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Healthstop

" Where Health and Wellness Begin"

Exercise - The Perfect Health Supplement

Exercise. It benefits every health problem. It has been cited to help with Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, asthma, autoimmune diseases, back pain, blood pressure, blood sugar, brain function, calcium absorption, cancer, cholesterol, colds, constipation, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, diabetes, ear infections, immunity, impotence, irritable bowel syndrome, menopause, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, panic attacks, plantar fasciitis, sleep disorders, stress reduction, strokes, and, well you get the idea. The only question now is finding an exercise that all can enjoy.
What if I told you there was one exercise that could benefit every part of your body, relieves stress, teaches responsibility, is pleasurable and enjoyable, can be done by all ages and abilities, provides intellectual, social, emotional, and physical benefits, and can be done anywhere? How about an exercise that is used by over 300 hospitals in the US and has been shown to foster better health and faster healing? How about an exercise that doesn't need any expensive equipment, video purchases, and actually improves the environment?

The Perfect Exercise?

What is this wonderful exercise? Gardening. There is nothing like the feeling you get when you can take responsibility for bringing a plant to life, helping it grow, and watching it thrive. Working in a garden is great exercise and can relieve stress. Just being among plants can have health benefits. As if all that weren't enough, you can also enjoy the fruits (and vegetables and flowers) of your labors.
There are a broad range of activities involved in starting and keeping a garden, activities which get your muscles and joints moving, stretching, and flexing. How much exercise you get depends on how ambitious you want to be. If you are able and want to get a vigorous workout, you can do so by turning over your own planting beds in the spring, carrying your own pots, soil, plants, and fertilizer, or building your own trellises. On the other hand, you can hire someone to do the more strenuous work for you (or ask friends or relatives), so that you can then perform the less strenuous tasks of seeding, weeding, etc.
Being out in the fresh air and sunlight is also beneficial. Fresh air is invigorating, and because plants give off oxygen, the air around them is likely to be a lot fresher than that at the mall. Sunlight induces the body to produce vitamin D (even when you're wearing sunscreen, which you should be), and vitamin D makes the body able to absorb calcium and phosphorus.
The bonus is all that your garden produces. Fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs always taste better and are more healthful than stuff that's been sitting on the store shelf. If flowers are your pleasure, you get to enjoy their beauty knowing that you took part in their creation. Any of these products make great gifts for friends.

Food For The Heart And Soul

There are social, emotional, and intellectual benefits to gardening. Initiating or improving neighborly relations through shared gardening, triumphs, tribulations, and tricks across the fence is typical among gardeners. Working in a community garden, joining a garden club, going to flower shows and field trips are some of the other opportunities for social interaction. In addition, the sense of responsibility, accomplishment, and pride taken in the work done and in the living organisms that result from those efforts give gardeners a wonderful feeling of satisfaction and enthusiasm for the future. Gardening can even be a creative outlet.

Where Does My Garden Grow?

Most people think of a garden as being in the backyard. In fact, a garden is wherever you make it: on a windowsill or fire escape, in the center of town or by the side of the road. Many cities and towns have community gardens where residents can work. Some divide a common space up into patches so that each resident has his/her own space. To find out whether there is a community garden in your area, check out the American Community Gardening Association. If there is not one in your area, talk with your local government about starting one.

Planning A Simple Garden

Of course, it is entirely up to you what type of garden to create; a kitchen garden full of vegetables, fruits, and herbs, a rose garden, a cutting garden, a rock garden, or a combination. Like any creation, your garden will reflect who you are and how you live your life.
First make a rough drawing of the area you've decided to plant. Indicate which areas are sunny, shaded, and what soil types. This will help you decide what plants to use. Your local nursery can help you determine which plants will thrive in your part of the country, as well as, in the different parts of your garden. (As an added bonus, many local nurseries hold free classes in gardening.) There are also countless books on the subject. If your are a beginner, a good one is Gardening for Dummies by Michael MacCaskey. You can locate this book and others on gardening at Amazon.com
Now, it is up to you. Go forth and cultivate.

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It is never too late to make healthy changes in your life. If you are ready to make a change, Healthstop is here to support you.

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