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SPRING 2023
THE BENEFITS OF GARDENING Dig Into Good Food And Fun This Spring
if you can grow a garden, what can’t you do? Social Connection – Gardening brings people together and strengthens social connections. The gardening community is rich with people willing to share their expertise, time and, occasionally, plants with new gardeners. Many people, especially those living in a densely populated area, enjoy tending a community garden with neighbors. If you’d like to grow a garden this year but don’t know where to start, try starting small with only a few plants and with something easy to care for. Green, leafy vegetables, like arugula and lettuce, are great for beginners, and fruit-bearing crops, like tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers, are simple yet rewarding to raise. These plants don’t require a lot of attention, making them great for drivers who spend a lot of time away from home! W m
While it is obvious growing a garden can promote a wholesome diet, there are a number of surprising health benefits to digging in the dirt! If you’re looking for a fun way to be active and spend more time outside this year, plotting a garden or planting flowers are both great ways to soak up the sun and get moving! Increased Exercise – Gardening is a good form of exercise. While tending a garden, you perform functional movement that mimics whole body exercises. Gardening requires plenty of squatting, lunging, carrying and bending that you’re sure to feel the next morning! If you suffer from back or knee pain but would still like to plant a garden, a small stool or raised garden beds can be a huge help! Time in Nature – Getting outdoors is good for your physical and mental health. People tend to breathe deeper when outside, helping to clear out the lungs, improve digestion and increase oxygen
our day. Gardening routines, like watering and weeding, can create a soothing rhythm to ease stress and improve mental health. Build Self-Esteem – You may not think you were born with a green thumb, but after tilling, planting, nurturing and harvesting plants, you might see a slightly different person in the mirror: a person who can grow things and is a little more in tune with the earth. It always feels good to accomplish new tasks, and
levels in the blood. Spending time outside has been shown to reduce heart rate and muscle tension. Sunlight lowers blood pressure and increases vitamin D levels. Reduced Stress Levels – Nearly all forms of exercise can reduce stress, and gardening is no different. It’s been shown to improve mood and lower levels of stress and anxiety. It’s very rewarding to plant, tend, harvest and share your own food, and routines provide structure to
MEAL PLANNING AND PACKING LUNCHES Proper Planning Ahead Can Benefit Your Health
Jackson MS associate Daniel O’Brien , who often packs his own lunch and chooses wisely when he eats fast food, shares a few tips and how meal prepping benefits him. Portion Control “Planning meals helps me eat better portions. People often overeat when they go to restaurants or get fast food, but packing a lunch helps limit you to the perfect portion size.” Convenience “When you’re hungry and haven’t planned, it’s easy to pick quick, unhealthy food. I often pack leftovers from dinner, and that makes deciding what I’m going to eat an
easy choice.” Healthy Choices
something healthy like Subway. I’ll buy a footlong sandwich and eat half of it in the morning and the other half later. That way I know I am eating healthy and saving money!” If you are on the road for days at a time, finding nutritious meals may feel like a never-ending battle. But you don’t have to pack your lunch to stay healthy while out on a trip! Scan the QR code with
“We broil, bake and cook a lot of our food on the grill at home. We may have spaghetti – which is a great leftover meal to pack for lunch – but I try to stay away from carbs, sweets and soda. I like all those things, but when I eat better, I feel better.” Easy Meals “We have an Instant Pot at home, so preparing meals is really easy. We make a lot of meals in the Instant Pot, and it makes enough food that I can eat on it for a couple days.” Good Fast Food Options “If I eat fast food, I usually choose
your phone to learn about healthy fast food options and how to navigate popular restaurant menus! W m
Wellness Matters 2023
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