Gardening makes you happier and smarter!

Salam.

Do you love gardening? I happen to love gardens, the beautiful ones especially when I watch Korean or Japanese dramas, as they have really beautiful garden scenery in most of their dramas. I came across an article that gardening actually makes you happier and also smarter! How good is that? Really good, if you ask me. Honestly, I have never done any gardening for the rest of my life because of these two things: all the gardening lessons I received in school were not exciting ( so I wasn't excited) and because Malaysia is so hot. I can't take the hot weather uhuhu.It's killing me to have to plant anything under a hot sun. You see, it never occurs in my mind that I can garden in the early morning or late afternoon, or even at night!

Researchers reported in the journal Neuroscience that contact with a soil bacteria called Mycobacterium vaccae triggers the release of serotonin in the brain. This type of serotonin acts on several different pathways including mood and learning. Lack of serotonin in the brains is related to depression. (anyone who is feeling depressed, straight away do some gardening, seriously!)

So basically, the things gardeners do—working the soil, planting, mulching, and so forth—can really contribute to happiness. They ingest the bacteria by breathing or through broken skin. The simple act of children playing outside in the grass and dirt can be a natural way for them to reduce anxiety. Extremely beneficial to those hyperactive kids. So let them play outside (more reason to have my own garden hehehe)

I will definitely take up gardening someday. And make it our family weekly event, as gardening is a fun beneficial way of bonding with my husband and child:) 

“The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.” – Alfred Austin

"To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow." - Audrey Hepburn