“Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near.” Matthew 24:32 NLT

Spring gives us such pleas-ure as we see everything coming back to life, and it’s a reminder of the new life that we have through Christ’s resurrection. Gardening is a pleasure for most of us, but it is also an exercise and can lead to injuries. Raking, mulching, planting, trim-ming and digging are good physical activity yet can result in pain and stiffness in our neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, knees and back if we over-extend ourselves. To enjoy the flowers, vegetables and fruits without pain try these tips from Dr. William Madosky, a St. Louis chiropractor.

Treat gardening as a sport: Warm up and stretch the muscles before beginning.

Be realistic: Plan your work carefully to avoid injury. Set a moderate

pace and time schedule to allow enjoyment of the task and minimize potential injuries.

Remember good body mechanics: When lifting heavy bags of dirt or mulch keep your back straight back, bend your knees, lift with the legs, and hold objects close to your body. If shoveling, lift the dirt and turn the entire body to empty it – don’t twist.

Change it up: Use different muscle groups and mini-mize the repetitive stress placed on joints and extremities by frequently changing activities.

Use a cushion, stool, or small bench when weeding: The support helps reduce stress placed on knees and spine from gardening movements.

Take frequent breaks: By stopping to stretch, getting a drink or just enjoying the progress every half hour, you minimize your chance of injury or dehydration.

Stop gardening if fatigued or in pain: That “one last thing” when tired leads to injury. If pain occurs, stop! If pain persists, apply ice to the affected area for 15-20 minutes at a time to reduce inflammation. DO NOT USE HEAT – it increases the inflammatory process. If pain persists, contact the doctor.

We can spend time in the garden appreciating the glory of God’s creation, while caring for our body at the same time.

(Source: www.drmadosky.com/articles.html )

Gardening offers quite the physical workout. Digging up soil, moving it around, and lugging bags of fertilizer or mulch provides good cardio exercise. Planting seeds, blubs, or bushes makes you stretch and use muscle groups that went

dormant over the winter. Heavy watering cans become dumbbells as you water your plants and work your biceps. Gardening also provides therapy for those recovering from stroke or who need to improve motor skills and range of motion. Exercise

from gardening can help you prevent heart disease, obesity, and hypertension so use good body mechanics, soak up some sunshine, and start your journey to health.

“I went down to the grove of walnut trees and out to the valley to see the new spring growth, to see whether the grapevines had budded or the pomegranates were in bloom.” Song of Solomon 6:11 NLT

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We CARE about your COLON, do you?

• Parish Nurse invites you to participate in a short survey to access your colon health

• Parish Nurse encourages you to learn about your colon cancer risk factors, especially if you are over age 50

• Call your Parish Nurse for more information

Gardening Tips 1

Exercise 1

Stress Reliever 2

Diet Changes 2

Life Cycles 2

References 2

Colon-Rectal Cancer 2

In this Issue:

April 2011

Spring Gardening

Issue 1, Volume 5

Dickey & LaMoure County Parish Nurse

When you are stressed, do you find nature helpful? Research shows that the green of nature is calming, the sound of water falling is relaxing, and the scents of herbs like lavender are soothing. These benefits are used in many public and private gardens to promote mental and spiritual healing for patients with chronic disease, cancer, or mental illness. For example a park bench alongside flowing water encourages one to sit down, contemplate their situation, or meditate to achieve peace. The

respite and hope this creates de-creases one’s stress levels, lowers the blood pressure, and eases the pain of grief. Whether you want to enjoy a pretty place, lower blood pressure, or gain solitude when grieving, gardens will offer you peace, renewal, and hope if you take the time.

bloom and bear God’s love to all of those around us.

We can learn lessons about God from our garden since the cycle of plant life is just like the cycle for people. The process of preparing, planting, cultivating, and harvest-ing takes great care and can’t be rushed. Plants need the right soil, mixture of water, and amount of sunlight to grow to their full poten-tial. God does the same for us. He offers us His love, adds His pres-ence, and encourages us through our faith, church, and family. Like the plant, our spiritual life is a jour-ney through life’s ups and downs. With God’s guidance we come to full

“I am the one who answers your prayers and cares for you. I am like a tree that is always green; all your fruit comes from me.” Hosea 14:8 NLT

into a diet when they are the result of the hard work of your own per-sonal garden. If you grow herbs, you can enhance the taste of your other food and decrease the use of salt as a flavoring. Having plenty of vegetables and herbs right out-side your door will help battle the risks of heart disease and cancer so start planning yours today.

When making a dietary change to healthier foods, consider a garden. Fruits and vegetables always taste better from a garden than a hot-house since they can ripen natu-rally and are less processed than those purchased in stores. It’s also easier to introduce healthy foods

“A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit.” Matthew 7:17, 18 NLT

Sunday May 1st Wellness Assessment &

Presentation at local Parishes Colon Rectal Cancer

#1 Cause of Cancer LaMoure County and #2 Dickey County

“For I am like a tree whose roots reach the water, whose branches are refreshed with the dew.” Job 29:19 NLT

*Are Your Roots Healthy?* Come to CHURCH -May 1st

Page 2 Dickey & LaMoure County

References / Resources:

www.nationalgardenmonth.org/index.php?page=educators – information on gardening for youth, educators, and communities on the benefits of gardening

www.google.com – search gardens, healing gardens, community gardens, organic gardens, home extensions