To prevent bone loss, get out in the garden and start pulling up those weeds. A newly released University of Arkansas study found that women 50 and older who gardened at least once a week had higher bone density than those who jogged, walked, swam or did aerobics.
Lori Turner, assistant professor of health sciences at the university, has spent many years researching ways to prevent loss of bone density in older women. She told ThirdAge News the results initially surprised her. "I had just started doing gardening myself," she said. "I just thought it wasn't as involved as it is."
But, landscaping and digging holes, she said, gave her a "new appreciation for all the hard physical work that goes into gardening."
Turner analyzed data collected by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and looked at the physical activities of 3,310 women. Of those, she found that almost half gardened.
Turner says weight-bearing exercise is known to help women maintain healthy bones. Being outside, she says, also gives bones an extra boost from the vitamin D derived from sunlight. She warns, however, that women should not overexpose themselves to the sun's rays, and should use sunscreen.
"The best thing about yard work, is that so many people are willing to do it," Turner said. "They don't dread it as exercise." And, she said, many take pride in their yards and enjoy being outdoors.
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