A new study says growing your own veg can boost your life expectanc
Posted: 24 November 2010
by Caroline Hamman
If you want a longer life then it's time to start growing your own. A new study has found that growing veg on your own allotment could significantly boost your health. And, it's not only physical health that improves but stress levels and visits to the doctor are lowered too. With around 295,000 allotments in the UK, those who tend them are fitter than their non-green-fingered active counterparts. It seems that having something to focus on as well as getting outdoor exercise especially benefits the over-60s.
ZEST SAYS: Although this was just a small study of just 121 adults with an allotment and 63 without, we believe in the benefits of getting outdoors - yes even when it's freezing - to reap the benefits of physical activity in the open air. Kate Langrish, deputy editor, has had her own allotment for six years. She says, 'By growing your own, you don't just get the physical benefits from all that digging and weeding, but you reap the nutritional rewards of eating fruit and veg that's so fresh it hasn't had time to lose any nutrients. Allotments have a great community feel to them, too - and nothing quite beats the satisfaction of serving up a plate of food that you've grown entirely by yourself.'
Want to grow your own window-ledge veg?
