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Gardening Offers Many Benefits, Including Ideal Physical Activity for Seniors
from: Pat Moauro"No occupation is as delightful to me as the culture of the earth, and no culture comparable to that of the garden. I am still devoted to the garden. But though an old man, I am but a young gardener." -- Thomas Jefferson
For many of us, gardening provides a deep sense of peace and connectedness to the Earth. It's a pastime we enjoy. After retiring from the working world, we finally have the time to indulge in activities that, in earlier years, we had to struggle to fit into our busy schedule.
As well as being a fulfilling activity, gardening allows us to stay physically active. The act of gardening helps maintain balance, coordination and strength. The fact that gardening also provides an opportunity for us to maintain our mental faculties makes it a wonderful physical activity for seniors.
As we age, our bodies tend to stiffen up. Our muscles lose their strength and our joints tend to be less flexible. Sadly, cutting back on physical activity only hastens this process. That's why gardeners value enjoyable activities that are immediately rewarding and help to delay the symptoms of aging. Experts in aging recommend light daily activities to keep our bodies fit and our minds sharp. Gardening provides precisely such an activity. In fact, the more frequently you visit your garden, the less work is necessary with each day. This motivates the gardener to get out each day and keep the workload light on an individual visit.
As well as its health and mental benefits, gardening is immensely rewarding. A flower garden adds to the attractiveness of a house and yard; a vegetable or herb garden provides fresh vegetables and seasonings for the kitchen. Knowing that you've produced the food that you're eating makes the meal that much more delicious.
Over the years, expert gardeners have discovered a number of tips that help them make the most of their gardening experience.
Stretching and warming up the body before beginning a physical activity is important. Having a prepared body helps to keep you in the garden longer and relieves some of the soreness you sometimes experience afterwards. Likewise, a gradual cool-down after being active helps prevent the body from stiffening up.
While in the garden, try to avoid twisting your body while working. If you need to reach around to the right or left, take the time to stand up and replant your feet for the task. This is especially important when applying force (with a gardening fork or while weeding, for example).
A wheelbarrow can save your muscles and joints as well. When lifting, make certain to lift with the knees, no matter how light the load-this will keep your back from experiencing any discomfort. Similarly, when working at ground level, avoid bending at the waist-kneel down instead. Sometimes, taking a kneeling pad, or even a garden stool, helps with endurance when working with the soil or young plants.
Plan to break tasks up and keep your body moving. Avoid sitting or kneeling in the same position for too long. Stiffness sets in quickly when the body is at rest, and you can avoid discomfort and injury with frequent position changes.
A number of available adaptive tools reduce the strain on muscle groups while tilling, planting, weeding and harvesting a garden. These tools reduce the danger of injury and can prolong your gardening sessions.
As well, volunteer organizations in many communities will provide some help in the more strenuous aspects of gardening and yard work. Ask about these programs at your local senior center or at the United Way.
With those guidelines in mind, the only additional advice is: don't delay! Get out there and enjoy your garden. The sooner you begin, the more quickly you'll experience the health benefits yourself. Once you start, you'll want to spend more and more time in your garden-it's addicting! Whether you decide to plant flowers, vegetables, or herbs, your garden will provide you with an attractive addition to your yard, a sense of pride and well-being, as well as a healthier, fit body and mind.
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