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Over 60? According to the study, you can easily lower your risk of heart attack today. Adding this simple activity to your daily routine could reduce your risk of death by up to 30 percent!
Do this weekly!
While it’s certainly best to start heart-healthy habits early in life, there’s no denying that they take on a whole new importance as you age. Unfortunately, the physical changes that come with getting older can make it difficult to achieve goals when it comes to sticking to an exercise program. However, according to one study, simple activity can significantly reduce the risk of heart attack in people over 60. Read on to find out what you should include in your weekly routine.
A study shows that simple gardening can lower heart attack risk and prolong life
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A 2013 study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine surveyed 4,232 participants aged 60 from Stockholm, Sweden, and tracked their health over a 12.5-year period. At an initial screening, each participant’s health habits were recorded, including alcohol consumption, tobacco use, and typical diet. In addition, physical activity levels were determined by asking participants about their traditional exercise program and other habits over the past 12 months, such as how often they repaired their car, tended their garden, or picked blackberries.
The researchers also collected data on the participants’ cardiovascular health through blood tests and physical exams, taking into account blood lipids, blood sugar, and blood clotting factors, all of which indicate an increased risk of heart attack or stroke. At the end of the observation period, 476 participants suffered their first heart attack, while 383 died from various causes.
Nearly 30% lower risk of heart attack!
The results showed that participants who engaged in the most physical activity, such as gardening, had a 27% lower risk of having a heart attack, regardless of their amount of traditional physical activity. They also had a 30 percent lower risk of dying from another cause than the participants with the least amount of physical activity.
The researchers concluded that physical activity such as gardening is important for maintaining good health.
The authors of the study concluded that maintaining heart health through basic exercise in activities like gardening likely contributes because it allows the body to expend energy. They explain that sitting for long periods of time can lower the metabolic rate to a low level, while standing and the simple movement required to tend a garden or pick fruit can help increase it.
Hugely important especially for elders!
“Our findings are particularly important for older adults, as individuals in this age group tend to spend a relatively larger proportion of their active day on routine activities compared with other age groups, as it is often difficult for them to achieve the recommended intensity of physical activity,” the authors wrote in a statement.
Other recent studies have also found that gardening can be an important health factor
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Another recent study, published March 19, 2019, in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, also examined the effects of leisure-time activities on heart health in older adults. Researchers enrolled 88,140 participants between the ages of 40 and 85 from the United States in their study and monitored their health for 11 years while also recording their physical activity levels.
The results showed that participants who engaged in moderate physical activity, such as gardening, walking or dancing, for 10 to 59 minutes a week had an 18 percent lower risk of death and a 12 percent lower risk of dying from a heart attack or stroke. Those who managed to be moderately physically active for two to two and a half hours a week had better results and a 31 percent lower risk of death.
Experts say that simple movements can do a lot to keep the heart healthy.
According to experts, gardening doesn’t make your heart rate skyrocket like a HIIT class, but the subtle activity can still have a significant impact on your health. “The actual movements of digging and raking involve a lot of coordinated movements of the upper and lower body, which can increase metabolic rate and get the heart rate up a little bit,” Michelle Adams, an instructor of kinesiology and nutrition at the University of Illinois at Chicago, who was not involved in the study, told NBC Today. “Not at an intense level, but at a comfortable low to moderate intensity level”.
Still, the results may not be a sign to ditch the treadmill altogether. In a press release about the study, the journal pointed out that the study nevertheless found that those who engaged in strenuous exercise had better health outcomes than those who stuck mainly to moderate activity.
“Individuals who engaged in vigorous physical activity had a significantly lower risk of death than those who engaged in only light to moderate physical activity,” they wrote. “The authors therefore recommend that people who have little time to exercise should do so more.”