The spring has finally sprung in Niagara. Cherries blossom, tulips bloom, and grass is growing with amazing speed… which means, the gardening and hiking season has began here, as well as in many other parts of the continental USA and Canada. Are you ready for the demands of the season?
As we emerge from hibernation of the long winter, we are so eager to jump into our favorite outdoor activities, that often forget that our spirit may be willing, but the flesh is weak… Unprepared and over-exercised body will make you pay dearly for the pleasures of exploring new hiking trails, making flowerbeds, or endlessly digging out those pesky dandelions that seem to grow everywhere.
Let’s see what we, as Home Healers, can do to get more pleasure than pain from one of the main seasonal passions – GARDENING.
As many of you may know, gardening is a workout. It may not be as dangerous as traditional sports activities, but it is not without risk. Repetitive stress injuries from bending and reaching and strains and sprains from pulling a large, tough weed are just some of the things to watch out for when you make your way to the garden.
Here are 10 TIPS to the Pain-Free Gardening from a chiropractor Dr. Don Nixdorf, with the Healing FUSION twist for Home Healers from me.
1. VERY important. PREPARE your muscles for a workout. Warm them up stretching with the various movements you will be working in the yard, or just take a short walk around the block. If you have the QLaser, run it over your arms, legs, and back on Mode 1 for 2-3 cycles. If you have a SCENAR or COSMODIC device, slightly massage the muscles with it in constant motion for 3-5 min. in a default mode and on a higher than average energy level. Don’t worry about keeping the COSMODIC device steady on one spot, as it is usually recommended; you can use it in motion for the purpose of warming up.
2. Avoid prolonged bending, pushing and pulling while raking and hoeing, which can strain shoulders or the lower back. To avoid strain and muscle spasm on one side of the body, switch hands frequently. Overall, try to balance both sides of the body: for ex., squatting for pulling weeds, shift your weight to one leg pulling the weeds with the opposite arm – then switch sides and keep alternating them.
3. Opt for long-handled tools. Forward and sideways bending can aggravate the neck or lower back.
4. Kneel to perform tasks, rather than bend whenever possible.
5. Keep overhead work to five-minute episodes, and be careful looking up, especially if you are standing on a ladder – you may get dizzy and fall. Avoid extreme reaching with one arm.
6. Every 15 min. – take a short break and STRETCH! CLICK HERE for the PDF showing the simplest stretches that can be very effective in preventing spinal and related health problems. You should do these stretches even when you are not working out; they will help you to keep your spine in shape. Just remember: back exercises should deal with flexibility first, strength second.
7. Carry medium-to-small sized loads of debris close to your body, or use a wheelbarrow to avoid strain on your back. Save heavier work for mid-way through your chores. This helps avoid sudden strenuous exertion on unused muscles and joints.
8. If you are using a hedge trimmer, keep your back straight and use short strokes to avoid upper arm and neck strain. Pause after three to five minutes.
9. Remember to drink plenty of liquids while working on your garden – it is easy to get dehydrated under the friendly spring and summer sun. The same sun, BTW, can also create problems for you, if you are not protecting your head and your skin well enough. Sun burns and even sun strokes are very common amongst avid gardeners. Use your QLaser in Mode 1 on your skin – and in Mode 2 on your head, if you develop a headache.
10. And the last but not least: always keep your Healing FUSION devices within an easy reach. For example, you can easily carry the DOVE scenar or the C-DOVE in your pocket; these devices are small and light enough. If you feel that you’ve overdone something or, especially, if you’ve injured something, use them IMMEDIATELY! Right on the spot. Don’t wait for the severe pain to set in. Speed of application is a key to the speedy recovery.
And, of course, if after all the above preventative measures you are still stiff and pain-full the next day after turbo-gardening, you will be using your SCENARs, QLasers, and SOLARIS Blankets as much as you can, right? Directly on the painful spots, as well as along the spine and on your liver and kidneys (to accelerate the toxin and lactic acid release). (Please note the article that we published not so long ago on positive effects of the QLaser on Exercise Fatigue.)
Enjoy your spring and summer, Home Healers, with your Healing FUSION tools by your side!
Dr. Irina
P.S. BTW, the described Healing FUSION warm-up can and should also be used for any kind of expected demanding physical activity, from a simple workout to exploring multiple tourist attractions on your feet or playing competitive sports. Besides preventing injuries, it is also guaranteed to increase your performance 🙂
