STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.—The Staten Island Board of Realtors has dug up some interesting news through the National Association of Realtors. Throw away your Prozac and plant some peonies to fight depression, says a British physician who believes that time spent in the garden can be as therapeutic as expensive pharmaceuticals.Preview post

Photo: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Sir Richard Thompson, president of the UK’s Royal College of Physicians, says the country’s new healthcare reforms will allow doctors to embrace the healing powers of digging in dirt, pruning roses, and plucking weeds. Sir Richard is a patron of Thrive, an organization that promotes and provides gardening therapy.

“Drug therapy can be really expensive, but gardening costs little and anyone can do it,” Sir Richard told the Fraser Coast Chronicle. “Gardening burns off calories; makes joints supple, and is fantastic exercise. It is a physical activity that has been shown to be helpful in the treatment of anxiety, depression, and dementia.”

Making yourself feel better while improving curb appeal? SIBOR recommends grabbing your shovel and seeds, and heading outside.

About The Staten Island Board of REALTORS® (SIBOR)

The Staten Island Board of REALTORS® (SIBOR) is the largest not-for-profit trade association in Staten Island, N.Y.

SIBOR exists to enhance the ability and opportunity of its members to conduct their business successfully and ethically; and to promote the preservation of the public’s right to own, transfer and use real property.

Comprised of over 1,600 members, SIBOR serves real estate agents, brokers and affiliated professionals throughout the borough and surrounding areas.

SIBOR is the provider of the Staten Island Multiple Listing Service Inc. (SIMLS), which works as a clearinghouse through which more than 250 local real estate firms exchange information on properties they have listed for sale. Together, its members participate in over 3,000 real estate transactions every year.

All SIBOR members belong to the New York State Association of REALTORS® (NYSAR) and the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR).