Research shows you’re likely to live longer if you walk at least 5.5 miles per week
Walking this much at a slow pace of 2 miles per hour can be enough to lower your risk of things like heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure by 31%. People who walked farther and faster got even more benefit, in case you needed some extra motivation.
Women who walk 30 minutes a day may cut their risk of stroke by20% – 40%
Just a little can do wonders to help your blood move through your body the way it should. Any time you can spend walking is good, but push yourself a little: Getting your heart rate up can strengthen it and lower your blood pressure.
If you walk 10,000 steps, you’ve gone about 5 miles
This is a good goal for overall health. If you can’t quite make that, any walking you do helps. You can work your way up slowly: Use a pedometer to count your steps, and try to kick it up by at least 500 each week.
Walking is as good for your heart as running if you do enough of it
For years, many experts thought that really pushing yourself — and your heart rate — was the best way to strengthen your heart. But it turns out that brisk walking is just as good when it comes to cutting your risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes — as long as you do about twice as much of it.
To boost your mood, take a walk in nature.
Scientists at Stanford University asked people to walk 90 minutes in either a woodsy area or an urban one. Those who strolled in nature had less activity in an area of the brain linked to depression. That supports earlier studies that showed that people who live in cities tend to have more mental health issues, like anxiety and mood disorders, than people who live in the country.
Exercise like walking lowers your risk of breast cancer because it Lowers the estrogen in your bloodstream
Women who are active are 30% to 40% less likely to get breast cancer. Women and men who walk briskly or do other physical activities regularly are also much less likely than others to have colon cancer. To cut your cancer risk, try to walk at least 30 minutes almost every day.
Walking is good for people who have type-2 diabetes
Exercise helps the hormone insulin get sugar out of your bloodstream and into your cells, where it can be used for energy. That can lower your risk of complications from diabetes, like nerve damage and kidney disease. A 10-minute walk after each meal is enough to do the trick.
If you have arthritis, you should walk regularly for exercise
Got achy, creaky knees or hips? You have good reason to get walking then. For starters, your joint fluid moves around when you do, and that gets oxygen and nutrients to your joints and cartilage and helps prevent friction. It also strengthens your leg and core muscles. When your muscles do more of the work, your joints hurt less. A regular walk may also help you slim down, and a thinner body means less pressure on your joints.
If you have back pain, you should walk 20 to 40 minutes two or three times a week
Most doctors recommend physical therapy for people who have chronic lower back pain. While that can help, walking can be just as effective. And it’s free and a great stress reliever — and you can do it anytime without a referral from your doctor.
Walking is good for your bones because it’s Weight-bearing exercise
Activities that make you bear the weight of your own body against gravity are important because they stress your bones, and that leads them to make more cells and become more solid. Other exercises that are good for your bones include high-impact activities, like jumping rope; stretching; and strength training with weights.
As always, talk to your doctor about what’s best and safe for you.
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courtesy of webmd.com