Michaelangelica
28-03-2010, 12:02 AM
Kids find the joys of gardening
By John Murphy Special to the Times-News
Published: Monday, March 22, 2010 at 4:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, March 21, 2010 at 1:32 a.m.
( page of 2 )
Occasionally there is the rare individual who lives well into their 100s somewhere in the world. And then there are places in the world where living to be a centenarian is not very unusual at all. This is the topic of the book Blue Zones in which particular populations of the world have been documented for their extreme longevity.
Author Dan Buettner traveled to each of these four communities located in Asia, Europe, Latin America and the United States to interview the centenarians in an attempt to discover what common threads exist in each of these different cultures that may have led, not only to their advanced age, but also to their many years of healthy, active living while in their mature years.
There are factors we all might expect to be on this list-an active lifestyle, a good diet with less red meat and more vegetables, no junk food and the ability to relax and shake off the stress of the day.
There are other factors too, but one activity that pops up often in the four Blue Zones is that these older folks commonly tended gardens. Gardening actually underlies all of the aforementioned benefits.
Those who garden experience low intensity exercise that uses a full range of motion. Gardening is actually among our nation's favorite hobbies and one that seems to have even increased in popularity in recent years -- especially vegetable gardening.
At the Bullington Center we have had more requests to help with school vegetable gardens this past year than ever.
Garden beds have been built and planted at Apple Valley Middle School, Bruce Drysdale, and Sugarloaf, and a large garden project is ongoing at Dana. These gardens not only help connect kids with their food but they can be a living part of the school curriculum, using math, science, history, art, and literature among other subjects.
http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20100322/SERVICES03/3221012/1031/LIVING03
By John Murphy Special to the Times-News
Published: Monday, March 22, 2010 at 4:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, March 21, 2010 at 1:32 a.m.
( page of 2 )
Occasionally there is the rare individual who lives well into their 100s somewhere in the world. And then there are places in the world where living to be a centenarian is not very unusual at all. This is the topic of the book Blue Zones in which particular populations of the world have been documented for their extreme longevity.
Author Dan Buettner traveled to each of these four communities located in Asia, Europe, Latin America and the United States to interview the centenarians in an attempt to discover what common threads exist in each of these different cultures that may have led, not only to their advanced age, but also to their many years of healthy, active living while in their mature years.
There are factors we all might expect to be on this list-an active lifestyle, a good diet with less red meat and more vegetables, no junk food and the ability to relax and shake off the stress of the day.
There are other factors too, but one activity that pops up often in the four Blue Zones is that these older folks commonly tended gardens. Gardening actually underlies all of the aforementioned benefits.
Those who garden experience low intensity exercise that uses a full range of motion. Gardening is actually among our nation's favorite hobbies and one that seems to have even increased in popularity in recent years -- especially vegetable gardening.
At the Bullington Center we have had more requests to help with school vegetable gardens this past year than ever.
Garden beds have been built and planted at Apple Valley Middle School, Bruce Drysdale, and Sugarloaf, and a large garden project is ongoing at Dana. These gardens not only help connect kids with their food but they can be a living part of the school curriculum, using math, science, history, art, and literature among other subjects.
http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20100322/SERVICES03/3221012/1031/LIVING03