Title : Possibilities of using herbs and spices in horticulture therapy
Abstract:
Why Horticulture Therapy is good for people?
Horticulture therapy is used for centuries to treat different kinds of physical and mental infirmities. It involves the use of plants, as well as plant-based activities, for healing and rehabilitation. It brings a number of benefits: spending time outside the buildings, in the fresh air, contact with the nature, exposure to natural light, vitamin D synthesis, physical exercise in form of working in the garden, building bonds with nature, having fun, working with plant material, improving well-being. Very important is contact with soil, rich in microorganisms like Mycobacterium vaccae, which causes the release of serotonin, consequently improving mood and brain functioning.
What are the benefits of using spices and herbs in horticulture therapy?
Horticultural therapy uses the classic functions of spices related to the modification of sensory characteristics: taste, smell, color, their preservative effect, and those related to the promotion of healthy eating habits, use in medicine, cosmetics and floristry.
What kind of plants from spice and herbs group are used in horticulture therapy?
In horticulture therapy, herbs and spices are used as ordinary plant material, but above all in sensory gardens, where the space must be arranged with plants in a way that is conducive to the stimulation of the senses, including non-visual ones: taste, smell, hearing and touch. The herbs and spices used must be harmless when taken orally, even in larger quantities, because they are consumed, tasted, rubbed and touched.
The aim of the study is to assess the possibility of using herbs and spices in horticulture therapy, to organize and divide them according to their use in this type of therapy.
Audience Take Away:
First of all, they get acquainted with horticulture therapy as an interesting remedy affecting our senses, helping with various ailments. Secondly they will gain knowledge about the possibilities of using herbs in their everyday life, professional work not only in a familiar way. Herbs and spices used in horticultural therapy offer a wide range of possibilities that can be tailored to the individual needs and interests of participants, supporting their physical, mental and emotional health.
