Gardening as Diabetes Therapy

Meet Rosalie

Soon after learning she had type 2 diabetes, Rosalie Misco discovered a surprising but effective therapy -- gardening. "I spend hours in the garden every day. I just love being out there," says Rosalie, 69, of Appleton, Wisconsin. "And with all the raking, weeding, digging, mulching, planting, and picking, I burn a lot of calories and don't even feel it."

Rosalie was diagnosed with diabetes about the same time she and her husband, Bill, retired. They sold her silk floral business, moved to a new house on sunnier land, and began planting flowers, vegetables, and herbs. As Rosalie's garden grew, so did her knowledge about managing diabetes.