National Garden Month is here, and while the word “gardening” brings out healthy images of older grandparents frolicking in their backyards, it can also be a fun activity for all ages and abilities.
As a nutritionist working with a predominantly elderly and homebound population, I hear many stories about growing up with fresh produce and how the tastes and work put into growing their own food made life seem better. It seems like they’re up to something, as research has shown that those who garden seem to experience less stress and less chronic inflammation, which can lower their risk of heart disease and other chronic conditions.
You will also have a diet high in fruits and vegetables, which can also lower your risk of developing chronic diseases.
Solutions to constraints
Melanie Clemmer
If gardening is so wonderful, why aren’t more people doing it? There are many reasons, but in the veteran population I work with, people are faced with physical limitations.
This includes how much energy they have, space restrictions, or generally feeling intimidated by gardening.
Here’s how some veterans I work with overcame these obstacles to bring a little more gardening into their lives:
- Start by growing a small plant indoors. A veteran of the Medical Foster Home, Mr. K, loves the outdoors, but Parkinson’s has him wheelchair-bound and used much of his torso. His caregiver bought him a small hydroponic garden with increasing light.
Now he is happy to grow herbs that he can care for from his wheelchair. If you have a window with adequate lighting, you can still grow an easy-to-grow herb or two like basil or mint.
- Use pots and plant stands that you can access with a wheelchair or walker. Mr L, a 91 year old veteran, has planted several vegetables on his patio and several flowers near his sidewalk. He can carry a small watering can on his rollator and drive up to the plants.
He also has a place to sit when he gets tired or just wants to enjoy the outdoors.
- Make gardening a shared project with the family. Ms. C, a 36 year old veteran, loves fresh produce, but her chronic pain doesn’t always leave her the energy she wants to garden. She got her teenage children to plan and plant a small backyard garden for a school project.
Everyone has regular chores to do, tending the garden and dividing up the remaining chores when mom is tired.
- Take a page from the World War II Victory Garden book and start with vegetables that don’t require much maintenance (aka easy to grow). Herbs and vegetables like Swiss chard, cabbage, and spinach are great products for beginners.
For more information on starting your yard, visit the USDA home gardening website.
If you are interested in this or any other nutrition-related topic, contact your local VA to speak to a registered dietitian.
Melanie Clemmer has been with VA North Texas Health Care System since 1997. She is currently working on the Home Based Primary Care program, which specializes in diabetes education.
