The health benefits of walking

Walking is one of the easiest ways to exercise. It can help you to stay healthy and control your weight, enjoy time with friends and family and learn more about nature and your local area. You can walk anywhere, at any time and almost anyone can do it. All you need is a pair of comfortable shoes and some motivation. Special clothing, equipment or training is not required. It is free!

Walking is natural and easy on the body and not difficult to fit into your daily life. You can start slowly and build up gradually. You can reap the benefits of walking from doing several shorter walks or one longer walk during the day. Keep walking to improve your chances of a longer and healthier life.

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Studies about walking

“Sustained walking sessions for a minimum period of thirty to sixty minutes a day, five days a week, with the correct walking posture, reduce health risks and have various overall health benefits, such as reducing the chances of cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, anxiety and depression. Life expectancy is also increased even for individuals suffering from obesity or high blood pressure. Walking also increases bone health, especially strengthening the hip bone, and lowering the more harmful low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and raises the more useful good high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.”

Studies have found that walking may also help prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s.

The CDC’s fact sheet on the Relationship of Walking to Mortality Among U.S. Adults with Diabetes states that those with diabetes who walked for 2 or more hours a week lowered their mortality rate from all causes by 39%. Walking lengthened the life of people with diabetes regardless of age, sex, race, body mass index, length of time since diagnosis, and presence of complications or functional limitations.

“Regular, brisk cycling or walking can improve confidence, stamina, energy, weight control, life expectancy and reduce stress. It can also reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, strokes, diabetes, high blood pressure, bowel cancer and osteoporosis. Modern scientific studies have shown that walking, besides its physical benefits, is also beneficial for the mind — improving memory skills, learning ability, concentration and abstract reasoning, as well as reducing stress and uplifting one’s spirits.”

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References:

• Edlin, Gordon; Golanty, Eric (2007). Health and wellness. Jones & Bartlett Publishers. p. 156. ISBN 978-0-7637-4145-7. (Google Books)

• Tolley, Rodney (2003). Sustainable transport: planning for walking and cycling in urban environments. Woodhead Publishing. p. 72. ISBN 1-85573-614-4.

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