How Should You H DOG BITE PREV
Horticulture Therapy Might Help You to Recover! HEALING AS OLD AS DIRT
National Dog Bite Prevention Week falls in April. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs annually in the United States. Of those individual cases, 800,000 required medical care.
Given the population of the United States was about 331 million in 2020, about 1 in every 73 people has been bitten by a dog each year.
When you’re in pain, daily activities like walking to the mailbox or reaching for a plate from the
If you’re the victim of a dog bite, time is of the essence! The best time to contact an attorney is right after the dog bite occurs. Maryland’s statute of limitations for submitting a dog bite claim is three years. But keep in mind that if you wait a
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
full three years to submit a claim, your case may not be looked at as seriously. After all, you must not have been badly injured if you waited that long, right? Maryland is not a “one-bite” state; instead, it is a strict liability law state, meaning that dog owners are responsible for the actions of their dog(s), whether or not they knew the dog was potentially dangerous. Therefore, an owner can potentially be held liable even if their dog has never been aggressive in the past, as long as the dog was not provoked and the victim was legally in the area where the bite took place.
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.
Take a Break
To learn more about horticulture therapy, connect with a local psychiatrist or counselor.
2 • www.malloy-law.com
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