23 WAYS FIBRE CAN IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH!

Turns out the experts were right, a high fibre diet is good for your health! They just forgot to mention the knitting and crochet part. I want to preface this by saying that I'm not a doctor and this is by no means official health advice, I'm simply providing you with additional reasons to engage in your favourite fibre art...as if you needed more. For the avid knitter or crocheter, it should come as no surprise that these very accessible activities would have a whole host of positive health benefits.

There's a reason why wounded soldiers in WWI were told to knit during their convalescence, and that's because they knew even then that it was a therapeutic activity. I'm not sure they had all the scientific evidence then to back it up, but today we know for sure that knitting and crochet can help regulate, alleviate, and stimulate. Here are 23 ways (and counting) how engaging in your favourite fibre art can improve your health! Some of them might just surprise you.

Many studies have shown that knitting and crochet can help:

1. reduce blood pressure;

2. slow down the effects of dementia;

3. lessen the symptoms of arthritis;

4. distract from chronic pain;

5. combat depression;

6. reduce anxiety;

7. relieve post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD);

8. treat addiction;

9. treat eating disorders;

10. provide meditative benefits and mindfulness;

11. create bonds and community;

12. boost self confidence;

13. induce a sense of usefulness;

14. release dopamine;

15. improve sleep;

16. improve digestion;

17. increase blood flow;

18. induce feelings of relaxation;

19. improve math skills;

20. improve memory;

21. provide the benefits of group therapy;

22. grief processing; and

23. provide a sense of control.

All these benefits may have been linked specifically to knitting and crochet, but I don't need an expert to tell me that they can certainly extend to many other fibre practices too, such as weaving, spinning, and felting. Anytime you engage in something that lights you up inside and has you focussing on something positive and constructive, you're bound to reap something positive. How about you? What has your fibre art done for you? We would love to hear from you in the comments below!