1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: Over the past few months, the way we do everything 2 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:09,200 Speaker 1: has changed, including our workouts. Gyms and fitness centers closed 3 00:00:09,200 --> 00:00:13,200 Speaker 1: their doors, leaving us this perfect excuse to pause our memberships. 4 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:15,920 Speaker 1: And while I'm sure some of you have kept training 5 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 1: for those marathons, for an indoor cat like me, I 6 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:24,759 Speaker 1: quickly took to the more sedentary life binging Netflix, mixing 7 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 1: up mock tails with my kids, cooking up large pots 8 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 1: of delicious foods. And while the coziness gave me this 9 00:00:32,120 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 1: certain type of comfort in these stressed times, it hasn't 10 00:00:35,840 --> 00:00:39,360 Speaker 1: done wonders for my paunch. So I've been trying to 11 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:42,000 Speaker 1: figure out how to slip a little exercise into my world, 12 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:44,440 Speaker 1: and how do I do it without it feeling like 13 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 1: a chore. Lucky for me, I've heard that gardening can 14 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:52,480 Speaker 1: be a great substitution for spin classes or that breakdance class. 15 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:56,000 Speaker 1: Ruby keeps trying to convince me to take our new 16 00:00:56,040 --> 00:01:02,000 Speaker 1: come on, come on, let's do right dancing class. Plus 17 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:05,399 Speaker 1: the commute to my backyard. It feels like when I 18 00:01:05,400 --> 00:01:10,840 Speaker 1: can manage Hey there, I'm Mongays Articular, a co host 19 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:13,240 Speaker 1: of Part Time Genius, one of the co founders of 20 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 1: Mental Plus, and this is Humans, Growing Stuff a collaboration 21 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:20,640 Speaker 1: from my Heart Radio and your friends at Miracle Grow. 22 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:23,880 Speaker 1: My goal is to make this the most human show 23 00:01:24,319 --> 00:01:27,840 Speaker 1: about plants you'll ever listen to, and along the way, 24 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 1: we'll share sweet, inspiring stories, tips and tricks to nurture 25 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:34,679 Speaker 1: your plant addiction, and just enough science to make you 26 00:01:34,720 --> 00:01:39,080 Speaker 1: sound like an expert. In today's episode, we're examining gardening 27 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:42,920 Speaker 1: is a form of exercise, from targeting specific muscle groups 28 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:46,399 Speaker 1: to burning calories to stretching your body. So put down 29 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:49,400 Speaker 1: your kettlebells and pick up that shovel. We're about to 30 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 1: get biddle leaf bit chapter eight, Growing Plants and Muscles. 31 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 1: As a kid just bouncing a basketball on the driveway, 32 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:06,480 Speaker 1: it was like a bat signal in my neighborhood. You'd 33 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:08,960 Speaker 1: go onto your driveway, dribble the ball around a little, 34 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 1: and suddenly you'd see window shades part little eyes would 35 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:15,359 Speaker 1: peer out, and any kid who could sneak away from 36 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:18,840 Speaker 1: their homework or their chores, which show up to play 37 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 1: and in an instant games would just materialize. Weirdly enough, 38 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:27,800 Speaker 1: that isn't how it is. As a four year old, 39 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:29,920 Speaker 1: I can sit on my stoop with a soccer ball 40 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:32,400 Speaker 1: or dribble a basketball on the sidewalk, and no one 41 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:35,440 Speaker 1: my age is running over to play. The truth is, 42 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 1: unless there's a game involved, I'm a little lazy about 43 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:43,639 Speaker 1: going to the gym. But there's something wonderful about incidental exercise. 44 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 1: If I happen to get fit from doing things I 45 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 1: want to do anyway, well, I'm all for it. And 46 00:02:50,240 --> 00:02:53,919 Speaker 1: it turns out gardening can be just that. You didn't 47 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:56,680 Speaker 1: hear this from our conversation last week, but when I 48 00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:59,960 Speaker 1: was chatting with Jim Gaffigan, the comedian and writer and act, 49 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:03,240 Speaker 1: he told me about how gardening has actually helped him 50 00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 1: achieve fitness goals on his Apple Watch. I have an 51 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 1: Apple Watch, me mentioning it on this podcast, they should 52 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:14,560 Speaker 1: send me a new one which keeps track of energy 53 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:17,920 Speaker 1: burned and calories burned and all that. And when I 54 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 1: was doing gardening, I was burning a lot of calories. 55 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 1: But I felt what was really kind of weird was 56 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:26,080 Speaker 1: at one point I kind of injured myself and I 57 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:28,240 Speaker 1: was like, am I the first person to ever get 58 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:32,440 Speaker 1: injured gardening? You know, It's like it's like, where, how 59 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 1: did you get injured? While I was running a marathon? 60 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:36,640 Speaker 1: How did you get injured. But I was trying to 61 00:03:36,680 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 1: plant some tulips and it's but yeah, I do reach 62 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:47,680 Speaker 1: some of my fitness goals by gardening, which is great. 63 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:50,240 Speaker 1: And he gets you outside so you get the vitamin 64 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 1: D and all that stuff, so there is some exercise 65 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 1: value in it. Jim's right. Over the course of the series, 66 00:03:57,920 --> 00:04:00,120 Speaker 1: I've read that gardening is good for the body. In 67 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:02,240 Speaker 1: just a couple of hours, you can burn two hundred 68 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:05,360 Speaker 1: to six hundred calories through a mix of work. And 69 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 1: that's because gardening is a whole body exercise that impacts 70 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:13,560 Speaker 1: large muscle groups like your legs, back, shoulder abs. Tasks 71 00:04:13,600 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 1: like mowing and raking leaves are more intensive and have 72 00:04:16,760 --> 00:04:20,400 Speaker 1: a better payoff increasing your heart rate with repeated rhythm 73 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:25,719 Speaker 1: of activity, but smaller tasks, things like pruning that targets 74 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:29,239 Speaker 1: smaller muscles like deltoids and the upper and lower trapezis 75 00:04:29,800 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 1: or adults and traps. For all your gym riots out there, 76 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:35,920 Speaker 1: so much of being a busy working adult is managing 77 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:39,400 Speaker 1: your time, and I think sometimes for me at least, 78 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:43,000 Speaker 1: I get caught up in the idea that fitness or 79 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:46,960 Speaker 1: working out has to be a separate activity entirely that 80 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:50,360 Speaker 1: if it isn't an hour of focused exercise distant from 81 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:54,320 Speaker 1: my family, it doesn't count. But clearly the opposite can 82 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:57,440 Speaker 1: be true. I want to dig deeper into this idea, 83 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:00,840 Speaker 1: so I called up Any Daily. He's a Brooklyn based 84 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:04,120 Speaker 1: journalist and the author of a new book, Destination Wellness. 85 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:07,839 Speaker 1: In it, she explores various health and well being practices 86 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 1: from across the world. But I wanted to ask Annie 87 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:14,359 Speaker 1: specifically about her article in Women's Health does gardening really 88 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:18,760 Speaker 1: count as exercise? And learn more about what her reporting uncovered. 89 00:05:22,800 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 1: Hey Annie, Hey, how's it going. It's nice to be 90 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:29,160 Speaker 1: chatting with you. You too, So I've been reading your 91 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 1: upcoming book, and I am fascinated by this idea that 92 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:36,800 Speaker 1: we're obsessed with fancy gym memberships and trendy workout classes, 93 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 1: but in reality, wellness is all around us. Can you 94 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:43,799 Speaker 1: tell me a little bit about what you've learned? Sure, 95 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:46,960 Speaker 1: you know, as a journalist you get sent all of 96 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:50,839 Speaker 1: these products all the time, And it was one of 97 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 1: those things where I realized that wellness is not really 98 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:57,520 Speaker 1: about all these products. It's not really something that you 99 00:05:57,600 --> 00:06:01,799 Speaker 1: can buy. It's more something that of within you. And 100 00:06:02,040 --> 00:06:04,280 Speaker 1: I am also a travel journalism. So I've been doing 101 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:07,719 Speaker 1: all this traveling around the world, and I noticed that 102 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:12,840 Speaker 1: this whole commercial wellness culture isn't really like that in 103 00:06:12,880 --> 00:06:16,480 Speaker 1: other places in the world. They don't have these insane, 104 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 1: crazy boutique fitness classes, and they don't have these you know, 105 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:24,039 Speaker 1: expensive smoothies and all the lotions and the potions and 106 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:27,160 Speaker 1: the powders and the tinctures. It's it's more just baked 107 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:31,520 Speaker 1: into the general way of living. And so I sort 108 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 1: of adopted that belief for myself and tried to live 109 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:37,200 Speaker 1: that way in New York, where it's harder to do 110 00:06:37,279 --> 00:06:41,480 Speaker 1: because you're surrounded and just inundated by all of this stuff. 111 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:45,960 Speaker 1: But once you realize that it's not really about that, 112 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:49,400 Speaker 1: it's easier to just get back to the basics and 113 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:53,000 Speaker 1: get back to a more simple way of going about 114 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:55,599 Speaker 1: your day in a healthy way. I mean, it's pretty 115 00:06:55,600 --> 00:07:00,200 Speaker 1: easy to do. It's like walk outside, eat some bull 116 00:07:00,440 --> 00:07:04,680 Speaker 1: healthy foods, hanging out with your friends. Social connection and 117 00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 1: communication is a huge part of all this. So it's 118 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:10,120 Speaker 1: really just about getting back to the basics, and we've 119 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:13,320 Speaker 1: just gotten so far away from that. But once you're 120 00:07:13,320 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 1: conscious about it, it's actually easier than you think too, 121 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:20,360 Speaker 1: sort of adjust your lifestyle. So I saw that you've 122 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:23,480 Speaker 1: written a piece of while back on house plants that 123 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:26,560 Speaker 1: are easy to take care of, and I was curious 124 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 1: our gardening or or taking care of plants a part 125 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:34,000 Speaker 1: of your sort of wellness practices. Oh, for sure. I 126 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:38,320 Speaker 1: definitely am a plant mom, a member of plant parenthood, 127 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 1: all of those plant jokes, that's definitely me. I think 128 00:07:43,440 --> 00:07:45,800 Speaker 1: at one point in my I think in my Twitter 129 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:49,600 Speaker 1: bio or some social media bio, I had that I 130 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 1: live at home with my husband and our fifteen house plants, 131 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:57,360 Speaker 1: because that's the thing is that you have to think 132 00:07:57,400 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 1: of them as living, breathing the things. They take a 133 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:04,080 Speaker 1: lot of work to make sure that they stay healthy 134 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:06,679 Speaker 1: and strong, and I'm always thinking about watering them. Our 135 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:10,600 Speaker 1: living room is a absolute jungle. Another thing that I 136 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:13,640 Speaker 1: talked about in my book actually is when you plant 137 00:08:13,720 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 1: a seed and watch it grow, that actually watching something 138 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:22,320 Speaker 1: grow from nothing into something just reminds you so much 139 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:26,000 Speaker 1: of your connection the mother Earth. And then when you're 140 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:29,920 Speaker 1: reminded of that connection, it just strengthens your mental health 141 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:32,680 Speaker 1: overall because you know that you're part of something so 142 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:37,800 Speaker 1: much bigger than yourself. And that's different from just watering 143 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:40,560 Speaker 1: your plans. I'm talking about actually like planting a seed, 144 00:08:41,040 --> 00:08:45,520 Speaker 1: like growing something, as opposed to just keeping something going. Yeah, 145 00:08:45,559 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 1: that's really beautiful. You know. One of the things that 146 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:51,520 Speaker 1: we've been talking a lot about is just how surprised 147 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:56,599 Speaker 1: we are that gardening is talked about as exercise, and 148 00:08:56,880 --> 00:08:59,559 Speaker 1: you've actually written a piece on this, uh kind of 149 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:02,720 Speaker 1: question whether or not gardening is exercise. Would you talk 150 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:05,800 Speaker 1: a little bit about your findings there, Oh? Sure, So 151 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:08,480 Speaker 1: that piece, I believe. I wrote it for Women's Health, 152 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:12,480 Speaker 1: and I used to write these stories about the studies 153 00:09:12,520 --> 00:09:14,760 Speaker 1: that had just come out, and so this piece was 154 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:17,880 Speaker 1: a study that had just come out from South Korea, 155 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:23,560 Speaker 1: and essentially researchers had they had given a bunch of 156 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 1: trackers to college age students and told them to perform 157 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:31,720 Speaker 1: all of these various gardening tasks, and then they measured 158 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:35,480 Speaker 1: them at the end, and they found that the tasks 159 00:09:35,520 --> 00:09:38,559 Speaker 1: that they had asked them to do actually did qualify 160 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:44,360 Speaker 1: as moderate to high intensity physical activity. So the task 161 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:48,440 Speaker 1: that came in as the highest intensity was digging, and 162 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:50,439 Speaker 1: then the other tasks that they asked them to do 163 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:59,400 Speaker 1: were raking, weeding, mulching, owing, sowing, harvesting, watering, mixing, and 164 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:04,600 Speaker 1: then the lowest intensity one was planting transplants of other plans. 165 00:10:05,679 --> 00:10:07,600 Speaker 1: I think that the overall theme of that study is 166 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:11,080 Speaker 1: that these are things that people don't necessarily think of 167 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:14,040 Speaker 1: as quote unquote exercise in the way that a lot 168 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:16,640 Speaker 1: of people think of exercise today, getting back to the 169 00:10:16,679 --> 00:10:21,880 Speaker 1: boutique fitness studio trend, but that these are all things 170 00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:24,400 Speaker 1: that are so baked into your day that if you 171 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:27,760 Speaker 1: just go about your day in a more natural way, 172 00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:31,600 Speaker 1: then these things get worked into your day and you're 173 00:10:31,640 --> 00:10:34,960 Speaker 1: exercising essentially without even thinking about it or without even 174 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:38,640 Speaker 1: doing it so intentionally. What can we do that that 175 00:10:38,760 --> 00:10:42,320 Speaker 1: sort of mimics a regular workout routine out there? Is 176 00:10:42,360 --> 00:10:46,240 Speaker 1: there anything that you think of that that specifically sort 177 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:50,200 Speaker 1: of mimics what we do in a fitness class In 178 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:53,480 Speaker 1: terms of gardening, I mean, I honestly think that so 179 00:10:53,559 --> 00:10:56,560 Speaker 1: much is just being out there. I think that we 180 00:10:56,640 --> 00:11:00,800 Speaker 1: tend to focus on the physical aspects a lot in 181 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:05,120 Speaker 1: our society, and yes, while we're gardening, like maybe you 182 00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:08,280 Speaker 1: could do some extra digging. Since that study found that 183 00:11:08,400 --> 00:11:12,400 Speaker 1: digging was the it was the thing that was found 184 00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:15,960 Speaker 1: to be the most the highest intensity workout. But I 185 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:18,000 Speaker 1: don't know. I feel a little bit weird about giving 186 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:20,960 Speaker 1: that as my advice, just because that seems to be 187 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:23,880 Speaker 1: a little bit of a free for the forest. But 188 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:28,120 Speaker 1: I tend to go for the forest more. And I 189 00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:33,560 Speaker 1: would just say that getting out there and recognizing your 190 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:37,600 Speaker 1: connection to nature and gardening is such a great way 191 00:11:37,640 --> 00:11:42,679 Speaker 1: to help you do that, and actually planting something is 192 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:47,320 Speaker 1: just such a big, huge and easy way to remember 193 00:11:47,559 --> 00:11:50,599 Speaker 1: that you're a part of this natural life cycle and 194 00:11:50,640 --> 00:11:52,880 Speaker 1: you're a part of something so much bigger than yourself. 195 00:11:53,040 --> 00:11:55,199 Speaker 1: And I know that this is just taking it in, 196 00:11:55,360 --> 00:11:58,680 Speaker 1: like turning into a much heavier thing than just like, oh, 197 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:01,320 Speaker 1: brake for thirty seconds. It will help you burn calories, 198 00:12:01,360 --> 00:12:04,600 Speaker 1: But I just I don't know. I'm not I just 199 00:12:04,640 --> 00:12:07,080 Speaker 1: can't really subscribe to that idea as much as I 200 00:12:07,120 --> 00:12:11,000 Speaker 1: can to the fact that gardening is such an easy 201 00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:15,080 Speaker 1: and primal way to remind you of your connection to 202 00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:20,160 Speaker 1: the bigger universe. If you go into gardening and you 203 00:12:20,360 --> 00:12:22,680 Speaker 1: try to think of it like I'm only doing this 204 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:25,199 Speaker 1: so that I can burn like t k x x 205 00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:27,679 Speaker 1: amount of calories so that I can then go have 206 00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:30,200 Speaker 1: that thing, it's like you're missing the point. Just it's 207 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:32,680 Speaker 1: so important to me to remember that these are things 208 00:12:32,720 --> 00:12:36,559 Speaker 1: that have been around for generations. Think of the Hawaiians. 209 00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:41,560 Speaker 1: They have always taken care to respect their relationship to 210 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:45,680 Speaker 1: Mother Earth. The Rasa's in Jamaica. They believe that planting 211 00:12:45,760 --> 00:12:49,720 Speaker 1: something reminds you of your connection to your greater whole. 212 00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:53,320 Speaker 1: It's like these things, these are so deeply ingrained in 213 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:56,360 Speaker 1: our history. Ay, thank you so much for being here. 214 00:12:56,559 --> 00:12:59,640 Speaker 1: I really appreciated our conversation. Oh, thank you so much 215 00:12:59,679 --> 00:13:01,920 Speaker 1: for having me. This was so fun. Now I feel 216 00:13:01,920 --> 00:13:08,440 Speaker 1: like I need to go water my plants. Gardening, like 217 00:13:08,559 --> 00:13:11,320 Speaker 1: any form of exercise, can be intense and take a 218 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:13,679 Speaker 1: toll on the body, and in the heat of the moment, 219 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:15,880 Speaker 1: it's hard to remember to keep your back straight like 220 00:13:15,920 --> 00:13:18,520 Speaker 1: your mom always told you, and to hope with your legs, 221 00:13:18,679 --> 00:13:21,800 Speaker 1: which I'm sure she also said. Here are four quick 222 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:24,280 Speaker 1: tips to make sure you don't tweak your back or 223 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:29,160 Speaker 1: get sidelined for the whole harvest. Stretch it out. Like 224 00:13:29,240 --> 00:13:32,160 Speaker 1: any physical activity, the keys to avoiding injury are to 225 00:13:32,280 --> 00:13:37,040 Speaker 1: stretch beforehand and maintain your posture while doing so. Warm 226 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:39,360 Speaker 1: up before you get out there for five to ten minutes. 227 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:42,600 Speaker 1: Touch your toes or give it your best shot. Stretch 228 00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:44,880 Speaker 1: your calves and hips to make sure your body feels 229 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:47,600 Speaker 1: loose and limber, and do that before you pick up 230 00:13:47,640 --> 00:13:52,120 Speaker 1: that shovel. Use your knees, bend your knees, and keep 231 00:13:52,120 --> 00:13:54,960 Speaker 1: your back as straight as you can while lifting anything heavy. 232 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:57,440 Speaker 1: If you're going to be dumping big bags of soil 233 00:13:57,559 --> 00:14:01,120 Speaker 1: or mulch to and from your yard, you absolutely have 234 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:03,800 Speaker 1: to use your legs and keep the way close to 235 00:14:03,840 --> 00:14:06,439 Speaker 1: your body. If you try to use your back alone 236 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:09,440 Speaker 1: or hold heavy objects away from your body, you put 237 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:12,240 Speaker 1: more pressure on your shoulders and back, which can lead 238 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:16,560 Speaker 1: to injury. Don't arch your back. If you need to 239 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:19,240 Speaker 1: reach something far from you, move closer to it and 240 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:22,360 Speaker 1: squat down. Arching your back puts your body in a 241 00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:25,680 Speaker 1: compromised position, and the movements you make can cause strain. 242 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:31,080 Speaker 1: Pace yourself, stay hydrated, and take lots of breaks. If 243 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:34,400 Speaker 1: you feel sore, tired, or in pain, take a load 244 00:14:34,440 --> 00:14:37,400 Speaker 1: off and sit down. Your garden is not going anywhere. 245 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:39,720 Speaker 1: The worst thing you can do is push through a 246 00:14:39,800 --> 00:14:42,760 Speaker 1: muscle egg. You can lead to greater damage and to 247 00:14:42,840 --> 00:14:54,120 Speaker 1: a longer recovery. Period humans growing stuff will be right 248 00:14:54,160 --> 00:15:03,480 Speaker 1: back after a short break. As a lot of us 249 00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:05,800 Speaker 1: find ways we can work out in and around our home. 250 00:15:06,280 --> 00:15:08,520 Speaker 1: I've noticed that a lot of my friends have ditched 251 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:11,640 Speaker 1: those heavyweights for yoga mat which makes a lot of 252 00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:14,560 Speaker 1: sense given the time we find ourselves in. And that's 253 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:17,600 Speaker 1: because yoga is as much about the connection of mind 254 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 1: and body as it is about sweating out last night's 255 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:24,200 Speaker 1: pints of beer or ice cream. You're breathing aligns your 256 00:15:24,240 --> 00:15:27,360 Speaker 1: body and mind and ways that contribute to your body's 257 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:30,640 Speaker 1: well being, and it creates a calmness in your thoughts, 258 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:34,560 Speaker 1: which is basically what gardening does for me. But what 259 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:37,080 Speaker 1: if you can double dip and find extra peace and 260 00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:41,560 Speaker 1: tranquility by grounding your yoga practice in the garden. From 261 00:15:41,600 --> 00:15:44,440 Speaker 1: what I've read, garden yoga can create a more positive, 262 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:47,320 Speaker 1: fulfilling connection to all the work you've done in the 263 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:51,640 Speaker 1: yard while challenging your body in new ways. That uneven 264 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:54,880 Speaker 1: terrain can help you push through your yoga plateaus, and 265 00:15:55,440 --> 00:15:58,200 Speaker 1: it can create a new challenge in your practice. And 266 00:15:58,280 --> 00:16:01,560 Speaker 1: instead of listening to a playlist of ambient nature sounds, 267 00:16:02,040 --> 00:16:04,280 Speaker 1: you get to listen to the sounds of real nature 268 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:09,280 Speaker 1: in person. Plus all those stretches can help you strengthen 269 00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:13,440 Speaker 1: muscle groups like your core to make you less prone 270 00:16:13,480 --> 00:16:17,040 Speaker 1: to gardening injuries. Later, I wanted to learn more about 271 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:20,200 Speaker 1: this partnership of yoga and gardening, so I wanted to 272 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:24,320 Speaker 1: call up Naomi on Naomi wrote the book Yoga Emmanuel 273 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:26,880 Speaker 1: for Life, and she's the founder of Yoga on the 274 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:31,080 Speaker 1: Lane in East London. She's also hosted a virtual practice 275 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:39,760 Speaker 1: for the Royal Horticultural Society called Yoga for Gardeners. Hi Naomi, Hi, 276 00:16:40,400 --> 00:16:44,080 Speaker 1: how are you doing so well? So this is very 277 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:46,600 Speaker 1: much a gardening show, but we try to make it 278 00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:50,400 Speaker 1: as human as possible. And I was curious, what are 279 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:52,680 Speaker 1: some of the changes you've seen in your students when 280 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:58,480 Speaker 1: they practice yoga? Oh well, yeah, I noticed ships very quickly, 281 00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:01,960 Speaker 1: because once you aside to do yoga. The thing that 282 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:04,280 Speaker 1: I think is quite curious about this is it often 283 00:17:04,320 --> 00:17:07,159 Speaker 1: takes people, i'd say, on average, like two years of 284 00:17:07,200 --> 00:17:12,320 Speaker 1: thinking about doing yoga before they turn up in a class. 285 00:17:12,119 --> 00:17:15,399 Speaker 1: It's a long time. You know that it's been on 286 00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:19,960 Speaker 1: their New Year's resolutions for a while, and then another 287 00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:22,680 Speaker 1: year passes and then they just kind of lose their nerve. 288 00:17:23,760 --> 00:17:26,560 Speaker 1: So when people do finally show up, one of the 289 00:17:26,600 --> 00:17:29,440 Speaker 1: things that I notice is they really show up, and 290 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:34,080 Speaker 1: you know, that's that's the willingness is a huge part 291 00:17:34,119 --> 00:17:36,919 Speaker 1: of the practice. Um. And then I just kind of 292 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:41,320 Speaker 1: guide them through hopefully accessible ways to access their bodies 293 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:45,119 Speaker 1: and you know, they they relax. I mean, it's really 294 00:17:46,440 --> 00:17:49,919 Speaker 1: it's really nice to see people relaxing. That's that's the 295 00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:51,600 Speaker 1: thing that I love more than anything. And just to 296 00:17:51,760 --> 00:17:55,240 Speaker 1: remind them that resting takes practice, UM, and I think 297 00:17:55,280 --> 00:17:59,840 Speaker 1: that's something that isn't necessarily taught in our school system, 298 00:18:00,359 --> 00:18:04,280 Speaker 1: and they are really discussed, never really discussed, and it's 299 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:08,960 Speaker 1: a huge part of being alive. It's a huge part 300 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:12,879 Speaker 1: of where you know, our immune system is is really 301 00:18:13,280 --> 00:18:18,440 Speaker 1: banking on us resting, not just doing doing doing. Yeah. 302 00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:23,040 Speaker 1: So I notice people their nervous systems over time, but 303 00:18:23,119 --> 00:18:25,439 Speaker 1: are just much more elastic. You know, they're able to 304 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:29,720 Speaker 1: bring themselves back that they do experience all the normal 305 00:18:30,359 --> 00:18:33,399 Speaker 1: varied emotions which are really important, you know, anger and 306 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:36,240 Speaker 1: frustration and all these things as well, but they're able 307 00:18:36,240 --> 00:18:40,080 Speaker 1: to bring themselves back to their kind of baseline steady breath, 308 00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:43,280 Speaker 1: you know, a little bit quicker so yeah, I see 309 00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:45,879 Speaker 1: that happen in people's lives as well as on the 310 00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:49,000 Speaker 1: yoga mat. Do you feel that there's a connection between 311 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:53,800 Speaker 1: yoga and nature? Absolutely? Absolutely, I think you know, when 312 00:18:53,840 --> 00:18:59,560 Speaker 1: I meditate, it very much shifts the way that I 313 00:18:59,680 --> 00:19:03,440 Speaker 1: see the world in that when I close my eyes 314 00:19:03,520 --> 00:19:05,600 Speaker 1: and I sense into my body and I'm breathing into 315 00:19:05,640 --> 00:19:10,439 Speaker 1: my body with my inner landscape is hugely is vast, 316 00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:14,639 Speaker 1: and it's diverse. And you know when I reopen my 317 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:18,120 Speaker 1: eyes and I look into a green space, I can 318 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:22,880 Speaker 1: see more. I think, Um, it shifts how heightened your 319 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 1: senses are, so sense of smell, taste, um, touch, how 320 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:31,679 Speaker 1: you see. You know, there are so many poses in 321 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:35,199 Speaker 1: yoga that are named after plants and animals. Do you 322 00:19:35,359 --> 00:19:38,280 Speaker 1: feel a difference when you're doing these poses surrounded by 323 00:19:38,359 --> 00:19:41,080 Speaker 1: real nature? Like, what's it feel like to do a 324 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:45,000 Speaker 1: tree pose when you're surrounded by actual trees? Oh, my goodness, 325 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:47,960 Speaker 1: it certainly does. If you're in a in a tree 326 00:19:48,000 --> 00:19:50,120 Speaker 1: pose in your hands or in your chest, and then 327 00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:52,280 Speaker 1: you're reaching up and you're feeling that you know that 328 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:55,320 Speaker 1: wide open sky above you and the ground beneath you, 329 00:19:55,440 --> 00:20:01,119 Speaker 1: it's it's very is very transferre warming. Actually, you know, 330 00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:03,359 Speaker 1: you're suddenly you feel like you're more than just a body, 331 00:20:03,760 --> 00:20:08,359 Speaker 1: that you're part of this fantastic mystery. Who knows what 332 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:10,760 Speaker 1: on earth are we doing here? You know when you 333 00:20:10,880 --> 00:20:12,720 Speaker 1: reach up to the star and you feel the ground 334 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:15,840 Speaker 1: beneath your feet and you feel like there's some kind 335 00:20:15,880 --> 00:20:19,280 Speaker 1: of yeah, there's some kind of connection with it all, 336 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:23,919 Speaker 1: rather than just moving around like a pedestrian, which is 337 00:20:23,960 --> 00:20:26,040 Speaker 1: what we do most of the time. So yeah, I 338 00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:29,760 Speaker 1: think and feeling more animal. That's certainly in Mary Oliver 339 00:20:30,080 --> 00:20:33,679 Speaker 1: the Beloved Poets. It's amazing and she talks about like 340 00:20:33,760 --> 00:20:36,160 Speaker 1: the soft animal of your body, and I think it's 341 00:20:36,160 --> 00:20:39,639 Speaker 1: in the Summer's Day poem, and um, I love this 342 00:20:39,720 --> 00:20:43,040 Speaker 1: idea of like tuning into the soft animal of your body, 343 00:20:43,080 --> 00:20:45,040 Speaker 1: so you know, when you're in then it's like the 344 00:20:45,119 --> 00:20:49,000 Speaker 1: softness of it rather than like rigid again pedestrian human 345 00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:53,399 Speaker 1: stick that you can actually feel some like juice in 346 00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:55,800 Speaker 1: your joints. I don't know if that makes sense, but 347 00:20:56,119 --> 00:20:58,280 Speaker 1: it really speaks to those words really speak to me, 348 00:20:58,280 --> 00:20:59,959 Speaker 1: and I think about that a lot when i'm practice. 349 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:03,520 Speaker 1: Think that you know, we noticed on Instagram that you 350 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:06,080 Speaker 1: have a lot of plants both that you're going lane 351 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:09,480 Speaker 1: and in your own home, and we're wondering, how does 352 00:21:09,600 --> 00:21:14,760 Speaker 1: caring for plants impact your help? Well, hugely, hugely, And 353 00:21:14,840 --> 00:21:17,160 Speaker 1: people when we when we put the plants into yoga 354 00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:21,520 Speaker 1: on the lane, the response was amazing. You know, people 355 00:21:21,640 --> 00:21:24,200 Speaker 1: really not this, and particularly those plants that kind of filter, 356 00:21:24,359 --> 00:21:28,560 Speaker 1: like the lilies, the piece lilies, and we've got a 357 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:31,760 Speaker 1: passion fruit vine growing up the window and just it 358 00:21:32,160 --> 00:21:36,280 Speaker 1: you know, it really put a smile on people's faces. Um, 359 00:21:36,320 --> 00:21:39,359 Speaker 1: so yeah, I mean taking care of them is lovely. 360 00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:44,680 Speaker 1: The studio is very much a collective responsibility, so we 361 00:21:44,720 --> 00:21:46,840 Speaker 1: have an amazing team of people that are kind of 362 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:48,720 Speaker 1: in and out of the space and we all give 363 00:21:48,760 --> 00:21:51,280 Speaker 1: the plants quite a lot of love. But yeah, I 364 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:54,200 Speaker 1: have I have a fair amount of plants at home. 365 00:21:54,240 --> 00:21:57,879 Speaker 1: And also we have a garden and we actually pulled 366 00:21:57,960 --> 00:22:02,199 Speaker 1: up some Jerusalem artichokes yes to a which was just 367 00:22:02,240 --> 00:22:04,719 Speaker 1: to get my hands in the soil and to like 368 00:22:04,880 --> 00:22:09,399 Speaker 1: pull with all my might these beautiful, like big, like 369 00:22:09,520 --> 00:22:13,320 Speaker 1: knuckle shaped vegetables out of the ground and roast them 370 00:22:13,320 --> 00:22:16,080 Speaker 1: in loads of butter. I was like, this is so 371 00:22:16,119 --> 00:22:20,040 Speaker 1: good for my mental health. It is joyous. Yeah, I'm 372 00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:24,159 Speaker 1: curious about what's in your garden besides the Jerusalem chucks, 373 00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:28,560 Speaker 1: But what what do you enjoy from gardening? So we 374 00:22:28,640 --> 00:22:31,280 Speaker 1: have we've inherited a garden in the you know, the 375 00:22:31,320 --> 00:22:33,919 Speaker 1: people that we bought our house off. But we have 376 00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:40,040 Speaker 1: really amazing little cherry tree which brings a lot of 377 00:22:40,119 --> 00:22:42,840 Speaker 1: joy every spring so my kids, Yeah, I mean we 378 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:46,800 Speaker 1: picked over a hundred cherries this year, really juicy. We 379 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:51,120 Speaker 1: also have a plum tree, and I'm sort of chuckling 380 00:22:51,160 --> 00:22:54,000 Speaker 1: because last year it seemed to be an apricot tree, 381 00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:59,720 Speaker 1: so it has some like identity issues, but we don't 382 00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:03,960 Speaker 1: mind whether it was apricots. Were delighted um and then 383 00:23:04,680 --> 00:23:07,359 Speaker 1: we grew peas with the kids. This year we've got 384 00:23:07,520 --> 00:23:11,560 Speaker 1: rosemary and sage basil, and then in terms of flowers, 385 00:23:11,560 --> 00:23:14,040 Speaker 1: we've got things in pots that we've done, like camelias 386 00:23:14,119 --> 00:23:18,919 Speaker 1: and cosmos and like little daisies in our front garden. 387 00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:23,760 Speaker 1: When people walk past on our fairly busy Hackney street, 388 00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:26,640 Speaker 1: they're always asking what is this? What is this? Because 389 00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:28,439 Speaker 1: it's a real show off of her plant. It's an 390 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:35,160 Speaker 1: accounthus it's it's like a medieval plant, and I'm sure 391 00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:37,960 Speaker 1: it's got some medicinal quality, you know. I bet it, 392 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:41,120 Speaker 1: I bet it goes back. I don't know the origins 393 00:23:41,119 --> 00:23:44,119 Speaker 1: of it, but it's really it's got these big, lush 394 00:23:44,359 --> 00:23:48,960 Speaker 1: green leaves and then quite spiky, kind of like tendrils 395 00:23:49,119 --> 00:23:52,520 Speaker 1: with seeds in the middle. It's really it's look it up. 396 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:55,920 Speaker 1: It's a real show up. Yeah. I love the idea 397 00:23:55,920 --> 00:24:02,680 Speaker 1: of a medieval show off. Me too. What kind of 398 00:24:02,760 --> 00:24:07,639 Speaker 1: yoga poses would you recommend for gardeners? So mainly, um 399 00:24:08,560 --> 00:24:12,320 Speaker 1: I noticed, particularly with friends who garden me even more 400 00:24:12,359 --> 00:24:15,880 Speaker 1: than me, is just this tension. And for my mom 401 00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:18,680 Speaker 1: as well, who gardens a lot, this tension around the shoulders, 402 00:24:18,720 --> 00:24:22,679 Speaker 1: the upper back, even quite a lot of jaw clenching, 403 00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:27,320 Speaker 1: you know. Um So all of all of that hunched over, 404 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:31,879 Speaker 1: bending forwards, and then kind of not too much consideration 405 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:36,399 Speaker 1: to the upper back, shoulders and jaw. So I wanted 406 00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:38,760 Speaker 1: to work a little bit on that because of the 407 00:24:38,840 --> 00:24:41,960 Speaker 1: role that those areas play in the nervous system as 408 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:45,040 Speaker 1: well in terms of how we breathe and feel better 409 00:24:45,040 --> 00:24:48,600 Speaker 1: in ourselves. Why do you think gardeners clenched their jaws 410 00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:52,879 Speaker 1: so much? I think it's just a concentration thing. Because 411 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:55,840 Speaker 1: it's obviously they're having fun, they're enjoying it, you know, 412 00:24:55,840 --> 00:24:58,520 Speaker 1: they're out on the garden. But also, I mean this 413 00:24:58,640 --> 00:25:03,480 Speaker 1: is just me speculating, but perhaps when we're doing things 414 00:25:03,520 --> 00:25:06,840 Speaker 1: that relax us, it's where our mind has an opportunity 415 00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:09,080 Speaker 1: to process some of the difficult things in our lives 416 00:25:09,960 --> 00:25:14,639 Speaker 1: and um, you know, garden gardening. I guess, like you know, 417 00:25:14,680 --> 00:25:18,160 Speaker 1: practicing yoga is a bit of a moving meditation. It's 418 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:20,520 Speaker 1: a place where you can kind of release some stuff. 419 00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:23,480 Speaker 1: But in sort of releasing discharging some of that stuff, 420 00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:28,320 Speaker 1: I think there's a display of tension sometimes. Also the 421 00:25:28,440 --> 00:25:31,200 Speaker 1: tools in the way that you if you're using tools, 422 00:25:31,240 --> 00:25:34,720 Speaker 1: you know, the way you grip and clench your hand, 423 00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:37,359 Speaker 1: and the role that has plays on the rest of 424 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:41,880 Speaker 1: the arm and the upper back. So it's this kind 425 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:45,240 Speaker 1: of matrix. Our body is made up of not just 426 00:25:45,359 --> 00:25:49,520 Speaker 1: bones and muscles, but also of tissues, connective tissues of 427 00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:52,080 Speaker 1: which there are many. What are some of the benefits 428 00:25:52,119 --> 00:25:54,879 Speaker 1: of doing yoga is a way for recovery from a 429 00:25:54,960 --> 00:25:58,560 Speaker 1: day's work in the garden. Yeah, so I think one 430 00:25:58,560 --> 00:26:01,119 Speaker 1: of the first things to mention is that asymmetry, so 431 00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:05,639 Speaker 1: you're working very much with this bias of your strong side, 432 00:26:05,760 --> 00:26:09,120 Speaker 1: you know, it always working with that, you know, strong arm, 433 00:26:09,240 --> 00:26:12,680 Speaker 1: strong legs, standing with the strong foot in front. And 434 00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:15,280 Speaker 1: so I think just bringing your body into a little 435 00:26:15,359 --> 00:26:18,119 Speaker 1: bit of natural balance. And that's not to suggest that 436 00:26:18,160 --> 00:26:20,960 Speaker 1: you should be symmetrical, because none of us are. Nobody 437 00:26:21,040 --> 00:26:24,040 Speaker 1: is symmetrical inside out, and so it's not to get 438 00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:26,119 Speaker 1: obsessed with that, but it's just to bring maybe a 439 00:26:26,119 --> 00:26:28,720 Speaker 1: bit of effort to that side of your body that 440 00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:32,240 Speaker 1: you have worked all day, and then perhaps to release 441 00:26:32,280 --> 00:26:35,480 Speaker 1: and stretch the side of your body that you have worked. Um. 442 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:37,840 Speaker 1: And then I guess there other things I'd say is 443 00:26:38,440 --> 00:26:42,080 Speaker 1: you know, just in terms of your muscles being tight. Um. 444 00:26:42,440 --> 00:26:44,280 Speaker 1: You know, the first thing I think people do is 445 00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:46,800 Speaker 1: when their muscles are tight, they immediately go into the 446 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:50,080 Speaker 1: muscle and try to stretch it, or they poke the 447 00:26:50,119 --> 00:26:52,359 Speaker 1: body in a way to kind of like really deeply 448 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:56,160 Speaker 1: release it. Um. So often I'll hear sort of friends 449 00:26:56,200 --> 00:26:58,320 Speaker 1: who have done a day on their allotment and then 450 00:26:58,359 --> 00:27:01,520 Speaker 1: they'll go and get a massage, and actually what's happened 451 00:27:01,680 --> 00:27:05,000 Speaker 1: is that the therapists might have really gone in so 452 00:27:05,040 --> 00:27:07,920 Speaker 1: strong so that their body is left more inflamed than 453 00:27:08,040 --> 00:27:11,639 Speaker 1: than it feels nourished and hydrated. So I think yogur 454 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:14,960 Speaker 1: is that really lovely way of accessing the body in 455 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:20,200 Speaker 1: a much more kind considered way because you decide how 456 00:27:20,240 --> 00:27:22,760 Speaker 1: deep you go. And then also just to bring some 457 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:24,840 Speaker 1: awareness to your breath. You know you might have been 458 00:27:24,880 --> 00:27:28,399 Speaker 1: concentrating and holding your breath a little bit, so release 459 00:27:28,480 --> 00:27:32,640 Speaker 1: your diaphragm and side bends can really help with that. 460 00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:37,359 Speaker 1: I love side bends. New one. We should do a 461 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:41,320 Speaker 1: side bend. Do you want to do? Definitely? Um So, 462 00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:43,840 Speaker 1: if you if you bring your hands to your elbows, 463 00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:48,440 Speaker 1: stretch your arms up over your head and then breathing 464 00:27:48,560 --> 00:27:51,280 Speaker 1: like you're trying to reach your elbows up towards the ceiling, 465 00:27:51,440 --> 00:27:54,719 Speaker 1: and then bend over to your right, and then as 466 00:27:54,760 --> 00:27:57,720 Speaker 1: you bend over to the right, breathe into the left 467 00:27:57,760 --> 00:28:01,040 Speaker 1: side of your body, almost like you're trying to breathe 468 00:28:01,040 --> 00:28:05,840 Speaker 1: into your left alarm force was still breathing into both lungs, 469 00:28:05,880 --> 00:28:11,680 Speaker 1: but the emphasis is on the left side. And as 470 00:28:11,720 --> 00:28:14,480 Speaker 1: you do this, just noticing the quality of the stretch 471 00:28:14,560 --> 00:28:18,040 Speaker 1: down the left side of your body. We'll just do 472 00:28:18,119 --> 00:28:20,200 Speaker 1: a mini one and then come back to the center 473 00:28:20,320 --> 00:28:22,920 Speaker 1: and change the cross of your arms, breathe and reach 474 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:28,480 Speaker 1: up and then bend over to the left side, and 475 00:28:28,560 --> 00:28:31,159 Speaker 1: you might be struck at how different it feels, but 476 00:28:31,280 --> 00:28:36,119 Speaker 1: try to be with the difference without judgment, breathing up 477 00:28:36,160 --> 00:28:39,520 Speaker 1: and down the right side of the body, and then 478 00:28:39,600 --> 00:28:44,840 Speaker 1: in how come back up and excel release your arms down. 479 00:28:49,360 --> 00:28:53,400 Speaker 1: It feels good, doesn't it. It feels really good. Yeah. 480 00:28:53,600 --> 00:28:56,200 Speaker 1: Side bending so good because the lateral flection of the 481 00:28:56,200 --> 00:28:59,800 Speaker 1: spine is really important, and in gardening so much of 482 00:28:59,880 --> 00:29:04,520 Speaker 1: the emphasis on forward bending forward bending. I mean, I 483 00:29:04,520 --> 00:29:07,240 Speaker 1: I feel like I don't I don't take the time 484 00:29:07,480 --> 00:29:11,000 Speaker 1: or or think about stretching enough, but it always feels 485 00:29:11,080 --> 00:29:14,080 Speaker 1: so good to do it. Yeah, it does feel good. 486 00:29:14,080 --> 00:29:18,040 Speaker 1: And I think that was part of trying to to 487 00:29:18,080 --> 00:29:20,000 Speaker 1: write a book that people could be with on their 488 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:22,880 Speaker 1: own times, in their own on their own terms. Was 489 00:29:22,920 --> 00:29:27,080 Speaker 1: about suggesting that yoga doesn't need to be this big, long, 490 00:29:27,840 --> 00:29:31,200 Speaker 1: our thing that then you're relying on a yoga teacher 491 00:29:31,240 --> 00:29:33,720 Speaker 1: for that. It can be something small and it can 492 00:29:33,760 --> 00:29:37,480 Speaker 1: be frequent. Sort of idea of micro habit I think 493 00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:41,000 Speaker 1: is really popular in neuroscience right now, but it really 494 00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:44,480 Speaker 1: applies in yoga to these small changes make such a 495 00:29:44,480 --> 00:29:48,480 Speaker 1: big difference. Often those sort of deeper practices are about 496 00:29:48,520 --> 00:29:52,240 Speaker 1: doing less, listening more. You know. Some of sometimes my 497 00:29:52,320 --> 00:29:55,440 Speaker 1: yoga practice is literally lying down on my back doing 498 00:29:55,480 --> 00:29:58,440 Speaker 1: a few tiny little wiggles or stretches or rolling on 499 00:29:58,480 --> 00:30:02,960 Speaker 1: a ball and then resting. Naomi, thank you so much 500 00:30:03,040 --> 00:30:05,520 Speaker 1: for leading you through that stretch and giving me all 501 00:30:05,520 --> 00:30:08,000 Speaker 1: these answers. And it's been such a pleasure just chatting 502 00:30:08,040 --> 00:30:10,000 Speaker 1: with you. It's been really lovely to talk to you, 503 00:30:10,040 --> 00:30:17,080 Speaker 1: my gush. Thank you so much for having me. All right, 504 00:30:17,200 --> 00:30:21,160 Speaker 1: you gardening guys and gals, Welcome to Fitness by Molly, 505 00:30:21,480 --> 00:30:25,320 Speaker 1: the only audio exercise routine that works your glutes as 506 00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:28,200 Speaker 1: much as it works your garden. I'm your favorite podcast 507 00:30:28,280 --> 00:30:33,800 Speaker 1: producer slash gardening fitness instructor Molly, and today we're doing 508 00:30:33,840 --> 00:30:37,040 Speaker 1: a weeding circuit workout. We're gonna get rid of those 509 00:30:37,040 --> 00:30:42,760 Speaker 1: weeds and we're gonna get your heart right up. All right, now, 510 00:30:42,840 --> 00:30:48,440 Speaker 1: let's start out by moving your head slowly side to side. 511 00:30:49,320 --> 00:30:54,520 Speaker 1: Taken that backyard and get excited about the planting possibilities. 512 00:30:56,600 --> 00:31:01,400 Speaker 1: Now slowly look up and down. Look out for those 513 00:31:01,440 --> 00:31:05,040 Speaker 1: birds above and those bugs below. You can say hello 514 00:31:05,120 --> 00:31:07,320 Speaker 1: and then tell them to kindly stay out of your 515 00:31:07,440 --> 00:31:10,640 Speaker 1: vegetable garden. And next up, let's do some twists with 516 00:31:10,720 --> 00:31:15,080 Speaker 1: your torso like you're the trunk of a braided money tree. Whoop. 517 00:31:15,320 --> 00:31:17,800 Speaker 1: Now that we're nice and loose, it is time to 518 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:23,200 Speaker 1: dig digging up those nasty weeds. Get your favorite shovel 519 00:31:23,320 --> 00:31:26,600 Speaker 1: or trial and start digging. Aim for around the weeds 520 00:31:26,600 --> 00:31:29,120 Speaker 1: so that we're not just tearing those garden invaders out 521 00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:33,240 Speaker 1: at the stems. Look at you go getting stiff. That 522 00:31:33,280 --> 00:31:36,520 Speaker 1: means it's time to switch sides. Move that trial to 523 00:31:36,600 --> 00:31:39,520 Speaker 1: your less dominant hand. This may feel a little awkward 524 00:31:39,560 --> 00:31:41,800 Speaker 1: at first, but it will give your non dominant shoulders 525 00:31:41,800 --> 00:31:46,040 Speaker 1: and arms the same workout as your dominant side. Keep going, 526 00:31:46,440 --> 00:31:50,600 Speaker 1: you've got this. Yeah, it's all about balance. This is 527 00:31:50,600 --> 00:31:54,000 Speaker 1: the workout for the body and the mind. Now we're 528 00:31:54,040 --> 00:31:58,280 Speaker 1: done digging, and it is time to pull those weeds. Okay, Now, 529 00:31:58,320 --> 00:32:02,360 Speaker 1: squat down, that's right, that's right. Keep that back as 530 00:32:02,480 --> 00:32:07,360 Speaker 1: straight as a corn stalk, and pull those weeds. Look 531 00:32:07,440 --> 00:32:11,680 Speaker 1: at you and now dump each clump of weeds into 532 00:32:11,720 --> 00:32:17,000 Speaker 1: a paper yard waste bag and do not arch that back. Okay. Now, 533 00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:19,320 Speaker 1: this is the last thing we are all most done. 534 00:32:19,720 --> 00:32:23,320 Speaker 1: We are going to take that yard waste and we're 535 00:32:23,320 --> 00:32:27,320 Speaker 1: going to dump it over into those compost bins. Use 536 00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:30,720 Speaker 1: your legs and push yourself up off the ground. Don't 537 00:32:30,760 --> 00:32:33,840 Speaker 1: bend at the back. Now hold onto those yard waste 538 00:32:33,880 --> 00:32:37,080 Speaker 1: bags close to your chest. Love that future malt and 539 00:32:37,160 --> 00:32:40,760 Speaker 1: all that it will do, and now walk over slowly. 540 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:44,760 Speaker 1: This is a cool down. There you go, feeling cool, 541 00:32:44,920 --> 00:32:49,480 Speaker 1: feeling good, and that is it. You are done. You 542 00:32:49,560 --> 00:32:56,280 Speaker 1: are a gardening fitness prow That was Fitness with Molly. 543 00:32:56,600 --> 00:32:59,760 Speaker 1: See you next time when we'll be doing finger exercises 544 00:32:59,800 --> 00:33:08,600 Speaker 1: for runing those rose bushes. A few weeks ago, someone 545 00:33:08,640 --> 00:33:11,680 Speaker 1: asked me which of my plants brings me the most joy? 546 00:33:12,040 --> 00:33:14,840 Speaker 1: And it's a funny question to ask because I don't 547 00:33:14,880 --> 00:33:18,320 Speaker 1: have that many plants, But I was surprised by how 548 00:33:18,400 --> 00:33:21,920 Speaker 1: quickly I blurted out in answer. Of all the plants 549 00:33:21,920 --> 00:33:25,400 Speaker 1: in our little apartment, my monstera is the one that's 550 00:33:25,440 --> 00:33:28,880 Speaker 1: the most fun and unruly and wild and it just 551 00:33:29,040 --> 00:33:34,000 Speaker 1: makes me smile. But I'm also impressed with its coping strategy. 552 00:33:34,960 --> 00:33:38,080 Speaker 1: One of my favorite facts about monsterras is that when 553 00:33:38,120 --> 00:33:42,920 Speaker 1: they're in dark rooms, they grow towards that darkness. It's 554 00:33:42,920 --> 00:33:46,840 Speaker 1: a phenomena called negative phototropism, and there's a reason the 555 00:33:46,880 --> 00:33:51,960 Speaker 1: Monsterra does this. In tropical places, the darkness indicates the 556 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:55,480 Speaker 1: presence of a larger tree, so the plant assumes if 557 00:33:55,520 --> 00:33:59,120 Speaker 1: it leans into that darkness, it can wind itself up 558 00:33:59,160 --> 00:34:03,160 Speaker 1: around the trunk of something bigger to eventually reach the sunlight. 559 00:34:04,360 --> 00:34:07,720 Speaker 1: It's an incredible fact, but I think there's a sort 560 00:34:07,720 --> 00:34:11,560 Speaker 1: of lesson there too. This last year has been all 561 00:34:11,600 --> 00:34:16,080 Speaker 1: sorts of anxiety making, from an endless quarantine to forest 562 00:34:16,160 --> 00:34:20,959 Speaker 1: fires to protests in the face of social injustice. It's 563 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:26,319 Speaker 1: all felt so dark. And when Naomi mentioned seeing so 564 00:34:26,400 --> 00:34:30,799 Speaker 1: many students come in with clenched jaws, that's immediately what 565 00:34:30,880 --> 00:34:34,440 Speaker 1: I thought about. That we've kept our jaws clenched for 566 00:34:34,480 --> 00:34:39,279 Speaker 1: so long. But I imagine, just like the monstera, there's 567 00:34:39,280 --> 00:34:41,919 Speaker 1: a way to keep your head down and lean into 568 00:34:41,960 --> 00:34:47,399 Speaker 1: that darkness and trust light will come. People often ask 569 00:34:47,480 --> 00:34:51,040 Speaker 1: me why did I do a gardening show. As Ruby 570 00:34:51,080 --> 00:34:54,960 Speaker 1: told you, I've killed lots of plants, but as quarantine hit, 571 00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:59,600 Speaker 1: I needed the distraction. I started the gardening because it 572 00:34:59,760 --> 00:35:02,640 Speaker 1: fell fun, it was something I wanted to get better at, 573 00:35:02,960 --> 00:35:07,000 Speaker 1: and because I had this familial connection to it. But 574 00:35:07,040 --> 00:35:09,400 Speaker 1: I don't think I realized how much I'd be moved 575 00:35:09,440 --> 00:35:12,840 Speaker 1: by this show when I heard that kids in Ohio 576 00:35:13,280 --> 00:35:16,440 Speaker 1: at the Highland Youth Garden treated their little patch of 577 00:35:16,480 --> 00:35:19,840 Speaker 1: garden like this oasis, and that when they weren't chasing 578 00:35:19,880 --> 00:35:24,680 Speaker 1: snakes and butterflies, they were reading beneath these sunflowers. Our 579 00:35:24,719 --> 00:35:28,799 Speaker 1: show stocked their little library with books. When I heard 580 00:35:28,840 --> 00:35:31,960 Speaker 1: how the Bronx Green Up brings communities together, I not 581 00:35:32,080 --> 00:35:34,799 Speaker 1: only look for a local garden to join, but we 582 00:35:34,920 --> 00:35:37,760 Speaker 1: bought a bunch of their hot sauce. Because of buying 583 00:35:37,800 --> 00:35:41,480 Speaker 1: hot sauces a way to support communities, I'm all for it. 584 00:35:42,360 --> 00:35:44,960 Speaker 1: When I heard how the Sankofa Farms works with high 585 00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:48,560 Speaker 1: schoolers to not only teach them science, but also lease 586 00:35:48,760 --> 00:35:51,840 Speaker 1: bee hives, I splurged to get a share of honey 587 00:35:51,840 --> 00:35:55,879 Speaker 1: from them because I like honey. But I can't wait 588 00:35:55,920 --> 00:35:59,680 Speaker 1: to tell their story. It sounds like we have so 589 00:35:59,760 --> 00:36:03,160 Speaker 1: much money to spend, but we don't. I just love 590 00:36:03,200 --> 00:36:05,759 Speaker 1: how the people on the show were doing so many 591 00:36:05,800 --> 00:36:09,880 Speaker 1: things for kids, for farmers, for the hungry, for their neighbors, 592 00:36:10,480 --> 00:36:14,280 Speaker 1: for friends. How every one of them is sharing knowledge 593 00:36:14,320 --> 00:36:17,320 Speaker 1: and using growing to make the world a little better. 594 00:36:19,200 --> 00:36:21,239 Speaker 1: Over the course of eight weeks, we talked to so 595 00:36:21,320 --> 00:36:24,719 Speaker 1: many authors and activists. There's so many farms and gardens 596 00:36:24,760 --> 00:36:27,719 Speaker 1: that I now feel like I have to visit, and 597 00:36:27,800 --> 00:36:30,560 Speaker 1: so many new friends I hope will bring me up 598 00:36:30,600 --> 00:36:33,160 Speaker 1: when they come to New York City just so we 599 00:36:33,200 --> 00:36:36,319 Speaker 1: can visit a nursery together. But the show ended up 600 00:36:36,360 --> 00:36:38,960 Speaker 1: doing a lot for me too. Over the course of 601 00:36:39,000 --> 00:36:42,960 Speaker 1: the season, my jar relaxed a little. I'm not suddenly 602 00:36:43,000 --> 00:36:46,640 Speaker 1: fit from gardening, but being out in the yard, stretching 603 00:36:46,719 --> 00:36:50,960 Speaker 1: as I prune and plant, it feels so good. I've 604 00:36:51,000 --> 00:36:54,440 Speaker 1: witnessed the magic of watching things sprout from nothing, a 605 00:36:54,520 --> 00:36:57,080 Speaker 1: pile of dirt turning into something you can water and 606 00:36:57,400 --> 00:37:00,759 Speaker 1: be so proud of. I forced my kiddos to hang 607 00:37:00,760 --> 00:37:03,000 Speaker 1: out with me and convince my wife to seed our 608 00:37:03,040 --> 00:37:06,560 Speaker 1: living room to twelve or thirteen plant friends. And I've 609 00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:10,600 Speaker 1: gotten to write a lot of bad poetry, which also 610 00:37:10,680 --> 00:37:14,000 Speaker 1: feels good for the soul. But perhaps the best thing 611 00:37:14,000 --> 00:37:17,880 Speaker 1: I've gotten to hear is all the stories, and not 612 00:37:18,080 --> 00:37:21,120 Speaker 1: just for my guess. Suddenly people want to tell me 613 00:37:21,280 --> 00:37:25,840 Speaker 1: they're ridiculous tales from the backyard about squirrels and yonkers 614 00:37:25,840 --> 00:37:28,839 Speaker 1: who have developed a taste for cherry tomatoes, Or how 615 00:37:28,880 --> 00:37:32,200 Speaker 1: someone's kid got so obsessed with gardening he'd walk into 616 00:37:32,239 --> 00:37:35,600 Speaker 1: his parents zoom meetings with giant buckets of water just 617 00:37:35,680 --> 00:37:39,319 Speaker 1: splashing all over the floor, announcing it was time to 618 00:37:39,400 --> 00:37:43,120 Speaker 1: water the plants. Or how someone sparred the lemon tree 619 00:37:43,280 --> 00:37:47,200 Speaker 1: in a sacred site in Jerusalem and then brought those 620 00:37:47,200 --> 00:37:51,120 Speaker 1: seeds back to plant in his grandmother's yard so many 621 00:37:51,200 --> 00:37:54,839 Speaker 1: countries away, and how those lemons that grow there are 622 00:37:54,880 --> 00:37:59,640 Speaker 1: now infused with so much meaning. Somehow, in some very 623 00:37:59,680 --> 00:38:03,279 Speaker 1: hard times, I told you a few stories about the 624 00:38:03,280 --> 00:38:08,840 Speaker 1: plants I've killed and return I've gotten stories of humans 625 00:38:08,920 --> 00:38:16,600 Speaker 1: growing hope, humans growing kindness, humans growing community, growing love 626 00:38:16,640 --> 00:38:28,279 Speaker 1: and laughter, and also green beans, humans growing stuff. I'm 627 00:38:28,320 --> 00:38:39,279 Speaker 1: mongas together. Thank you so much for listening. That's it 628 00:38:39,360 --> 00:38:42,440 Speaker 1: for today's episode. Don't forget. Whether you're a beginner like me, 629 00:38:42,719 --> 00:38:46,600 Speaker 1: a pro trying something new, or someone in between enjoying 630 00:38:46,640 --> 00:38:50,200 Speaker 1: your community garden, they're incredible resources waiting for you. When 631 00:38:50,200 --> 00:38:53,680 Speaker 1: the Miracle Grow website. We'll be back next year for 632 00:38:53,719 --> 00:38:56,800 Speaker 1: a season two of Humans Growing Stuff, So don't forget 633 00:38:56,840 --> 00:38:59,600 Speaker 1: to check back for more updates about the new season 634 00:39:00,320 --> 00:39:04,560 Speaker 1: and for new episodes. Our show was written and produced 635 00:39:04,560 --> 00:39:08,160 Speaker 1: by Molly Sosha and me Mongi Chatigler in partnership with 636 00:39:08,280 --> 00:39:12,520 Speaker 1: Rhyan Ovadia, Daniel Ainsworth, Hailey Ericsson, and Garrett Shannon of 637 00:39:12,560 --> 00:39:16,320 Speaker 1: Banter Till next Time, Thanks so much for listening.