In the Garden
Ah, spring! To some, their most favorite time of the year. New growth popping up everywhere. Bright colors and pleasant scents to experience. So much work to do, but, of course, we want to be outside after being inside for months.
I would like to write in this issue about how beneficial gardening is to our mental and physical well-being. Gardening is a wonderful antidote to people suffering from anxiety, depression, isolation, despair, or other health issues. So many of us today live alone. Gardening has a positive impact when experiencing challenging times. Pursuing gardening creativity offers resilience and hope.
Cultivating beauty or just capturing moments of nature can make us so happy, so calm. Remember, you are never alone in a garden. Even in moments of solitude, you are part of something greater. Pollinators, caterpillars, and birds build habitats. Share with them. To have an alive and thriving plant or garden is a thing of beauty and solace.
Knowing that gardening is a benefit to all generations and to our environment can have a positive impact on your life.
A plant humbles you while that space offers a lifeline in times of need.
Back to the work part — here is some advice from Peg Bernier, a physical therapist and Eastford resident. She is offering some body mechanics advice for avoiding back injury when gardening:
-
When reaching down to weed or pick up items, bend with your hips and knees, tighten your abdominal muscles and keep your back straight with a slight curve/hollow in lower spine.
-
When raking or performing similar activities, do not twist/rotate at your waist. Instead, let your feet do the shifting of directions and twisting.
-
When picking up heavy objects, keep the object as close to your body as possible. It’s simple physics —an item’s weight held at arm’s length increases by about a 10-fold force to your lower spine. For example, a 5-pound bag held next to your body puts about 5 pounds of force on your lower spine. At arm’s length, it translates to approximately 50 lbs. of force on your lower spine.
Happy gardening and happy spring!