Slow down and take a bath: How to avoid aches and pains while gardening

It's the time of year when people are eager to get their greenthumbs back to work.

However, after a long day of weeding, digging and planting, some gardeners may experience muscle aches and pains.

Naturopath Dr. Joyce Johnson has four tips for an ache-free gardening season so you can continue to spruce up your surroundings this spring and summer.

SLOW DOWN AND STRETCH

According to Johnson, many people tend to get anxious to start their gardens and complete them quickly. But taking it slow and treating the process like an exercise program will help avoid any potential injuries.

"You want to start slow, you want to get warmed up, be limber," she says. "I know the more stretching that you have done prior to starting gardening, the better it will be for you."

"Especially when you think, you're bending over a lot, so you're using a lot of your hamstrings, your glutes, so making sure that you have stretched these out will really make it a lot better for you the next day."

Johnson says the lower back can also experience a lot of strain while gardening -- another important reason to stretch beforehand and take your time.

BUILD UP YOUR COLLAGEN

Building up your collagen intake can also be helpful when it comes to avoiding getting hurt during gardening season.

"What collagen does, is it helps to protect the joints, it maintains the integrity of the cartilage in your joints. So, this is like the rubber-like tissue that helps to protect your joints," Johnson explains.

According to Johnson, the amount of collagen in someone's body decreases as they age, increasing the risk of developing degenerative joint problems, like arthritis.

"So, you can get collagen out of your diet. Bone broth is a great way to get collagen, and if you're doing a homemade bone broth and you chill it, and you see this gelatinous layer that forms at the top, that's where all the collagen is."

Johnson says other foods that offer collagen include chicken skin, beef, animal products, and even some supplements.

Consuming more Vitamin C is also helpful, she says, as it is an essential vitamin needed to help the body produce collagen.

MANAGE INFLAMMATION

Managing inflammation is also important when it comes to avoiding aches and pains after being out in the garden.

Johnson says your diet plays a big role.

"You want to eat more plants, and if you're in the garden, hopefully you're growing your own plants. So, the plants have anti-inflammatory nutrients, so either rainbow fruits or veggies," she says.

"You also want to focus on antioxidants, and you can find antioxidants in these foods as well, and they help to prevent damage to the cells and tissues."

Increasing your Omega-3 intake is another way to help manage inflammation.  

"So, Omega-3 is anti-inflammatory, so it helps to take down inflammation in all of your joints throughout your body. So, Omega-3 you can get from salmon, you can get it from cold-water fish, walnuts, ground flax seeds, or you can get it in a supplement form too."

TAKE A BATH

Johnson also suggests taking regular baths, which will help rid your body of toxins.

"So, make sure after your work is done, you want to soak your joints in a bath with Epsom salts, and Epsom salts have magnesium in them, which helps your body get rid of toxins that increase inflammation," she says.

"It also helps to reduce swelling, stiffness and pain in your joints, so the heat from the warm water is really soothing."