McKinley Grapevine

5. Give yourself a break!!

We need to give ourselves a break, and a little downtime works well for almost everybody. It doesn’t really matter what the activity or inactivity is. The idea is to give your body, mind, and heart a chance to relax and recharge. If you keep going at full speed every day, it can be really hard on you, both physically and mentally.

If you are working toward a fitness/health oriented goal, your body can plateau if not given adequate time to restore itself.  Don’t forget your rest days as they are a crucial part of your workout cycle and should not be forgotten J.

Weekends seem to be the easiest times to allow ourselves the time to actually take a break, right?  Well, here’s our challenge to you…let’s not wait until the weekend to rejuvenate!

·         Find 5min EVERY DAY to “give yourself a break”

·         Set a daily alarm on your phone to remind you

·         We are all different, you choose what will help you take a break. However, if you’re looking for some guidance, I would totally recommend just going for a walk…without your phone or any other distractions.  Focus on taking deep breaths but take them naturally.  If you’re having a hard time slowing your thoughts down or redirecting your thoughts, refer back to your “Positive 5 for 5” from Monday.  If you didn’t get the chance to read Beau’s email, see below:

§  Write down 5 things on a piece of paper that will encourage positive thinking.  Here are a few examples of what those things could be about:

§

§      A characteristic about yourself you are thankful for

§      An accomplishment that was tough but you persevered through

§      Something that makes you laugh or brings you joy to think about

§      Something you’re looking forward to in the future

§      A favorite motivational quote

4. Get a good night’s sleep

Sleep plays an important role in your physical health. For example, sleep is involved in the healing and repair of your heart and blood vessels. Ongoing sleep deficiency is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke. This is also when your muscles repair themselves after a tough workout.

If you’re having trouble getting to sleep and staying asleep at night, try relaxation techniques like yoga or meditation before bed. One of the most common things that tend to keep us awake at night are our racing minds.  Writing down some things you are worried or stressed about will help to put them in perspective and reduce the amount of stress or worry you have been experiencing or at the very least, it will keep them from cycling through your mind J

For more suggestions on how to achieve your best zzz’s, check out this article I wrote on the McKinley Grapevine:

http://grapevine.mckinley.com/2015/11/get-a-great-nights-sleep-tonight/

3. Exercise everyday:

 

Exercise reduces all biomarkers of aging. This includes, improved eyesight, normalizing of blood pressure, lowers cholesterol, etc. The health benefits of regular exercise and physical activity are hard to ignore. And the benefits of exercise are yours for the taking, regardless of your age, sex or physical ability. As a general goal, aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day, but even 10 minutes of exercise makes a difference.

 

 

Reasons why you should exercise regularly:

• Controls weight
• Combats health conditions and diseases
• Improves mood
• Boosts energy
• Promotes better sleep
• It’s fun

2. Stay hydrated

We as humans have three basic needs, food, shelter, and WATER. That’s right, water! Not soda, not juice, not coffee, WATER! When you have the option to choose a beverage, choose water! Drinking water helps the skin do it’s job of regulating the body’s temperature through sweating. Water is essential for the proper circulation of nutrients in the body as well. Be sure to drink at least 8 8-oz cups a day.

Here’s 6 reasons to drink water:

1.) Helps energize your muscles

2.) Helps keep skin looking good

3.) Helps maintains the balance of bodily fluids

4.) Helps control calories

5.) Helps your kidneys

6.) Helps maintain normal bowel function

Good morning everyone!

Today is Day 1 of your daily dosage of simple healthy living tips! Meredith and I will be sending these tips every morning for the next 10 work days. So don’t forget to check your inbox!

1. Think positive

Being positive helps to build a healthier immune system. Numerous studies have shown that optimists are physically and psychologically healthier than pessimists. A University of Michigan study followed people from age 25 to 65 to see how their levels of pessimism or optimism influenced or correlated with their overall health. The researchers found that pessimists’ health deteriorated far more rapidly as they aged.

So, it’s true, your body believes what you think, focus on positive thoughts. Show yourself some sympathy and keep looking toward your end goals. Try not to dwell on mistakes as they are only part of the journey to happiness and success.

This is our challenge to you – Positive 5 for 5:

Write down 5 things on a piece of paper that will encourage positive thinking.  Here are a few examples of what those things could be about:

• A characteristic about yourself you are thankful for
• An accomplishment that was tough but you persevered through
• Something that makes you laugh or brings you joy to think about
• Something you’re looking forward to in the future
• A favorite motivational quote

Now, everyday, look at these things you’ve written down for 5min/day and be still with your thoughts.  See what happens to your thinking for the rest of the day 

Good Morning Everyone!

 

Earlier this week we had the pleasure of Amanda and Tonya from Growing Hope in Ypsilanti come to give us a crash course on creating healthy harvest in your own backyard!!!  I wanted you all to have this valuable info so here is an overview of some of the broader topics they touched on.. This is a longer one, so flag this email if you don’t have time to read it right now, and come back to it when you have time!

 

At the bottom of the email, I have provided you with contact information of several different resources that can answer any questions you may have about gardening.

 

5 P’s of Gardening

 

Planning your garden revolves around locating the right site with plenty of sun and water access.

Sunlight: 5 – 6+ hours of sun

Water:

Where is your water source?

Flat land is preferred when gardening

Low areas can flood

Avoid windy and high traffic areas

Far from competing shrubs and trees

Can you see and enjoy your garden?

Preparing the soil by turning it over, weeding and adding 1” – 3” of fresh compost.

For new gardens:

Lay Down 2”- 4” of cardboard to prevent the growth of weeds

Add fresh compost or garden mix to fill your garden bed

Water before planting to settle soil

For preexisting gardens:

Turn your soil over to break large chunks of dirt

Remove unbreakable chunks and rocks

Add fresh compost to the top of your garden soil if too sandy or clay- based. This will allow for good drainage of water in your garden.

Water before planting to settle soil

Planting fruits, veggies, flowers and herbs you and your family can enjoy!

Plant what you enjoy eating, or try something new!

Choose plants that grow well in your space.

Fast Growers:

Radish

Leaf lettuce

Spinach

Beets

Slow-Pace Growers:

Sweet potatoes

Winter squash

Melons

Corn

Water seeds and seedlings right after planting in the garden.

Trellis, String and Stakes support tall plants and plants that climb like cucumbers, peas and tomatoes.

Extend Growing Season by covering garden with plastic and hoops or row covers.

Give Enough Space for plants to grow to full size.

Protecting your plants by weeding, managing pests and diseases common in Michigan, and watering regularly.

Common Weeds

Grasses: crabgrass, quackgrass, and plantain grow in many lawns and gardens.

• TO REMOVE: handpick grasses out of soil; remove as much of the root as possible.

Chickweed: grows in dense patches with shallow roots. Click here for an example.

• TO REMOVE: handpick out of soil; remove as much of the root as possible. Click herefor an example.

Pigweed: red long root, likes warm weather; remove before it flowers.Click here for an exmple.

• TO REMOVE: handpick out of soil.

Pest Control

Aphids: gray, red or green, very small; live in clusters under leaves and on new plant growth.  Click here for an example.

• TO REMOVE: apply insecticidal soap.

Cabbage Worms and Moth: small green worm, yellow moth chews holes in broccoli, cauliflower, kale and cabbage; check underside of leaves, white moth is adult form. Click here for an example.

• TO REMOVE: brush off eggs, handpick off worms, or apply BT insecticide.

Cutworms: dark colored worms, clips off seedling stems near or just below the soil surface; also eat large holes in plants. Click here for an example.

• TO REMOVE: sprinkle Diatomaceous Earth on ground around plant base.

Beetles: various sizes; chew holes in crops. Click here for an example.

• TO REMOVE: handpick beetles, cover floating row cover immediately on seedlings and leave in place until plants are old enough to tolerate damage.

Hornworms: large green worms found on tomato plants. Click here for an example.

• TO REMOVE: handpick worms and drop into soapy water to destroy.

Slugs: active at night; feed on live and decaying plants. Click here for an example.

• TO REMOVE: sprinkle with salt.

Disease Management

Blossom End Rot: rot is caused by low levels of calcium when fruits are forming. Common in tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. Click here for an example.

• TO PREVENT: proper and regular watering

Nitrogen Deficiency: poor plant growth, and leaves that are pale green or yellow. Click here for an example.

• TO PREVENT: Add Nitrogen dense fertilizers like kelp and fish emulsion or compost to soil.

Damping Off: wet and cool temperatures can cause seeds and seedlings to weaken before and after germination. Click here for an example.

• TO PREVENT: Avoid over watering

Powdery Mildew: dusty white or gray coating over leaf surfaces and other infected plant parts. Mostly found on squash and cucumbers. Click here for an example.

• TO PREVENT: Often times won’t kill plants before fruiting.

Picking and enjoying the fruit of your labor is the best part of gardening!

 

Portable Gardening

 

I know what you’re thinking, “Who has time to garden????? And even if I did have time, I have no where to plant a garden!!!” Well, today is your lucky day, because I am presenting you with fantastic reasons why you SHOULD make time to garden! I am also presenting you somealternatives to large plot gardening.

 

Here’s why you SHOULD garden:

 

Great opportunity to get outside, grow nutritious food and explore new tastes and flavors

Provide fresh food to your and your family

Gardening is a great (and productive) way to relieve stress

You’ll actually know where you produce is coming from

Save you money at the grocery store

Gardens are beautiful and can be healing agents

 

Maybe you don’t have a huge backyard or an optimal space to setup a garden, don’t fret! There are numerous types of portable gardens, space saving techniques and many plants that can be grown in a pot.

 

Portable Gardens and Space Saving Pots:

 

Smart Pots use a patented aerated fabric to produce healthier plants. You can read more about or purchase Smart Pots here.

Bloembagz is a company based out of Hudsonville, MI that is dedicated to creating decorative planters and accessories. You can browse all Bloembagz products here.

Plastic pots can be found at variety of local gardening stores or can be bought from Growing Hope.

Vertical Garden can be found at Growing Hope.

Seed Starting Stand can be found at Growing Hope.

 

Now that I know you are 100% more motivated to go home and start up your own personal garden, here’s a few additional resources, just in case you have some question!

 

Amanda Edmonds

Executive Director

Amanda@growinghope.net

734-330-7576

 

Growing Hope Center

922 w. Michigan Ave, Ypsilanti, MI 48197

Monday – Friday :: 9 am – 5 pm

734-786-8401

www.growinghope.net

 

YpsiPlanti Garden Supply

16 S. Michigan Ave, Ypsilanti, MI 48198

Tuesdays – Friday :: 2pm – 7pm

Saturday 8am – 4pm