Nature's Prescription: Revitalize Your Health While Caring for Others
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Embarking on my journey to becoming a permaculturist and transforming our yard into an urban forest garden has opened my eyes to the profound ways in which nature can enhance health and wellness. While exercise and nutrition are two important aspects of a healthy lifestyle, my experience has shown me that spending time outdoors and engaging in gardening activities can greatly amplify their effects. Along the way, I've picked up many fun and easy ways to infuse the outdoors into daily life. As April marks National Garden Month, there's no better time to step outside to start reaping Nature’s rewards.
Your Health Matters
Exercise and nutrition are two important aspects of a healthy lifestyle and they are critical for family caregivers. With a little creative thinking, even the busiest of caregivers can find ways to add more of both into their daily routines. The many benefits of exercise and healthy eating are well documented; yet, as we age and become busier, it can become harder to maintain a fixed routine or choose nutritional meal options. Sidelined by medical issues or suddenly overwhelmed with caregiving responsibilities, healthy habits and self-care may fall by the wayside. Given that moderate exercise helps us manage stress levels, get better sleep, and improve our immune system, remembering to stay active and choose healthier foods is even more important for those suffering from grief or stress.
Begin with 20-30 Minutes of Daily Exercise
While sudden life challenges may disrupt normal routines, it is still possible to stay active. Just 20-30 minutes a day of exercise goes a long way. Being in nature is one of the best ways to achieve just that and I’ve learned that I am much more likely to keep moving when I am outside. Enjoying nature together with your care recipient also allows you to incorporate exercise into the day’s caregiving activities, simplifying daily tasks and ensuring you maintain a minimum daily physical activity. Not to mention, combining physical activity with being in nature provides the physical and mental benefits of both.
Find Inspiration Outside
Let nature be your motivator. By incorporating exercise into social activities and being present in nature, staying active becomes much easier to achieve. Here are 4 easy ideas for staying active and nourished in nature while caregiving.
Visit green spaces
Level up your neighborhood walk by exploring botanical gardens, plant nurseries, or public parks with accessible paths. In my home state, places like Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden have miles of paved walkways, so you and a care recipient can explore for as short or long a time as you want. We also love visiting Wakodahatchee Wetlands and have found that many nature preserves across the US have well-maintained boardwalks that are wheelchair accessible. Even larger plant nurseries often have wide walkways. Sometimes, my husband Tyler and I visit one of our local nurseries to simply stroll and look at plants before grabbing a fresh snack from the onsite food truck or garden market.
Pro Tip: Check websites for accessibility information. Reading other visitors’ reviews and looking at photos may also reveal more mobility-friendly information and when in doubt, give them a call.
Exercise Outside
Practicing yoga in nature is a great way to strengthen, stretch, and relax – what better place to do it than under a big shady tree or near some fresh flowers? These days it’s easier to find yoga classes in a garden or park near you and many communities offer free sessions. If you can’t find group classes near you, you can still practice yoga in your own garden with guided videos. For a care recipient with mobility restrictions, you can work together with their doctor or physical therapist to incorporate simple movements and exercises within their ability. Chair yoga involves movements that can be completed from a sitting position. Even a simple strength-training routine can be done in the comfort of your own garden, or a public park using small dumbbells or weights. Your care recipient can partake in their own exercise routine and you’ll both feel accomplished and energized, while also enjoying each other’s company. Following your workout session with a healthy meal or snack is a great reward, too.
Garden together
There are physical benefits when it comes to the movements you make by gardening. Spend some time reaching to harvest fruit, doing your squats while harvesting greens or root vegetables, or simply walking about your garden to check on your plant’s growth. Larger fruits or vegetables, like papaya, make great weights for a few bicep curls, and weeding a raised garden bed is a great practice for dexterity and focus. A sunny spot at sunrise is perfect for a session of stretching and warming up the body for the day. Creative moments like these are also opportunities for your care recipient to stay active and mobile. Figure out together what works safely for them in their unique situation, considering any mobility needs along with their doctor’s advice.
Eat local for a nutritional boost
In addition to the exercise-related benefits of gardening, many physical benefits also come from the added nutrition found in home-grown veggies or organic produce from your local regenerative farm. So while you’re getting some walking in at a local U-pick farm or in your own backyard garden, you’ll also likely be getting healthier foods like fruits and vegetables with lots of fiber and micronutrients. Keeping your body nourished is an important part of both processing grief and of caring for yourself and your care recipient as your caregiving journey continues.
From getting us moving to keeping us energized, Nature is healing in so many ways. When we embrace the outdoors and prioritize our well-being, even if it’s only for a few minutes a day, we can revel in the profound connection between nature and health, enriching our lives one step at a time.
Photography by Heather Martin.
Eventbrite's Listing of Free Yoga in the Park
What are your favorite tips for getting outside while caregiving? We invite you to comment below or send us a note.
