Homesteading as a health plan

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When I was 10 years old, my father died of a heart attack. He was 42 years old. His father died at 54 of a heart attack. My mother's mother died of a heart attack at 61. My mother's father had 6 heart attacks before he died of a stroke at 82. I decided quite awhile ago that I would prefer to be like my mother's father, then like the rest of the family, so I took up homesteading. While everyone around me was trying to make their life less physically demanding, I was making sure mine was physically demanding enough. My exercise plan for the winter, other than normal livestock care and cross-country skiing for fun is to shovel all my snow by hand. In the less snowy seasons I garden feverishly and work off my homestead on a farm. I also eat what I grow (and buy...I'm not that good, yet!) and try to eat healthy. How do you homestead to stay healthy?

-- Sheryl in ME (radams@sacoriver.net), January 16, 2002

Answers

Hi Sheryl: Just getting out of the city and into the fresher air is a real plus I'm sure. The exercise is good, those farm chores. Eating our home grown vegetables and fruits rates high too.

-- Katie (homesteader@accessnevada.com), January 16, 2002.

Cool solution for you.

The homestead is not the total answer for everyone. Stress and genetics play a huge factor. My grandfather worked like a physical maniac every day on the land. He worried a lot though and it helped to get him at 65. There is no magic bullet. People just head on when it is there time in my humble opinion. I know plenty of people for whom the ideal of the homestead causes more than the usual stress of living. I know plenty the other way too. Life is a complex cycle that includes death. I am gratified and thrilled that you found a way to look after yourself. I am even happier that it was homesteading that worked for you. Someone I know all too well is an alcoholic smoking lawyer and is still making trouble at 80. Flies in the face of every actuarial table he does. If you asked him to homestead, he would be dead in three days.

Still, I resonate totally to your post. I think that it can be a great solution.

Oscar

-- Oscar H. Will III (owill@mail.whittier.edu), January 16, 2002.


Along with the benefits of fresh, chemical free food, one shouldn't overlook the biggest health benefit of all.....no stressed out city people bickering...no smog....no road rage...no keep up with the joneses... It's a peaceful lifestyle...that's the biggest health perk of all to me.

-- CJ (cjtinkle@getgoin.net), January 16, 2002.

Hey Sheryl! Are you sure that we aren't related? My father died at 48 from a heart attack and his father at 47. I did a little geneology search and found that that whole line of men died before they were 50.....The women ended up farming like demons just to survive and raise their kids. They live to ripe old ages---- I am hoping that I got more of my Granny's genes. During the winter months, I have a definite rise in my blood pressure. In the Spring when I am gardening, milking goats,etc. I have a normal blood pressure. I relax and enjoy being outdoors so much, I am seriously considering a green house for therepy!!

-- Tana Mc (mcfarm@totelcsi.net), January 17, 2002.

My doctor tells me to work out 2x a week for my health problems. Instead of going to the gym, I work outside. I just could not see spending time and money to work out in town when working outside pays ME, and I would have something to show for it! Since my great-uncles started dropping dead when they were 45 years old I take my health seriously, and my blood tests are MUUCH better! I am 47 years old as of 3 days ago, and I intend to live to my 90's like my fathers side of the family!

-- Terri (hooperterri@prodigy.net), January 17, 2002.


Hi Sheryl, We pretty much dropped out, wife and I left the city, slowed our lives down, started eating fresh home grown food, found we had time to work and play together. We actually like this unstressed life!!!

-- woodsbilly (coleenl@penn.com), January 17, 2002.

My hubby and I are still stuck in the throws of the rat race...trying desperetly to get out....Only one word would fit the descriptive reasoning....QUIET....noise makes me nervous....too many people make me nervous...I have a stress rash as i type...so to my own health and the health of my family...WE WILL BE HOMESTEADERS!!!

-- Kristean Thompson (pigalena_babe@yahoo.com), January 17, 2002.

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