Gardener’s Corner

GARDEN YOUR WAY TO BETTER HEALTH THIS SPRING

Break out the tools and garden your way to a healthier mind, body and spirit. Gardeners have always known it, but now research proves that gardening is a great form of exercise.

You’ll work out all your major muscle groups when raking, digging and planting for an hour. Include gardening as a major component of your workout schedule. You’ll stretch and strengthen muscles while promoting cardiovascular health and maintaining bone mass. A University of Arkansas study found that yard work as well as weight training more significantly maintained bone density than aerobics, dancing or bicycling in women over 50.

And for those of us trying to lose weight, add 30 minutes of gardening to your daily or weekly routine to help shed some extra pounds. A half hour of raking burns 162 calories, weeding 182, and turning the compost pile a whopping 250 calories. Gardening several times a week will help keep you and your landscape looking its best.

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