13 easy tips for healthier gardening

Did you know that sewing your own seeds has extreme health benefits? The key, however, is not to overdo it or do it incorrectly. These 13 tips will enable you to remain healthy while gardening.

Quick: what is one of the best ways to reduce your risk of hypertension, osteoporosis and depression? How about digging in the dirt?

Studies find that gardening is one of the best physical activities of all when it comes to preventing or improving chronic health conditions. Plus, the stress-relieving benefits of watching something grow, of breathing in the scent of flowers, of picking a sun-kissed tomato from your own garden, are legion.

1. Stretch for five minutes before heading out to the garden. Focus on your hamstrings, back and arms.

2. Dress for gardening. That means wearing sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher and reapplying it every couple of hours. Also put on insect spray, a hat, sunglasses and a light, long-sleeved shirt that covers most of your neck.

3. Bend from your knees and take frequent breaks from bending over. Back strain is a common gardening injury. Other ways to avoid it are to carry a small stool with you to sit or lean on while weeding, and to use knee pads to protect your kneecaps from hard ground.

4. Check the pollen count before heading out, particularly if you suffer from allergies or asthma. Also, forgo gardening on days of high heat and humidity. The heavy air could cause problems if you have respiratory issues.

5. Choose gardening tools with padded handles to protect the joints in your hands and fingers from excess pressure. Tools such as shears or clippers with a spring-action, self-opening feature are particularly helpful if you have a weak grasp.

6. Divide large bags of mulch, dirt or fertilizer into smaller, more manageable loads and use a cart or wheelbarrow to move materials. When lifting, use the muscles in your legs, not your back.

7. Vary your tasks to avoid overstressing any one part of your body. For instance, don't spend the entire day stooping and weeding. Instead, pick one section of the garden and complete it: weeding, laying the mulch, then raking. Tackle another section the following day.

8. Carry a cellphone. Garden accidents do occasionally occur. It can be a painful strain or worse. Make sure you can quickly summon help if need be, especially if you're at the community garden away from home.

9. Plant at least one vegetable in your garden. You'll be more likely to eat it. Also plant some herbs to use for flavouring food in place of salt.

10. Keep all your gardening tools, gloves, etc. in a backpack that you can carry with you as you move from bed to bed.

11. Keep your garden manageable. If you take on too much too soon, you'll find you ache the next morning (and risk a more serious injury), and you'll quickly become overwhelmed.

12. Carry a water bottle with you if you're spending the day in the garden. And be sure to sip on it every 30 minutes or so. It's easy to become dehydrated when you're working outdoors.

13. Take time after gardening to sit in a shady spot and admire your accomplishments. Sip a cool drink and enjoy the beauty around you.