There is a reasonable body of research showing that having time in nature, be it a park, bushland or even the beach, is good for our physical and mental health. On a small scale, being in the garden can also be soothing.
While not being the world’s most accomplished gardener, I do find that it is both relaxing and satisfying to potter around the garden planting seeds and watching them grow, and flowers bloom.
We don’t necessarily want all seeds to grow fully, as gardens can be overrun by weeds if these are not, to use the pun, “weeded out”. There is a process to support what we want while being aware of what we don’t. Ignoring the latter won’t make it go away.
Where am I going with this?
A study published last month shows that the seeds for an increase in cardiovascular disease was planted in 2020. “Estimated consumption in the first half of 2020 was significantly higher (~30%) than the previous period. Sales of NRT products…in the first half of the year (2020) were consistently lower than in the second half.”
The authors conclude that increased smoking rates may have been due to people managing higher stress from loneliness due to lockdowns and also that working from home allowed greater capacity to smoke.
The effects of this unwanted seeding will not be seen straight away and could play out over the next few decades. Thus, we will not have a daily update from politicians.
Increased smoking rates may have been due to people managing higher stress from loneliness due to lockdowns and also that working from home allowed greater capacity to smoke.
On the plus side, deaths from cardiovascular disease have fallen considerably since the start of the century. AIHW data shows the rates of death per hundred thousand population has fallen by nearly two thirds in those older than 55. This is a pretty good achievement and one that is worth celebrating while simultaneously encouraging us to continue to seek to further reduce the prevalence.
Let us also hope that even though the downward trend may slow that the long-term effects of the last few years, it does not reverse it.
To return to where we started, American researchers have found that people who garden experience many health benefits, including easing of stress and anxiety and a lowering of the risk for various illnesses. “Those who garden tend to be a healthier weight, exercise more, and eat more fibrous fruits and vegetables, which reduces risk for cancer and improves heart health”.
Sometimes looking after our health is simpler than we think.