How Walking Everyday Can Improve Your Overall Health

One might typically think of walking as an everyday action most of us perform rather than an actual physical exercise like lifting weights in the gym or going for a run. However, walking is indeed considered a gentle and low-impact form of exercise that can be suitable for almost everyone.  Perhaps running isn’t your thing, or maybe you’ve suffered an injury that is impeding your ability to even go for a jog? Walking is an absolutely appropriate exercise you can adopt to help ensure you are maintaining your overall health. This blog post will look at just a few ways walking as little as 30 minutes a day can help you stay fit.

Lower Your Risk Of High Blood Pressure

Among the most important benefits, walking can help you avoid serious ailments such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and even some cancers. According to one recent study done by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, even going for a brisk walk can lower your risk of high blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes as much as running can. This is especially good news for those who are elderly or overweight as it significantly reduces the risk of injury without removing the most crucial health benefits that running also provides.

Live Longer and Happier

Attached to the aforementioned benefits of disease prevention, walking can certainly help you live a longer and happier life. Research conducted at the University of Michigan Medical School has shown that those who exercised by walking regularly in their sixties have a significant 35% smaller chance of dying over the next eight years versus those in the same age group who do not walk. Of course, the fact walking tones your leg and abdominal muscles can certainly not be neglected by any means in helping you prolong your life. As for the happy part? Well the more steps you take during the day the more likely you are to be happier overall. This is a result of those natural painkilling endorphins being released to the body. This is why walking is an emotionally beneficial activity you should not overlook.

Reduce Chances of Alzhemiers

The long term mental benefits of walking cannot be forgotten either. A study done by researchers at the University of California has shown that age-related memory decline was lower in those who walked more. The study itself demonstrated that women who walked 2.5 miles per day had an 8% lower rate in memory decline versus those who walked less than a half mile per week. Another study focused on men this time from the University of Virginia Health System showed that those between 71 and 93 years of age who walked greater than a quarter of a mile each day were 50% less likely to suffer from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease versus those who didn’t walk as much.

We Can Assist You

Although we discussed a number of beneficial ways way in which walking everyday can improve your overall health, there are certainly many other ways that walking can help, such as ameliorating your sleep to improving your breath. It goes without saying that walking is absolutely an activity you should implement in your daily routine. For more health advice and information, HealthMax Physiotherapy Clinics is here to help. Contact us by phone at (416) 431-4000 or via our Contact Form.