The Wellness Garden: Grow, Eat, and Walk Your Way to Better Health

by Shawna Coronado

Make your garden a healing place. If you love to garden but also worry about the physical strain, or if you are in search of ways to promote a healthier lifestyle, and even combat specific chronic health issues, then noted garden author and speaker Shawna Coronado has good news for you! You can stay active, fight chronic pain, and keep the garden you've worked so hard to cultivate.

In  The Wellness Garden , Shawna details exactly how she has learned to use her garden as a key tool in her battle with osteoarthritis and other chronic pain issues. In this inspiring but highly practical book, you will learn from Shawna's life-changing garden experience how to create your own Wellness Garden—and gain the healthier lifestyle you desire and need .

Shawna's Wellness Garden

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction, Nature

160 pages, Paperback

Published December 4, 2017

About the author

Learn more about Shawna Coronado at http://www.shawnacoronado.com.

Shawna is an author, blogger, photographer, and spokesperson focused on wellness, organic-gardening, sustainability, and healthy eating who campaigns for social good. She has authored 9 books, 4 ebooks, and written thousands of blog posts.

Shawna's anti-inflammatory wellness initiatives and garden have been featured in many venues including PBS television, FOX News, NBC News, WGN TV, and a feature on WGN TV was been nominated for an Emmy award. Her organic living photographs and stories have been shown both online and off in many international home and garden magazines and multiple books. Shawna has been featured as a Chicago Tribune "Remarkable Woman" and has lectured at locations around the world including TEDx and Google discussing the benefits of wellness and organic living for community.

Shawna was diagnosed with severe Spinal Osteoarthritis in 2015, this diagnosis has led her to change her lifestyle and consume a mostly anti-inflammatory diet. She educates audiences about beneficial diet, food, and health practices through her organic living media. She dreams that this will enable more people to be active who suffer from similar conditions.

Her successful wellness living books, photographs, and stories have been shown both online and off in many international home and garden magazines and multiple books. You can learn more about Shawna Coronado at http://www.shawnacoronado.com.

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This inspiring book combines two things I love - gardening and being in nature - and two things I hate but have to live with - chronic illness/chronic pain and dietary restrictions. Coronado puts all of them together to demonstrate how we can use our love of gardening and nature to combat illness and chronic pain, through growing delicious and healthy organic produce, to using gardening as a form of moderate exercise, and how the fresh air and lovely scents, sounds and views of gardens and nature can relieve stress and help heal. She includes tips on how to modify gardens and techniques to accommodate pain, stiffness and disability, and how to select and use garden tools to reduce soreness and strain. A useful and inspiring book!

*Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, provided by the author and/or the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Victoria Peipert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the concept of this book. And overall, I feel like the author's perspective and goal were evident and not swaying - bonus points for including Rick Bayless' garden! Where I feel the book fell short was in a couple areas: 1 - The structure, it went from gardening, healthy plants to include, exercise, then back to gardening techniques - I felt a little scattered after reading through it all. 2- I think there is a very fine line between wellness and medical advice and there were some areas that I think got fuzzy in this book which is just something I personally like to steer away (and steer other readers away) from just due to the complexity of the information.

[Gaby F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wellness Garden by Shawna Coronado is an invitation to spend more time in our gardens and public green spaces. Shawna lists a ton of obvious and not so obvious health benefits for doing so, whether we actively engage in gardening or just take a stroll in a nearby park. By immersing herself into gardening, she overcame her own struggles with osteoarthritis and she suggests that we all can become healthier and happier by following her example. One part of Shawna's wellness approach is growing your own nutritious food. She gives many examples to do so with beautiful color photographs for inspiration. I love her tips about easily accessible elevated beds and container gardens. Gardening with the right tools, walking,and even doing Yoga outdoors are all opportunities for getting beneficial exercise. I find the chapter on therapeutic gardening in all kinds of health institutions and socializing with like-minded people in innovative and resourceful community gardens most interesting. Overall, the book is filled with very inspiring ideas and wonderful photographs.

[Jonesy.Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wellness Garden is a well reference book on how to incorporate personal health and wellness through the use of gardens, whether they be used as a place for physical activity, quiet mindfulness, or a fantastic source of nutrients. The photography throughout is beautiful. I particularly liked the charts on nutrient values on home garden grown veggies. I did find that many chapters are devoted to large scale public gardens which I did not find useful, however there was certainly tips and info for patio gardens or small backyard gardens as well.

[Claire Hardwick · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 - 3 stars

I was very intrigue seeing this book at my local library, as love this concept of mindful gardening for mental health. However, it wasn't quite what I'd expected in my mind that the book ended to be. The book is very personal account of the author and briefly in the beginning describes her journey of how she was able to cope with her serious anti-inflammatory disease through gardening and a change in her life style. It was more healthy lifestyle book vs getting into the actual plants or design of a garden. The author does have good health reminders of how gardening and being in nature can improve on mental health, and ways one can be more active in their garden spaces.

So no juicy plant or landscape design substance that I found in the book, but believe the author was well intention.

[Leslie Halleck · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's easy in today's world to forget to pay attention to your surroundings and your routines when it comes to one's own wellness. Often, it's not until we face a physical challenge that we finally make significant changes to our habits. Shawna has some great insight and tips, from real life experience, on how to make some obvious -some not so obvious - shifts that include good eating and gardening to help address specific issues (such as chronic pain) and overall wellness - more importantly to prevent such issues.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book includes practical gardening activities that are linked to better health. The concepts included plants and their therapeutic value and design instructions for a wellness focused garden. The book looked at the physical, social and psychological benefits of gardening. Basic information on gardening to increase your wellness was the focus along with beautiful pictures of gardens.

[Tree · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5.
A bit scrambled at times, but the photos and the overall message were beautiful.
As a chronically ill person who deals with chronic pain and loves to garden, I am inspired by this book. As an aide for a senior living facility, I want to do better for them as well.

Very enjoyable commentary as well as shared data.

[Courtney Kebodeaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intend to scan books like these and just read chapters pertaining to my interest, but this was a cover to cover wealth of gardening and wellness information. I found every page interesting, appealing, and informing.

[Andrea · Rating 1 out of 5]

Poorly written with repeats of the same content in multiple chapters.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title and cover are far better than the content. Lots of beautiful pictures too but didn't really learn anything.

[Kelly Hodgkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wellness Garden by Shauna Coronado is filled with tips and guidance I wish I’d received when I was diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). Changing my diet, taking time to rest and balancing that with exercise are things, together with my mum and homeopath, I worked out as I went along. This book offers great advice on how to shortcut the experimentation and get results quicker. It is full of lovely information on the practicalities of growing our own organic veggie patches and what makes a great veggie. All the advice is given from a place of having walked the journey which makes the book feel authentic and the tasks feel doable. It’s a four out five on the en-JOY-meant scale.

[Sheryl Normandeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shawna Coronado’s fight against her own chronic illness and pain was the inspiration behind The Wellness Garden; despite suffering from osteoarthritis, she didn’t stop gardening when the pain became too much. She realized the benefits of being outdoors, of keeping active, and of tending and harvesting her own healthy food crops – and the point of her book is to encourage others to turn to (or keep on!) gardening as a way to cope and heal and stay fit and focused (and more positive!) in the face of illnesses such as arthritis and depression. Gorgeously presented, thorough (and thoughtful) research, and meaningful, practical solutions make The Wellness Garden a stand-out: Coronado covers everything from fragrance/sensory and therapeutic garden designs, to selecting and growing nutrient- and vitamin-packed edibles (including tips for composting and boosting soil health), and choosing and using ergonomic, safe, and appropriate garden tools that don’t stress the body. The second part of the book is specifically devoted to fitness: walking outdoors, and yoga practice (as well as breathing exercises), meant to be undertaken in the garden. Frequent interaction with nature is key, as there is no doubt about the benefits of being outdoors and the way it elevates mood and well-being. This valuable book will inspire you to get out there and enjoy your garden even more!

[Gaby F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wellness Garden by Shawna Coronado is an invitation to spend more time in our gardens and public green spaces. Shawna lists a ton of obvious and not so obvious health benefits for doing so, whether we actively engage in gardening or just take a stroll in a nearby park. By immersing herself into gardening, she overcame her own struggles with osteoarthritis and she suggests that we all can become healthier and happier by following her example. One part of Shawna's wellness approach is growing your own nutritious food. She gives many examples to do so with beautiful color photographs for inspiration. I love her tips about easily accessible elevated beds and container gardens. Gardening with the right tools, walking,and even doing Yoga outdoors are all opportunities for getting beneficial exercise. I find the chapter on therapeutic gardening in all kinds of health institutions and socializing with like-minded people in innovative and resourceful community gardens most interesting. Overall, the book is filled with very inspiring ideas and wonderful photographs.

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good motivational content to use gardening and other wellness activities to improve your health and wellbeing, especially if you are experiencing new physical challenges. The photography is inspiring. I attended a book club meeting that featured Shawna as a guest, and then returned the next day to hear her again. Watch for her upcoming book, Stacked with Flavor, an anti-inflammatory diet cook book.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Restful and inspiring. This book provides techniques how to create and interact with a healthy and zen garden.