Hi! My name is Clif. I am a registered nurse and I am also a farmer. I am, The Nurse Farmer!

Being a member of the most trusted profession, there is nothing I love more than helping people understand how and why growing our own foods can help us prevent and cope with chronic diseases. Growing fruits and vegetables of our own is a holistic form of exercise. By holistic, I mean benefiting not only our physical health, but our mental and spiritual health as well. Let me explain!

For example, when we grow fruits and vegetables of our own, many studies show that we will increase our fruit and vegetable intake. Experts agree that when we eat more fruits and vegetables, we boost our physical health by reducing our risk for diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Growing fruits and vegetables also benefits our physical health in the form of exercise which helps burn calories, increase blood flow, and relax our blood vessels.

Gardening is equally beneficial for our mental health. Growing fruits and vegetables exposes us to microbes in the soil which stimulates our brains to produce the ‘feel-good’ neurotransmitter, Serotonin, which helps elevate our mood. Growing our own fruits and vegetables can also result in feelings of accomplishment and help boost our self esteem. Having high self esteem can have a positive impact on our mental health.

Growing plants of our own is also good for our spiritual health. Spiritual health or spirituality may have different meanings to different people. Regardless of our beliefs, growing a plant is an opportunity to not only witness, but to also participate in the life cycle from birth to death to rebirth all over again.

Sprouting vegetables from seed, growing herbs in containers, playing in the soil, and even creating yard art are just a few examples of food growing activities that I advocate for promoting our health the holistic way.

Follow me, The Nurse Farmer, to learn more about how and why growing fruits and vegetables is a holistic form of exercise benefiting our mental, physical, & spiritual health!