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| It’s the 4th – and you have the Freedom to Choose! = = = = = = = = = = = = = Dear Casual Gardener, How do you find time to work in your garden as much as you do? I’m all for better health by gardening, but can’t figure out how to place it into my very busy working parent schedule. Help! Signed, Overworked in Suburbia = = = = = = = = = = = = = Dear Overworked, Your question is very timely as we are approaching the 4th of July. The powerful truth is that you have the freedom to choose. In fact, we are all very, very fortunate that we live in the United States and DO have the freedom of choice. There are countries in Asia and Africa in the middle of war. The people there are not able to choose their governments, their religion, or their way of life. Health is a question that goes unanswered because they are struggling to survive in a war zone. These people are starving for food, safety and nature. Enjoying their front yard filled with flowers or birdsong is a heaven they can only dream of. I, on the other hand, live on arguably the best block in the whole world – a small chunk of Heaven. I am able to choose my government, religion and way of life. I have friends and family who love me. I have space to garden and a brain full of creativity to tap into. I have been educated and my children will be too. I have all the food I need, in fact, I have Starbucks. My family NEEDS me to be healthy so I can help them grow up and learn how to behave in this sometimes confusing world. I want them to be educated and respectful of the world around them – and it’s my responsibility to teach them these things. Because of all that, I have made the choice to work hard to do the right thing from a health perspective – I’ve built my health plan to address staying healthy by gardening and do my best to stick with it. You are living a gifted life – here in the United States you have the ability to CHOOSE to be healthy. Don’t waste these privileges by staying inside and rotting on the couch or filling your life with too much stress! MAKE THE TIME to get healthy!! You have the freedom to make this choice and if something else has to be removed from your schedule – so be it. Being a little selfish and having time to exercise and get healthy will reward your entire family. You will be less stressed, more healthy and feel better for them as much as for you. The community you have built – your family and friends – want you to take care of yourself. Making excuses only makes it worse. Just do it! Below is the health plan I stick with. It works. Remember to check with your doctor before participating in any health or exercise plan! Try the plan and see what happens for you! It’s been a miracle for me! Shawna’s Health Plan: • Exercise aerobically, preferably outdoors gardening, for at least 20 minutes every day, breathing deeply (rain or shine) • Expose yourself to daylight without sunglasses for 20 minutes every day • Take vitamins (particularly B vitamins) • Eat nutritionally between 3 and 5 meals/snacks every day spaced apart as evenly as possible. Be sure these meals have some form of a high-quality, low fat protein and “whole-grain” type carb • Get regular massage – either from family, a friend or a professional • Regularly do helpful things for others and/or for the community and environment (start with conservation in your own back yard) Happy Fourth of July to all my readers! Celebrate our freedom of choice!! Please send your gardening questions for Shawna Coronado, The Casual Gardener to dearshawna@thecasualgardener.com or The Casual Gardener, P.O. Box 358, Warrenville, IL 60555. www. thecasualgardener.com |
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