Exercise: Increased Physical Activity Aids Menopausal Women

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Exercise: Increased Physical Activity Aids Menopausal Women

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/03/health/nutrition/03exer.html?

em & ex=1176177600 & en=9090396590b19761 & ei=5087%0A

Women who engage in physical activities like walking and yoga may be

able to reduce some of the physical and emotional problems that can

come with menopause, researchers say.

Writing in the April issue of the ls of Behavioral Medicine, the

researchers say they found improvements in women described as having

been sedentary before the study. The research was led by Steriani

Elavsky of Penn State.

For the study, the researchers took 164 women and divided them into

three groups. For four months, one group walked, one did yoga and

one remained inactive.

Menopause, and sometimes the years before and after it, can be

accompanied by hot flashes, night sweats, irritability and emotional

problems. In some studies, menopausal women who reported being

physically active seemed to have fewer problems.

In this study, the women taking part in the walking and yoga

programs also said the problems associated with menopause decreased

and their overall quality of life improved. " Interestingly, " the

researchers said, " yoga participants also appeared to benefit in the

sexual domain. "