Special to Road Trips for Gardeners
By Birds & Blooms

The holiday season is a serious challenge for all of us—endless holiday parties, office treats and for some, more champagne than usual. With the New Year quickly approaching, resolutions for the 2014 year are likely already on your mind. If living a healthier lifestyle is on your list of things to do, consider the benefits of growing a garden.

To learn some new tricks that’ll help you stick to your New Year’s resolution, Birds & Blooms offers ways to live a healthier and happier life through gardening — at any age!

Some of the many benefits include:

· Boost Your Mood: Spending time outside to tend to a garden, even in short spurts, can do wonders for your mood, reducing stress and tension and helping you relax.

· A Fun Way to Stay Fit: Forty-five minutes of gardening burns as many calories as a 30-minute aerobic activity. It is fun exercise that gets you outdoors listening to the birds instead of being cooped up in the gym.

· Improved Sleep: There’s nothing better for a good night’s rest than eating a diet rich in vegetables, and adding light exercise and fresh air. If you still have trouble getting your zzz’s, plant lavender in your backyard—it promotes relaxation.

· Improve Mobility, Strength and Endurance: Low-impact exercises like digging, weeding and planting strengthen muscles and are perfect for those who can’t participate in vigorous activity. Also, gardening uses many muscle groups are well as promoting hand strength, joint flexibility and improved motor skills.

· Broadening Horizons for the Little Ones: Stuck on a few go-to foods for lunches? Can’t get your kids to help with the garden? Grow a few unusual vegetables or flowers to get kids excited about gardening. Also, instead of rushing home to video games and TV, your kids can be encouraged to grab gardening gear after school, go on a frog hunt or count butterflies out back.

(Photo courtesy of Birds & Blooms)