Everything is really coming together in the gardens this spring. My vision is being put into place and it feels great, but more on that later. It has been a lot of physical work, but well worth it.. My back is feeling a lot of the work. A few months ago I lifted a log by myself, that was two person log. It was also heavier since it was wet. I knew better but, I still did it and I hurt my back. It healed rather quickly which was great but, I find that with all the up and down our steep hills all day with combination of a zillion squats I am terribly tight by the end of the night. As I was thinking about my back and different things I should be doing for it, it occurred to me that since it is garden and yard season, most of us could use a reminder, that we should be taking care of our backs BEFORE, something happens.
Your spine has many nerves, muscles and ligaments that serve as connections to areas throughout your body, so keeping your back in top condition is one of the best things you can do for both your back and your overall health. There are a number of simple things you can try to help keep your spine as healthy as possible and minimize complications from your back condition and/or prevent future painful episodes.
First Rule: Do Not lift things that are to heavy for you. Ask For HELP....
2, Lift Correctly: Protect your back when lifting anything by standing close to the object with your feet apart to give you a stable base. Squat down while keeping the spine in proper alignment and contract your abdominals as you lift using your legs.
3. Choose Your Shoes Carefully: They should be well balanced, flexible and most certainly comfortable. Good shoes provide not only protection for your feet, but also a supportive base that helps the spine and body remain in alignment. Selection of the right shoes, and correctly using inserts if needed to provide even further balance, can help you avoid muscle strain and possible injury
4. Stretch: Here is a few ideas http://drbenkim.com/stretches-healthy-back.htm
5. Enjoy the benefits of massage: Therapeutic massages not only improve flexibility and decrease tension; they can also improve blood flow and increase the level of endorphins in your bloodstream, which is a chemical in the body that makes us feel good.
Ten Ways To Keep A Healthy Back:http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/25013.php
My days start out with me getting my exercise going up the mountain, It has a very steep beginning. I have added some different agility exercises to my mountain exercise time, to make sure I am cross training my body. During this time my husband and I take the dogs and horses to make sure they get their work out in to.
Remember exercise is another key ingredient in keeping your back healthy, as long as you stretch.
Growing my own food has become a passion for me. My second passion is supporting local organic farmers. If you can't find time to grow your own, at least try to grow just a few things. Try some culinary herbs first. The next step you could take would be supporting a local organic farmer by joining a CSA. You could also make a habit of going to the farmers markets weekly.. It is important to have fresh produce, you will be healthier and so will the earth. Fresh organic produce has a lot of vitamins, something store bought produce does not.
Here is today's photo's
Starting more root crops
Building a bed out of scrap logs
More Root Crops
And of course my tea time break. It has been another great productive day, Time for me to go pick a salad for dinner. Peace to you
