Walking is an activity that we do every day. We take walking for granted and we are not even aware how important it is unless we are physically unable to walk. You should pay more attention to walking especially as you age.
Benefits of walking
One study that lasted 12 years included adults over 65 and it was discovered that walking only 15 minutes a day can decrease the mortality rate by 22%.
The lead researcher of the study said: “Don’t use age as an excuse not to do exercise. Doing some physical activity regularly has a better effect on general health than any medical treatment does. Less than half of older adults are able to achieve the recommended 75 minutes of exercise with vigorous intensity or 150 minutes of moderate intensity every week.”
This shouldn’t be a surprise.
Many studies have been able to prove the health benefits of walking. People should start considering walking to be an aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise is any exercise that stimulates the heart and respiratory rates which causes more oxygen to be pumped to the muscles. You can achieve this even with walking.
Increasing the respiratory, circulatory and cardiovascular function means that the nutrients will travel where they are needed. The energy we get from the food should not be stored, instead it should be used to help the muscles, organs and bones become stronger.
A sedentary lifestyle can cause illnesses and even sedentary death syndrome which is a real and serious condition. It can lead to numerous diseases and even death.
One study from 2016 has shown that the lung capacity of obese children can be increased within 6 weeks if they walk for 45 minutes every day for 5 days a week. Walking fast increases the fitness level.
Walking outdoors can be very beneficial for the mental health. Spending time in the nature without electronic devices can be very helpful for reducing the everyday stress, for improving the overall mood and even for lowering depression.
Spending time in the sun is also very important because that way we get the required amounts of vitamin D. Walking inside on a treadmill can be just as beneficial as walking outdoors.
A walk in the park
Walking regularly can significantly improve the mobility which then reduces the risk of injury. Walking is particularly beneficial for people who suffer from joint pain and arthritis.
The American Heart Association recommends walking in cases of: diabetes, stroke, hypertension and high cholesterol. You don’t have to walk for 30 minutes at once every day. You can walk twice for 15 minutes. Start slowly and then gradually increase the pace.
If you have trouble sleeping, taking a walk is also very beneficial.
The obvious
One 11-year study that included participants from 7 countries has shown that walking regularly can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases by 31% and the mortality risk by 32%. Walking for just 5.5 miles a week at 2mph can prevent the deadliest diseases.
The modern lifestyle sometimes makes it hard to go to the gym, however everyone has time to walk for just 15-30 minutes a day. So, grab your comfortable snickers and start walking today.
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