Vegetable gardens may help breast cancer survivors

Vegetable gardens might be an ideal therapy for survivors of breast cancer, according to research conducted at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). 

An ongoing study by the university couples survivors with a master gardener from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. The believed benefits include a better diet, exercise, and a healthier lifestyle. UAB provides the participants with tools and seedlings, and will provide either a rasied bed in the survivor's yard or EarthBoxes---large gardening containers on wheels. The Extension gardeners will then meet with the survivors twice a month. 

The plan is to have the new gardeners planting early crops such as lettuce and pea pods by mid-February and expanding to tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, kale, or just about any other suitable vegetable in the spring.

The study began in the late summer of 2013. Researchers visit the participants at their homes three times throughout the project.

For more information visit the university's website.