Astonishing Benefits of Walking

Benefits of Walking for a Healthier Future: Longevity and Disease Prevention Through Daily Steps

Walking has astonishing health benefits. Walking has been an integral part of the life of humans from days immemorial. It was partly inevitable because walking was associated with fulfilling day-to-day needs for survival, such as hunting, fetching water from far-off places, collecting wood for cooking purposes, commuting long distances without a mode of transportation, etc. However, the advent of the modern era and commuting choices – cars, buses, trains, shooters, and motorbikes, have restricted the movement of people by foot. Also, the working environment – sitting long hours on desk and chairs have added more to a sedentary lifestyle. The growing use of cell phones, computers, laptops, tablets, and TV has also impacted the movement.

There is growing evidence that brisk daily walking can contribute to ample health benefits, as outlined below:

Right Approach to Walking

Walking requires maintaining the correct body posture and following some guidelines to reap the benefits of this invaluable physical activity. Some of the walking techniques involve:

• Moving shoulders naturally
• Looking forward instead of ground
• Stomach muscles should be slightly tightened
• Back should be straight with no forward bending
• Arms should be slightly bent in elbows and swing freely
• Shoulders should move naturally

Phases of Walking

The walking should involve three phases:

Warm-up – Walk for 5 to 10 minutes leisurely to warm up muscles.

Brisk walk – for about 10 to 15 minutes, depending on your age, stamina, and health condition.

Cool down – Slow walk for 5 to 10 minutes to cool down your body muscles.

According to Health and Human Services, healthy adults should follow the following exercise routine:

Strength training – perform strength training exercises to include all muscles at least twice a week. This should involve using weight or resistance levels to impact muscles with repetitions of around 12 times.

Aerobic Activity – It is recommended to pursue 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week. The more, the better is also valid with aerobic exercise. However, even a short spell of activities during the day has health benefits. Physical activity, even for a short period, is better than a sedentary life on a couch.

For those who have not been regular in any exercise, it is advisable to start slowly and gradually increase the time of physical activities.

Harvard Medical School provides astonishing health benefits of walking as outlined below:

• Suppress the effects of obesity-related genes – Researchers at Harvard Medical School analyzed 32 obesity-related genes in over 12,000 people to find out the role of these genes in obesity. Among the participants in the study, they found that those who walked for about an hour per day had up to 50 percent reduced levels of obesity-related genes.
• Reduces the craving for sweets – studies from the University of Exeter revealed that 15 minutes walk could reduce cravings for chocolate and the quantity of chocolate you wish to consume in stressful situations.
• Boost immune system – A study with over 1000 participants (men and women) revealed that those who walked about 20 minutes a day for at least five days a week had 43 percent fewer chances of getting sick than those who walked once a week. Moreover, those who were regular in walking had less intensity of sickness, and the duration of their illness was also short.
• Relieve joint pain – Findings of several studies conclude that walking can be very effective in relieving arthritis-related joint pain, and those who walk five to six miles a week can even prevent arthritis. Walking also protects joints that are vulnerable parts to developing arthritis.
• Reduces the risk of breast cancer – A study by the American Cancer Society contends that women who walked seven or more hours per week had 14 percent fewer chances of developing breast cancer than those who walked three hours or less. Also, walking protects women with risk factors associated with breast cancer, such as being obese.

Analyzing the findings of the research, the Arthritis Foundation of the U.S. provides revealing health benefits of walking. The Foundation maintains that post-menopausal women can reduce their blood pressure up to 11 points in 24 weeks if they walk one to two miles daily. Quoting another research, the Foundation reveals that people in their 50s and 60s, who were regular in exercise, are 35% less likely to die over the next eight years compared to those who didn’t walk.

Michael A. Schwartz, M.D., of Plancher Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, New York, found that walking can stop bone mass loss in patients with osteoporosis. According to one study, post-menopausal women who walked up to 30 minutes every day had 40% fewer chances of hip fractures.

Walking has also been found to be very effective in elevating mood. According to a study by California State University, Long Beach, the U.S., “the more steps people took during the day, the better their moods were.”

Another study from the University of Virginia Health Systems in Charlottesville reveals that men aged 71 and 93 who walked more than a quarter of a mile daily had half the chance of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

References:

Arthritis Foundation. 12 Benefits of Walking. (https://www.arthritis.org/health-wellness/healthy-living/physical-activity/walking/12-benefits-of-walking) Accessed on December 28, 2022

Harvard Health Publishing. 5 surprising benefits of walking. (https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/5-surprising-benefits-of-walking). Accessed on December 28, 2022

Mayo Clinic. Walking: Trim your waistline, improve your health. (https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/walking/art-20046261). Accessed on January 2, 2023