What are the health benefits of plants?

Gardening is an exciting world. When you start, it is normal to have many doubts because… there is so much to discover! Even if you decide to grow a type of plants, there are so many species and secrets that they seem to hide from you that, as you get to know them, you realize that there is still much more than you originally thought.

We have a lifestyle that, although we have no choice but to follow it, is not as healthy as it should be. So, the health benefits of plants are even more important.

Oxygen

Perhaps it is, on a biological level, the most important thing. Plants, through photosynthesis (absorbing the sun's energy to convert it into food), expel the precious oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide. In this way, keep us alive, something that is undoubtedly appreciated. And it is that, if there is no life, there can be nothing else.

Regulate the climate

Plants play a determining role in the climate of the area. During the summer, the leaves provide shade by preventing the sun's rays from reaching the ground with force, and they also keep the environment cool as a result of the loss of water in the form of vapor (perspiration); On the other hand, in winter its heat emission becomes more noticeable, which is produced when organic molecules burn due to aerobic respiration.

And what is aerobic respiration? A set of reactions by which pyruvic acid (colorless acid with an aroma similar to acetic acid), which is produced by glycolysis (a complex sequence of reactions that takes place in the cell), is split into carbon dioxide and water, producing large amounts of ATP (high energy).

Food

There is nothing like growing your own food. It is without a doubt the most effective way to achieve good health ... and without leaving home. Whether we have a patio or a plot of land, we can grow plants in pots or in the ground, as aromatic or horticultural. In addition, if we want to save even more money, we can buy seed envelopes in which there is always an interesting number of them and sow them when the time is right - usually in spring - in seedbeds.

In this way, as they grow we will learn more about them and their care, something that will come in handy both in the short and medium term, especially if we intend to continue growing each season.

Medicines

Natural medicine is increasingly fashionable, and it is not surprising: although modern medicine is more than proven that it is saving lives, the truth is that for minor illnesses (colds, small wounds, etc.) and above all to prevent plants are still a good remedy. What's more, we must not forget that many of the drugs that we find in pharmacies are made with plants. Without going any further, aspirin is made from acetylsalicylic acid that comes from the bark of the willow tree (Salyx).

Therefore, if you have, for example, itching before you go to buy a cream, I will recommend that you apply gel Aloe vera natural, or if you are starting with the flu take an infusion of yarrow (except if you are pregnant or think you may be). And we cannot forget about garlic either: it is an excellent remedy for respiratory diseases and also serves to strengthen the immune system.

They keep us active

Taking care of the plants entails the obligation to move, to walk, to remember that it is necessary to water or pay on that day. This is very interesting for everyone, regardless of our age, because it is a way of using our brain and our body, preventing it from wearing out before its time. And that is not to mention that it is an activity that we can do as a family, something that will undoubtedly help us to spend great moments with her.

Make us smile

For me, this is the biggest benefit that plants have: the allow us to be happy. Who has not felt fulfilled when seeing a fruit tree in bloom or when seeing that the work of a whole year has given excellent fruit in the garden? When we feel good, the brain releases setononin, which is something like the hormone of happiness. Thanks to her, we are able to see the world with different eyes.

Reduce stress

We live in an increasingly urbanized world. The constant noise of traffic, the advance of the asphalt, the rush ... all this unless you are used to it overwhelms you. And by overwhelming you, your heart will beat faster than it should. This, added to the high levels of pollution in cities and towns whose population is increasing in recent times, makes your life expectancy shorter. So, having a plant at home can help, and a lot, to be healthier and calmer.

So, you know, feel free to decorate your home with at least one. 🙂