4 ways gardening is good for you

[CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]

TIP OF THE WEEK

In this digital world, there’s an app for just about everything. People are interacting with technology more than they do with the world. But there’s a cure for tech overload: Gardening.

Here are four surprising ways gardening is good for you, according to www.burpeehomegardens.com.

Locally grown food is healthy. What’s more local than your own backyard? Locally grown veggies are picked at the peak of ripeness, full of flavor and freshness.

You’ll have less anxiety. Research shows gardening creates compassion toward others, and less worry and depression. Wave Petunias and Cool Wave Pansies are perfect for beginners!

It counts as a workout. Whether you’re pulling weeds or lifting your planters, research shows you’ll burn 200-400 calories per hour!

Gardening combats loneliness. Gardening gives us a sense of community. Start a weekly cooking group with friends using ingredients from your gardens!

WELLNESS

Wellness tips to add to your daily routine

Try adding the following lifestyle tips to your daily routine to improve your wellness, according to onegreenplanet.org.

1. Get social. Even if you enjoy alone time, keep in mind that we are social creatures by nature, according to the site.

2. Learn to love sleep. Sleep is as important as food and exercise. Some might need eight hours of sleep, but others nine or 10.

3. Become a minimalist. Making life simpler can make you healthier and happier.

4. Try a new activity once a month like a new cooking method or exercise.

5. Do something nice for someone. When you give, you get much more in return.

6. Bring energy into a room instead of taking it away by maintaining a positive outlook.

7. Spend time in the quiet each morning. This can help reduce the stress hormone cortisol and give you time to think.

ADVICE

Tips for finding trustworthy health sources

Popular Science offers a list of sites to help you find good health and fitness advice on the web.

1. Medline Plus has advice on broad general wellness topics as well as more specific issues.

2. Family Doctor, although not a replacement for visiting a qualified physician, can be helpful in narrowing down what certain symptoms might indicate.

3. KidsDoc from healthychildren.org offers a resource, again not a replacement for your doctor, to help diagnose children.

4. Johns Hopkins Health Library provides understandable, jargon-free information on nutrition, diseases, conditions, tests, procedures and treatments.

5. Drugs.com offers information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural remedies.

6. The Ada app uses artificial intelligence to spot patterns in symptoms that you might otherwise overlook to complement your doctor’s visit.

7. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shares information on medical conditions, healthy living and more.

HEALTHY EATING

Quick Apple Crisp

The next time you’re in the mood for a simple, delicious treat, try this dessert from Johns Hopkins Medicine.

  • 1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/3 cup quick oats
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 pounds apples (about 6, medium-sized)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon butter

In a small bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs, oats and brown sugar. Wash and peel apples. Quarter them, cut out core and seeds. Slice apple quarters. Spread apples in a 12-by-8-inch baking pan. Add 1/2 cup water to the pan. Sprinkle cinnamon and topping mixture over apples. Dot with butter. Bake at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes or until apples are soft and topping is browned.

— Brandpoint

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: 4 ways gardening is good for you