It was a major milestone. And recent research on the health benefits of walking shows that you, and everyone who cares about you, should still be proud of you – that is, IF you're still walking!
After all, an old fashioned daily walk is your body's most natural form of exercise. Plus, it's possible to walk almost anywhere, at any time. And it's probably the safest, cheapest one of the most enjoyable things you can do to dramatically improve your health.
Research on Health Benefits of Walking
According to studies done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and many others, a daily walk can cut your risk of death - from all diseases - in half.
People who walk at a moderate 3-mph pace for at least 3 to 4 hours a week (30 minutes a day) have been shown to dramatically reduce their risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, hip fractures, glaucoma, depression and much more.
A 150-pound person, at a 3-mph pace, can burn
- 133 calories in 30 minutes and
- 264 calories in 60 minutes of walking.
What Walking Can Do for You
A regular daily 30-minute walk has been proven to help you to achieve the following:
- Reach and maintain a healthy weight. Walking reduces body fat, increases lean muscle tissue, improves metabolism and burns calories. Along with a good healthy eating plan, walking can help you achieve long-lasting weight control.
- Lower your risk of heart attack and stroke. Based on large studies of both men and women, just 30 minutes of walking a day greatly improves your circulation and helps keep your heart and blood vessels healthy.
- Reduce and manage type 2 diabetes. Walking improves your body's natural ability to process sugar (glucose tolerance) and to maintain a healthy weight. This can help prevent and sometimes even reverse type 2 diabetes.
- Improve blood pressure and cholesterol A daily walk has been shown to be just as effective for lowering blood pressure, boosting HDL (good) cholesterol and reducing LDL (bad) cholesterol as taking medications with risky side effects.
- Decrease stress and prevent depression. Going for a regular invigorating walk is a great way to elevate your mood, improve your sleep, increase your overall energy, promote deep breathing and reduce stress, anxiety and depression.
- Stay strong, active and healthy. As you grow older, walking improves stamina and keeps you fit. It strengthens muscles, bones and joints, helps prevent falls and hip fractures, boosts your immune system and lengthens your life.
- Prevent numerous other conditions. The list goes on and on. Studies show a brisk daily walk can also relieve arthritis and back pain and help prevent osteoporosis, colon and breast cancer, impotence and constipation.
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Note: The information contained on this website is not intended to be prescriptive. Any attempt to diagnose or treat an illness should come under the direction of a physician who is familiar with nutritional therapy.
