How’s your health? How are you feeling mentally, physically and spiritually?

These are the questions that I ask my family members at some point during a conversation. It’s not that I expect them to always tell me the truth (I hope so) nor will I always have a good answer for them if they are not doing so well . My main goal is to get them thinking about care for their mind, body and soul if they are not already doing so. And if they are not, well, I do have a a good answer for them in that case: grow some herbs and vegetables at home.

I’m finally getting around to telling everyone I know about ColorBlindWork. The one person who actually looked at this website (though many said they would 😂) asked me questions about PlanTherapie. My short answer: eating well and exercising.

Like most of us, this friend isn’t eating healthy foods on a consistent basis, not sleeping enough, nor exercising and meditating/praying regularly. And like most of us, the reason (excuse?) for it is that there is not enough time.

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Time is not on our side

A quick disclaimer: I work from home and also work independently. Everyone does not have that option so adding up the time taken to get ready for work, travel to work, work the full day, travel home, eat, prepare for bed (plus whatever else parents have to do!), there is not a lot of time left in the day to do those exercises, prayers or buy groceries and make healthy meals.

So, how would you ever have time to grow herbs and vegetables? Well, my first step was to distinguish my “musts” from my “optionals,” and I eliminated many of the optionals.

As an example, about every 8-10 days, I must buy groceries. However, I can choose to go into the store and walk around for an hour and select items (some I don’t necessarily need) or to use curbside pickup for restocking days. That saves both time—and money, because I only take home what I put on the list. If you are not already using curbside pick-up, try it out. Most stores have some version of the service.

Next, look at your activities where you are spending time (and money). Are you eating out as a social activity or during your work day? Can you swap a dinner with friends with a hike in a park with friends? Can you swap a workday lunch outing for a lunch walk (pack your lunch at home)? In a previous career, I would pack my lunch daily and eat it throughout the afternoon after walking the campus trails. Of course I had to make time to buy and pack lunches every night; however, by doing so, I did not spend at restaurants and I made time to exercise every day during the lunch hour.

Moving forward after right-sizing your schedule, you now have the time to put some plants into large containers or into the ground or raised garden. The secret? Growing herbs and vegetables benefits your mental, physical and spiritual health and wellness in just one activity.

• Physical: Gardening is physical work. The bigger the garden, the more work you will do. Be sure to check with your physician about physical exertion before starting!
• Physical: Grow the vegetables that provide the most health benefits. Tomatoes have lycopene, potassium, vitamins B and E, and other nutrients. Celery Celery is high in fiber and nutrients, low in calories, full of potassium and antioxidants (facts from WebMD.com) Broccoli, cabbage, lettuce and kale have multitude of benefits!
• Mental: Gardening is relaxing. Working solo is great but working with others makes it a social activity. Gardening reduces stress, improves your mood and is good for your heart (that’s another physical benefit)!
• Spiritual: My garden is a quiet space. I talk to my plants (stop laughing: this is normal behavior and you will do it too!) and I pray focused prayers.
• Spiritual: As indigenous North/South American people, or descendants of indigenous people’s of Alkebulan (Africa), who we are/were, our identity, is/was linked to the natural world and how we interact(ed) with it. As African Americans, when many of our families were terrorized in the southern United States, they moved north into cities and departed from working the land. In doing so, many of our ancestors lost that connection to it. Now their descendants are returning south or gardening in place, wherever they live. Gardening and farming restores that spiritual connection. It is hard to disrespect the land if we connect to it. We are all related.

So back to my friend’s question. This is a very long explanation about the gardening focus of PlanTherapie, and the core reason for the existence of ColorBlindWork.

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Need plants for your garden? Visit our online store to pre-order summer and fall 2024 plants. (Orders for Spring 2025 plants will be taken as early as January 1, 2025)

Let’s grow something!