start a Herb Garden
2. The Benefits of Fresh Herb Gardening
3. What You Need To Know About Herbs and Growing Them
4. Rosemary In The Fresh Herb Garden
5. Indoor Culinary Herb Garden Starter Kit- Start Growing Fresh Cooking Herbs & Spices- Great Gift Idea!- Seeds: Parsley, Thyme, Cilantro, Basil, Dill, Oregano, Sweet Marjoram, Chives, Savory, Garlic Chives, Mustard, Sage