Your Heart Needs More Than Housework

Your Heart Needs More Than Housework
Mix some cardiovascular exercise into your cleaning and gardening routines for better heart health.
Be active at home, but also carve out a half hour from your day and go for a walk or jog.
Active housework has health benefits, but you should exercise, too
By Leah Zerbe Topics: exercise
05-12-09

http://www.rodale.com/burn-calories-cleaning-house?cm_mmc=DailyNewsNL-_-2009_05_12-_-Top5-_-NA

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Those with green thumbs and ultratidy homes generally live longer, but heavy-duty housework and gardening isn’t enough alone to fully protect your heart health, according to a study published in this month’s American Journal of Epidemiology.
THE DETAILS: Scottish researchers looked at data from three national health survey samples to see how intense domestic physical activity (IDPA), such as heavy housework, intense gardening, and do-it-yourself projects, affected longevity and cardiovascular health. As it turns out, people who spend a lot of time digging in the dirt and cleaning house enjoyed a 31 percent lower risk of dying. Their risk of cardiovascular disease was not reduced, though, suggesting that you need continuous forms of moderate-to-vigorous exercise to help protect your heart.

To read the full article: Your Heart Needs More Than Housework