The ABC's of Gardening Your Way to a Healthier Lifestyle

Developing a healthier lifestyle through diet tops most of our New Year's Resolution lists. We all want to shed those holiday pounds but don't want to deprive ourselves of the tasty foods we enjoy. Most of us look to supermarkets for our healthy food choices. However, if you enjoy gardening why not try growing those same fruits and vegetables yourself. From carrots to cabbage to strawberries and blueberries adding homegrown foods into your daily diet is a simple way to ensure healthy eating habits. Begin planning your summer garden now with the foods you will need to stick to your diet resolution. Here are some suggestions on what to plant for a health conscience summer garden.

Fruits and Vegetables Rich in Vitamin A: Vitamin A helps cell reproduction. It also stimulates immunity and is needed for formation of some hormones. Vitamin A helps vision and promotes bone growth, tooth development, and helps maintain healthy skin, hair, and mucous membranes. Nutrient daily amount of vitamin A needed is 10,000 IU/day (plant-derived) for adult males and 8,000 for adult females. Some easy to grow vitamin A vegetables are broccoli, peas, carrots and my favorite sweet potatoes. Easy to grow fruits high in vitamin A are tomatoes, cantaloupe and watermelon.

Fruits and Vegetables Rich in Vitamin B1: Vitamin B1, also called thiamin is a water-soluble vitamin that is essential for the breakdown of carbohydrates into the simple sugar glucose. Thiamin is also important for the proper functioning of the nervous system. Thiamin is found in green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, chard, sweet corn and berries.

Fruits and Vegetables Rich in Vitamin C: Foods that are rich in Vitamin C are broccoli, strawberries, green peppers, brussels sprouts, honeydew, and cantaloupe. All are easy to grow and maintain. The American Dietetic Association suggests working more fruits and vegetables into your diet before taking supplements. Try to eat nine servings of fruits and vegetables daily, because you will get a healthy dose of vitamin C along with other vitamins, minerals and most importantly added fiber which is good for ones overall health.

Working out is another vital part of a healthier lifestyle. Digging, tilling and planting your own garden is a great source of physical exercise. Tending your outdoor garden also provides natural vitamin D from the sun. All in all it's a win-win combination!

If growing your own garden is not an option join a local gardening Co-Op that will let you work for your produce. Most large gardens need volunteers to weed, water, harvest, etc. The key to a healthier lifestyle is to stay active and eat healthy. Sticking to a regiment of homegrown healthy produce could mean you'll never need to make that age old New Year's diet resolution again.

Source(s):
http://www.webMD.com
http://www.wikipedia.com
Personal Gardening Experience