GROWING GOOD HEALTH IN THE GARDEN:Exercising their green thumbs helps seniors reap mental and physical rewards

摘要

"No one should miss the satisfaction of digging their hands into sun-warmed dirt," says horticultural therapist Patty Cassidy—even when turning a spade isn't as easy as it used to be. Author of The Illustrated Practical Guide to Gardening for Seniors, Cassidy learned to "garden smarter" with age and now teaches gardeningtechniques that can promote better health among older adults.Connection with nature through yard work can give seniors a lift and also help them stay strong. In a study of 3,300 women aged 50 and older, researchers at the University of Arkansas found that subjects who gardened at least once a week showed higher bone density than those who did other types of exercise. "We hadn't expected yard work to be important," says the study's lead author Lori Turner. But the team found only two activities to be significant for maintaining healthy bone mass: yard work and weight training. And garden work has an extra advantage, says Turner: People "don't dread it as exercise."