GARDENING

By Caitlin Watzke

Gardening is an effective way to fight osteoporosis. The University of Arkansas found that women who garden or do yard work at least once a week have higher bone density than those who do traditional forms of exercise. Having a higher bone density decreases the risk of osteoporosis, which affects about 54 million American men and women.

Lead researcher Dr. Lori Turner was quoted as saying, “[Gardening is] taken for such a dainty activity. But there’s a lot of weight-bearing motion

going on in the garden — digging holes, pulling weeds, pushing a mower.” The National Osteopo- rosis Foundation states that weight-bearing exercis- es are important for building and maintaining bone density.

People are likely to garden more often than other forms of exercise because it feels less like a workout and more like a hobby. It also provides exposure to the sun, which helps the body produce vitamin D and absorb more calcium, an important nutrient

for bone health.

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