SELF CARE, GARDENING AND OUTDOOR VACATIONS FOR STRESS REDUCTION
Do you feel better when you are outside in the sun and fresh air? Does the sight of a garden fill you with delight? Does that inspire you to create your own garden or to bring plants inside your home? Does it make you happy and excited to buy a new plant, pot it or plant it? Do you zen out watering, tending and watching them thrive, happy to pull weeds? These feelings and actions are our deposit into self care that we incorporate into our day increasing our health and vitality. Doing these activities is part of a health modality called Grounding or Earthing. Earthing is refers to contact with the Earth’s surface electrons by walking barefoot outside or having bodily contact with the Earth’s natural electric charge to help stabilize our energy flow reducing stress for better well-being.
It may not always be obvious what we do for self care. Self care is tending to our needs to reduce stress and manage our health. It’s good to be aware of this to appreciate the moment and to get more value out of it. It is not selfish. It was brought to my attention recently that my habit of buying plants, delighting in planting them or potting them, tending and admiring them daily was part of my personal self care lifestyle. I find it exciting and calming. Many people may prefer getting their hair and nails done or a combination of both. It’s all self care. We need these things but also need to balance the stress of our daily lives.
Exercise can also be stressful when done in excess but stress reducing when gentle like walking, hiking and gardening. These can even be a form of meditation. What have you done or are planning to do for your self care?
Recently, I took a drive with a friend along my favorite hwy. 395 in California. Heading out of town and getting more attuned to nature is very destressing. This has always been a form of self care for me. I hiked and relaxed in Lake Tahoe and enjoyed beautiful blue skies and blue/green water. I enjoyed fresh air and exhausted myself hiking many miles a day. I enjoyed every moment.
Being a nature enthusiast and traveling health coach, Yosemite is always on the way home. It has a place in my heart. My friend and I planned this whole trip around hiking Yosemite Falls for excitement, relaxation and our self care. It was a long hike but as I hiked higher and higher the rewards were blue sky blue and brilliant greens. The vistas were mesmerizing around every switchback. The falls grew closer and bigger the higher we climbed. The rewards to my self care were a balm to being tired. Sharing this experience with a friend increased the self care for both of us and a feeling of gratitude. Sharing this travel expenses lessens the impact of cost, keeping stress levels low.
I extend my self care into tending my home garden. I can hardly resist a new plant and share this excitement and pleasure with two friends and coworkers. I have started a new gardening project I call, “Give a girl a cup of coffee and watch her garden grow.”
My son recently mowed our “back desert” so well I just knew it was time to plant those Oleanders I had been meaning to plant for 20 years—where did the time go? With a cup of coffee and 5 baby Oleanders, I had a great time exercising and gardening after work one day. I hunted and gathered cardboard from work and yard to use as ground cover and weed reduction. Because of antelope valley wind, I next gathered up all kinds of concrete, boards and wood from the yard (plenty with nearly an acre to maintain) then I gathered tree branches and any plant material I could get to use as mulch to place on top of the cardboard. “Give a Girl a Cup of Coffee and Watch Her Garden Grow” was the feeling I had as I started this grounding, self-care project to revitalize my back yard habitat.
I happily exhausted myself exercising and gardening on this new project that delighted me. We don’t always take the time for this, but I deepened my self care with purpose and practicality. We don’t always need to take that walk but can garden instead and use our muscles to lift heavy things. Gardening for self care and as exercise is very stress reducing and increases our health. Did you know you were increasing your health with these activities?
As a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition (FDN) Practitioner, helping my clients reduce stress and encourage them to find those moments is part of my business. It may seem simple but it should be something we are aware of because it increases the positive effect. We need to add and plan more moments like these to increase and maintain health and vitality. Part of my program is getting my high-intensity women to plan outdoor excursion to stay active, and keep excited while outdoors exercising. What are you outdoor vacation will you plan to revitalize yourself?
If you are ready to rebuild your health and need a health detective, as an FDN-P I help my clients uncover HIDDEN stressors and and underlying dysfunction. Let’s work together to uncover your healing opportunities and create better health for your or someone you know. If you are curious if a holistic health rebuilding program could help you, email me at loribalue@gmail.com for a discovery consultation. See you soon!
Age Successfully! Be Vibrant!
Lori Balue, FDN-P and A-CFHC
Nature enthusiast and traveling health coach
This information is being provided to you for educational and informational purposes only. It is being provided to you to educate you about functional health and nutrition and as a self-help tool for your own use. It is not medical advice. This information is to be used at your own risk based on your own judgement. For my full Disclaimer, please go to my website loribalue.com.