Page 10 - Feb2020

LIVING
LIVING
LIVING
LIVING
Gardening Benefits LIVING
TR
TRUSUSTTSS
TRUSTS
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Garden Your Way to Better Health
Break out the tools and garden your
way to a healthier mind, body and
spirit. Gardeners know and research • A Free Consultation
proves that getting outdoors, digging in • A Living Trust - Single or Married
the soil and gardening help strengthen • Pour-Over Will(s)
muscles, increase flexibility, reduce • Power(s) of Attorney For:
stress and elevate our mood. Health Care, Asset Management
Include gardening as a major • All Transfer Documents to Trust
component of your workout schedule.
You’ll stretch and strengthen muscles • Notarization Fees Included
while promoting cardiovascular health
and maintaining bone mass. A Free Family Information Packet
University of Arkansas study found that NO EXTRA CHARGE
yard work as well as weight training
significantly maintained bone density FOR IN-HOME SERVICES
in women over 50.
And for those trying to lose weight, SIRKIN & SIRKIN
add 30 minutes of gardening to your ATTORNEYS AT LAW
daily or weekly routine to help shed
some extra pounds. A half hour of 800-300-9977
raking burns 162 calories, weeding 182,
and turning the compost pile a
whopping 250. Gardening several times
reinforced fingertips protect your hands
and knuckles from scrapes and bruises.
Gloves with long cuffs or those that extend
to the elbow provide added protection
when working in the garden.
Select gloves that are machine washable,
so you always have a clean pair ready
when you venture out to the garden. Keep
a pair of gloves, pruner and your favorite
weeding tool in a bucket near the front or
back door. You won’t waste time looking
for your favorite tools plus you can take
advantage of those small blocks of time to
weed, deadhead or pick a bouquet of
flowers to enjoy.
Enlist the help of ergonomic tools that
allow you to garden longer with less pain
and fatigue. Look for designs that keep
your back and wrist straight when digging,
per week will help keep you and your pruning and raking. Select tools with soft
landscape looking top notch. wide grips to further reduce hand fatigue.
Don’t let a lack of time, space or
painful joints stop you from growing Wrap the handles of existing tools with
nutritious vegetables, beautiful flowers foam pipe insulation for added padding.
or an attractive landscape. Staying active Protect your joints and muscles while
gardening. Warm up, just as you would for
through gardening not only increases any workout, with a few simple stretches.
flexibility and strengthens muscles, it
helps fight anxiety and depression that Protect your knees by using a stool,
arthritis sufferers and others often kneeling pad or one-legged kneel instead
experience. of squatting.
Take regular breaks. Gardening in
Those struggling with limited time, twenty-minute intervals and resting in
space or mobility may want to try
container and elevated gardening. Both between to enjoy your handiwork and
can be placed on patios, decks or hydrate will pay off with less muscle strain
balconies. Select a size and style you can and fatigue.
Melinda Myers has written numerous books,
easily reach and one that matches your
garden design. Those on a tight budget including Small Space Gardening. She hosts The
can add drainage holes and paint 5-gallon Great Courses How to Grow Anything DVD
food grade containers or nursery pots to series and the nationally-syndicated Melinda’s
create attractive planters. Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers is
Protect and support your hands with a columnist and contributing editor for Birds &
gloves that fit and provide support like Blooms magazine and was commissioned by
Foxgloves Works gloves Foxgloves for her expertise to write this article.
(foxglovesinc.com). Padding and Her web site is www.MelindaMyers.com.

10 February 2020