Working in the garden and interacting with nature has the added advantage of slowing down and calming your mind. Gardening, by definition, entails getting your hands dirty in the dirt. While our world despises dirt, and so goes our immune systems, dirt is actually beneficial. In fact, a lack of dirt and the organisms that live in it has been related to an increase in auto-immune illness. Soil is a fantastic source of naturally occurring bacteria, minerals, and microbes.
Regular contact with dirt exposes the body to helpful microorganisms that can improve the immune system. Because good bacteria and gut health are so important to general health, it stands to reason that the immune-boosting characteristics of soil might also promote longevity.
Gardening is often during the day. Therefore one is constantly in the sun when maintaining a garden. Because Vitamin D is protective against some forms of cancer and heart disease, it makes sense that people with greater Vitamin D levels may live longer.