Reader's Digest New Zealand Feb/ Mar 2026

reader ’ s digest 40 february/march 2026 illustrations by Kate Traynor Why Water Workouts Work I magine finding out that chocolate cake is the ideal health food. OK, that’s not true. But it is true that something you might only associate with vacations, leisure time and sheer fun is one of the best exercises around. We’re talking about swimming and other aquatic exercises. Working out while all or partially submerged in water has multiple ben- efits for both the mind and the body and can be done by almost anyone of BY Beth Weinhouse Swimming and other aquatic exercises have special benef its The HEALTHY Wellness from Thehealthy.com readersdigest.co.NZ 41 The Healthy any age at any fitness level. A 30-year observational study at the University of South Carolina found that swimmers had about half the risk of death from any cause over the course of the study compared to participants who were runners, walkers or sedentary. Swimming is the fourth-most- popular sports activity in the United States. And you don’t have to do the crawl, breast stroke, side stroke or even the dog paddle to get benefits. Water aerobics, pool walking and water work- outs with weights are also great ways to get in shape. Journalist Jackie Duda even credits her pool workouts with giving her back her health and independence after a near-death experience. A New Lease on Life Duda, 61, suffered frommultiple med- ical problems, including Crohn’s dis- ease, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (which affects the body’s connective tissues) and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (a condition that causes a rapid heartbeat when a person stands up). She relied on a scooter and other mobility aids to get around. But it was undiagnosed diverticulitis leading to septic shock that nearly killed her in 2021. Duda was put on a ventilator and flown by helicopter to a Baltimore trauma center, where surgeons removed a third of her colon and left her with a 10-inch scar and a tempo- rary colostomy bag. Months later, after her colon was reconnected, Duda began physical ther- apy. Down to 117 pounds, with scrawny legs and flabby arms from lack of muscle tone, she was barely strong enough to lift her phone. Her primary care pro- vider, physician assistant Renee LaPointe, recommended that she add water therapy to her program. “I walked, waded, marched and per- formed squats,” Duda remembers of her first day in the pool. “I was amazed; I felt gloriously pain-free.” Duda went from swimming every other day to swimming every single day for more than a year. Today she says she has more energy and less pain than she’s had in decades. In fact, she now swims 4 or 5 miles a week, and walks for 4 or more miles every day without mobility aids. The Many Benefits of Water Fitness Exercising in water can help anyone become more fit, and the many advan- tages of water workouts—besides the fitness factor—may surprise you. Con- sider these perks: ) Water’s buoyancy minimizes the effects of gravity, meaning it’s gentle on joints. This makes exercising in wa- ter an excellent choice for people with arthritis—and for people who want to prevent it. ) Swimming engages most of the body’s major muscle groups, includ- ing those in the legs, upper body and core. It’s a combination of stretch- ing, strength training and an aerobic