Articles
Watch your health
Incorrect posture, damage to skin, hands and feet from exposure to fertilisers, sun damage ... Richa Pant on how to protect yourself.
- By Richa Pant, Special to Notes
- Published: 00:00 February 17, 2007
- Image Credit:
- Use correct postures for tasks such as potting plants and raking leaves.
Gardening is great fun but there are a few precautions you must take since sun exposure, chemicals, allergies, and incorrect postures can contribute to bad health.
Sun damage prevention
Garden in the early morning or evening, and not between 11am and 2pm as the sun is most intense then.
Wear protective gear — wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and long-sleeved light-coloured clothing to reflect the sun.
Wear waterproof sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15 or greater.
Allergies
To avoid allergies, choose "safe" plants with large/sticky pollen grains not easily transported by wind.
Keep grass mowed.
Control weeds, moulds, and mildews.
Use bug repellents for protection from mosquitoes and other insects.
Skin damage
Skin and nails can be damaged by soil, fertilisers, chemicals, sun exposure, heat/cold, or persistent wetness.
Wear gloves and wash hands immediately if you come in contact with fertilisers.
Moisturise using petroleum jelly, glycerine, or lanolin-based moisturisers.
Proper footwear is the best protection for feet.
Fingernails
Don't forget fingernails when moisturising. Nails are more than 10 per cent water. Dry nails crack rather than bend.
Knees
Squatting can put unnecessary strain on the knees. Work preferably with one knee on the ground. If sitting on a chair/stool, place it close to the area where you are working and use long-handled tools to avoid straining the upper body.
Back
Sit, stand, and work in ways that avoid strain.
Walk with a slight arch in the lower back and don't slouch.
Sit with feet supported and knees same level or higher than hips.
Use correct postures when potting plants, raking leaves, etc.
Use raised beds to reduce bending.
Ask others for help with tasks that are difficult or cause strain.
Take frequent breaks.
The writer is a freelancer based in India
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