The Gardener's Body Book/Blog

Introduction

Imagine a blog that combines
gardening-the nation's most popular past-time-
with the exploding interest in physical health and fitness.


Ask any gardener, "Do you often enjoy working in the garden, but later discover you've harvested an aching back along with your tomatoes?" "Are stiff knees and sore muscles your unwelcome reward for nurturing those beautiful perennials?" The typical answer will be a knowing nod. Most gardeners take better care of their gardens than they do of their own bodies. They understand how to manipulate the backyard environment to reap the desired results, but few gardeners seem to realize that the laws of nature are universal and also apply to the environment inside the human body.

Encouraging readers to employ the same principles of care with their bodies as they do with their gardens, The Gardener's Body Blog will draw parallels between the two environments. Gardeners know that robust plants require fertilizer. Different combinations of soil nutrients promote different plant characteristics. Similarly, the human body needs nutritious foods; specific vitamins and minerals support specific bodily systems and structures. Just as there are beneficial bugs in the garden, there are beneficial bacteria at work in the human body. Plants need strong supporting structures for their best display and health correlating with the human body's requirement for efficient postural alignment. Comparing the familiar elements of the gardener's world with similarities in the human body will make sense of the gardener's pain and explain how to prevent it.

The Gardener's Body Blog will demonstrate correct body positioning for the strenuous activities of planting, weeding, mulching and pruning. Gardeners spend hours performing these physically demanding tasks, yet still view their hobby as a recreational activity requiring no physical preparation. Consequently, they turn to the healthcare industry to relieve the aches and pains suffered as a result of inefficient posturing during gardening and yard chores. If gardeners simply conditioned their muscles for the work they intend to do, much as athletes do for sporting activities, and learned how to situate their bodies properly, they could avoid the pain often associated with their favorite hobby. By illustrating specific ways to prepare for these activities, The Gardener's Body Blog will enable gardeners to spend the time they love outdoors with less risk of injury, muscle soreness, and joint stiffness.

For over 20 years as a neuromuscular therapist, posture specialist, and corrective exercise coach, I have successfully taught clients how to avoid pain resulting from their daily activities. My passion is transforming the complicated topic of biomechanics into a light, less daunting "Oh, now I get it!" epiphany for my audience.

And now that autumn is here and the gardens are cleared and prepared for winter, it's the perfect time to begin preparing our bodies for what's to come in a few months when we spring out of the house and back into the garden.