Last post I shared information about Victuals and the connection with ADHD, autism, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, and anxiety. I discussed the relationship these symptoms can intensify based on what foods we choose to eat. I provided some simple meals to break your morning fast for kids and adults. Then I concluded with one of my favorite herbs, lemon balm.
This post will look at “E’ for exercise. If you purchased my book on Amazon, “Heal Thy Mind: 7 Strategies Towards Mental Wellness, Happiness, and Success,” then you know you have choices, and let your environment be the guide. Let your environment guide you. When it is cold, maybe cardio is an option. If it is warm, perhaps swimming is an option. If it is spring, maybe hiking is your choice. Change up and try a variety of activities. This tricks the muscles and adds to elasticity and mobility.
Let me illustrate what I mean. In southern California, we are in the Springtime. It is a time of beauty, although I appreciate all the seasons and changes in nature. Spring has a place in my heart because it encourages me to think about my meal planning for the year. Yes, I said for the year. I am a home Gardner, and I have been engaged in this practice since 2017 but not as committed until COVID in 2019. Covid introduced me to the idea that I needed to control my health. To maintain my health, I needed to manage my food. Then I discovered I wanted food free from pesticides, chemicals, and harmful substances to the mind-body-spirit. So, it meant I needed to learn more about this process. I started to read, listen to other gardeners, and took a few workshops. This was a mental exercise.
Now to the good stuff. I did many things beginning my gardening process. I learned about bugs and little wormy things. One thing I appreciated about my early experiences in my recovery with entomophobia. This phobia is a form of anxiety expressed as an intense fear of insects. It was expressed in a mild form as it wasn’t disabling but prevented me from enjoying many aspects of life. My worries were clearly irrational. I had intense responses when around insects, when watching them on media sources, and when people talked about them. I did many things to avoid insects at all costs. I would tremble and cry, especially when I was younger, my heartbeats intensified, and I struggled to breathe in certain situations. Over the years, I tried many things to minimize my reactions, and some techniques worked, and some methods did not work. I did not give up. It was gardening that brought me closer to nature and closer to insects. In my second year of growing tomatoes, I came across aphids. At first, I left the tomatoes alone because I felt emotionally unable to address the issue. I don’t know if this has happened to you, but it does not make it better to leave something alone. It gets worse. So, I had an infestation. So, I was given an opportunity to heal and move towards wellness or get closer to a diseased state. This time I chose to move towards health.
I researched and encouraged other insects into my garden to help create an environment where the aphids would not survive. It took some time, but I saw some improvements. I was more intentionally caring for the tomato plants in the morning and evening. I usually did a morning and early afternoon supervision of the tomatoes giving me the vitamin D needed for daily health. Vitamin D supports energy and healing the body. The aphids got me outside in the garden more frequently. They provided me the opportunity to be in the sun for short periods. This supported building my immune system. The parallel process I began to experience, what I feared in the past, led me down a healing path. Thank you, aphids, and I figured I would have it down on the next harvest. This was my spiritual experience.
Then the next harvest came, and I was excited to get these tomatoes in the ground. My beautiful tomatoes were growing; I saw the flowers blooming, and then in no time, these tasty yellowish-green fruits were forming. Then it happened, squirrels discovered they were in my garden. These smart rodents were fast, and I couldn’t catch them. Now, my Husky Mona is a good hunter and enjoys this for fun as a sport, and it is part of her instincts. She did well keeping them away during the morning and evening hours, but she would not go outside when it was hot. The squirrels knew this, and this was their time to munch on my Tomatoes. There were moments when Mona and I would sit by the door and wait for hours, and when they showed up, as soon as I opened the door, they were gone. I didn’t enjoy any tomatoes during this harvest, but the Squirrels did, and they really loved them. They would sit on my raised garden bed, chopping and smiling away. It was beautiful, but I had to figure out a way to save the tomatoes so I could enjoy it as well. I would not do anything to harm the Squirrels. Eventually, I got a water hose that squirts out water when motion is detected. That worked, but one of my dogs refused to go outside because the water squirter scared her. I have decided to keep the water squirter but only use it during the hot days when my garden is getting near harvest. What else could I do?
Here is the exercise part. I was told to set up an area for small animals to enjoy so they would not go to other areas. I decided that it needed to be in the front yard. My Mona Husky will attack anything in the backyard. So, I created another garden area in the front. Lots of work. This is what I learned about starting a home garden keeping in mind there is much more to learn and experience.
First, think about the area. Look at where you have sun. You want to consider how many hours of sunlight you have so. I went outside every hour to check over the months. I got my steps in because I was curious myself, and during COVID, I had the time. Second, consider your water. You want to consider an irrigation system; it’s much easier than watering daily. For plants, automatic watering provides the consistency your plants will need. It is easier, especially if I am away for days or even weeks. There are a few options to consider. The easiest is to get a soaking hose and connect it to a timer. This is something I use in my raised garden. The third is the soil. Some people refer to this as dirt, and Gardeners call it soil. I used organic soil with fertilizer. This year I am trying volcanic ash and worm casting. Yes, you heard it here; I will be touching more worms. Fourth, now what are you going to plant. There are many things to consider but let me keep it simple. Start with one or two things, and then add some herbs. The spicy herbs can help to control insects. Also, herbs and flowering plants will encourage an environment in which insects will eat other insects so your plants can grow and sustain healthy vitality for you. If you decide to plant in the ground or a pot, your body must move. You can engage your feet, calves, and thighs. There is bending, squatting, and tightening your stomach muscles if you choose. You can build strength in your arms; bags of dirt and rocks are heavy. I consider this a full-body workout, and when I’m tired, I take a break. When I start a new garden, I learn not to do it all on the same day or weekend; I break It up. I observe the sun, think about the water source, prepare the soil, and finally get to planting. This takes months, and I have over 10,000 steps actively burning hundreds of calories. This is my physical experience.
So when it comes to Spring, one of my choices for exercise is gardening. I see it as a physically challenging process and has mental and spiritual benefits. This is the integration of the mind-body-spirit; now, how rewarding is that. To engage in an activity that brings you towards wellness. To engage in a movement that will sustain you and your family, I didn’t even talk about the nutritional and detoxifying benefits of growing your food. I will save that for another episode. Have fun, enjoy the sun safely and consider gardening as an option for your wellness.
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