An experienced insurance and real estate agent, Wanda Tineo most recently spent time representing property owners as an agent with Kennedy and Kennedy in Piermont, New York. Away from her professional responsibilities, Wanda Tineo is an avid gardener. She cares for both flower and vegetable gardens.

Gardening provides homeowners with a range of benefits, from improving the aesthetic appeal of one’s home to lower food costs. However, individuals who regularly engage in gardening may also experience a number of more surprising benefits. Research has indicated, for example, that gardening can improve a person’s mental health and overall sense of well being.

Although it may not seem like physically intense work, gardening offers a number of the same benefits as exercise. The physical exertion involved with gardening, as well as exposure to direct sunlight, results in an increased flow of oxygen to cells throughout the body, which in turn leads to reduced stress and improve mood.

Gardening also provides individuals with responsibility and feelings of accomplishment. One of the most common mental health issues treated by professionals involves obsessive, negative thought patterns that the person cannot help but repeat. Caring for plants over the course of a growing season, from seeds to flowers or vegetables, helps create new thought patterns associated with more productive behaviors. The daily sense of accomplishment gardeners experience, meanwhile, can lead to improved self esteem and overall wellness.