GARDENING THIS SPRING
Research has shown that gardens can be a healthy addition to everyone’s yard. It has often been thought that spending time in a garden can help improve mental well-being. Now multiple studies have found that a plant filled environment helps people relax, raises pain tolerance for people with chronic disorders and improves moods. One researcher states that it is due to the sensory feedback of a garden being much different than our daily lives, making it a calming and relaxing place. An improvement in mood may also come from the feeling of accomplishment with starting and caring for a garden.
Along with the mental benefits of a garden, there are also many physical benefits. Gardening can be a great motivator for activity. If you don’t like an exercise you will probably not stick with it. Many people enjoy gardening and yard work and are likely to continue it for years. Gardening has also been shown to be a great way to prevent bone loss. Not to mention all of the calories you can burn from all of the pulling, lifting and digging. A person who weighs 180 pounds will burn about 200 calories with just 30 minutes of gardening.
Gardening can be a great activity for kids. Besides the physical benefits mentioned earlier, gardening is also a good learning experience. Kids learn to care for the plants as well as learn how to identify different flowers or vegetables.
Rewards always make an activity more enjoyable, and what is more rewarding than seeing your hard work in the garden pay off. A garden full of fruits and vegetables is a great reward for all your hard work. Also eating fruits and vegetables is an important part of a healthy diet.
The benefits of starting a garden seem endless, however starting a new project like gardening can be straining on the back and neck. To minimize risk for neck and back pain with gardening follow these tips and ask your therapist if you have specific questions regarding use of good body mechanics.
- Start at a light to moderate level. Take breaks as needed and vary activities
- Stay hydrated. Make sure you have water near by and take breaks to get out of the sun occasionally
Keep your posture in mind. Stay out of positions that put added strain on your neck and back. Anything you can do at waist level is ideal. For low projects sit on the ground or kneel and squat when doing any lifting or shoveling
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