HEALING AS OLD AS DIRT HORTICULTURE THERAPY MIGHT HELP YOU TO RECOVER!
When you’re in pain, daily activities like walking to the mailbox or reaching for a plate from the cupboard can exacerbate inflamed joints and weak muscles. However, just simply being a human can intensify this pain, too. The reason is in your brain. For years, researchers have connected our mental well-being with our physical health. Study after study shows that those who suffer from mental illnesses also have intense bouts of pain. Physical therapy is a powerful treatment method designed to use your body’s strength and movement to stimulate physical healing. But to holistically recover from an injury or pain, you may have to also address your mental health. This spring, as April showers loom, consider a centuries-old practice that has shown time and time again to improve mental wellness. All it requires is a little dirt, patience, and the great outdoors. What is horticulture therapy? As the American Horticultural Therapy Association explains, horticulture therapy can improve cognitive and memory abilities, balance, language skills, and endurance, among
other benefits. It’s the practice of gardening to stimulate mindfulness. Dating back to
ancient Mesopotamia, the Persians were known for creating beautiful, calming gardens for this very purpose, and the first documented use of gardening for medical reasons is from the 1800s. Since then, connecting humans to plants is now a common treatment in many countries. What do I have to do? To effectively engage in horticulture therapy, you have to engage with nature. Plant a small garden in your yard and tend to it each day or week. Join a community garden, plant an indoor herb garden, or pluck weeds from your yard. If you’re not much of a gardener, try visiting local botanical gardens or hike a local trail and identify plant life each week. Or, ask your local nursery for suggestions about plants that are easy to care for. The goal is to physically and mentally connect with nature, which bonds you to a simpler form of life.
To learn more about horticulture therapy, connect with a local psychiatrist or counselor.
Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia, is one of the most famous golf courses in the world. The golf club was constructed back in 1933 and has enthralled golfers of every skill level. Augusta is mostly known for the Masters Tournament, one of the four major championships on the PGA Tour. In its nearly 90-year history, Augusta National Golf Club has seen some crazy events. From hostage situations to near- death experiences, there’s no shortage of unbelievable stories that have taken place on the course. Below you’ll find 3 Insane Events That Happened at Augusta National Golf Club
three of the most bizarre events that have occurred at this golf club.
Ronald Reagan’s Bizarre 1983 Round Many presidents throughout our country’s history have enjoyed the game of golf, and Ronald Reagan was no exception. While Reagan was in the middle of a round at Augusta, a man named Charles Harris rammed his pickup truck through a locked gate, stormed into the pro shop, took five hostages, and demanded to speak with the president. Reagan left the course after Harris refused to speak to him over the phone, then the police handled the situation from there. Reagan returned the next day to play an uninterrupted round. The Years Without the Masters During World War II, golf was one of the last things people thought about. After seeing the bulk of their members sent overseas to fight in the war, the owners of the course came up with an alternative way to make money. They
decided to allow cattle and turkeys to roam the course before they were ready for market. It took years for the foliage to return to playing shape. Death and Return At the 2018 Masters, a man named Johnny Pruitt got to live his dream by attending the championship as a spectator. He never made it to his seat though as an irregular heartbeat stopped his heart. Pruitt was taken from the course, and his heart was restarted with a defibrillator before he went into a coma. He awoke from the coma a week later, and Augusta invited him back to attend the 2019 Masters.
2 • WWW.PHYSICALTHERAPYCT.COM
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