Gardening – tending flowers, fruits, vegetables and even weeds, has lasting benefits for our bodies, mind and soul. In fact, your mother’s advice not to play in the dirt wasn’t such good wisdom after all.

Gardening benefits all ages and you don’t need to cultivate acres to reap rewards. Even tiny gardens in patio pots can have positive, lasting effects. Research is underway to see how and why gardening is good for us.

Humans have a special connection with nature and studies show the natural world has a calming effect on our minds and bodies. Spending time in nature can reduce the level of a stress chemical that impacts mood, memory and our body’s ability to fight germs.

Gardening also helps people worry less about everyday stress and focus more on the world around.  Gardening literally “grounds” us. The task of digging, planting and nurturing plants help individuals reconnect with their world and forget emotional pain. Joining a community garden, or tending a garden with others has social benefits and gives people a sense of teamwork and pride.

Growing and eating fresh fruits and vegetables also has many benefits for our diet and physical health. The intense activity of pulling up weeds or hacking off branches is great exercise and can help people vent frustrations in a positive way.

A less tangible, but very important benefit of gardening is that it gives people hope. The very act of planting and nurturing a seed and watching it grow is both satisfying and wondrous.

If you are exploring options in health care, meet the compassionate team at Cambridge Health Alliance and call 617-665-1305 or visit www.challiance.org/cha/find-a-doctor.