Regular Gardening “May Help Stroke Patients Live Longer”

Stroke patients who regularly walk or work in the garden could cut their risk of dying prematurely in half.

The reduced risk was seen in those whose exercise levels reached the equivalent of at least three to four hours of walking or gardening per week, or two to three hours of cycling.

Each year, more than 100,000 Britons suffer a stroke and 1.2 million stroke survivors live in this country.

These survivors are at greater risk of heart attack and heart failure, often due to factors that caused the stroke, such as high blood pressure.

One study has shown that stroke survivors who get enough exercise have a 54 percent lower risk of death. Even people aged 75 and over have seen their risk of death drop by 32% (stock photo)

But now, a study shows that those who exercise enough have a 54 percent lower risk of death. Even people aged 75 and over saw their risk of death drop by 32 percent.

“Our results are exciting, as just three to four hours of walking per week was associated with large reductions in mortality,” said Dr. Raed Joundi, study author from the University of Calgary, Canada.

“A better understanding of the role of physical activity in the health of stroke survivors is needed to design better exercise therapies and public health campaigns. “

The researchers, whose study was published in the journal Neurology, examined 895 stroke survivors who responded to a national health survey in Canada between 2009 and 2014.

They were asked how much time they had devoted in the past three months to activities such as walking, running, swimming, sports, biking and gardening.

Dr Richard Francis of the Stroke Association, warned that the number of patients in the study was low, but said: “This research shows that regular low-impact physical activity, such as walking, can help survivors of the disease. ‘stroke to stay healthy. “