Start Walking for Health and Exercise
Discover the Many Health Benefits from a Daily Walk
Nov 4, 2008
According to walking guru and fitness advocate, Leslie Sansone, creator of the original Walk at Home Video Programs, walking is listed as the number one moderate aerobic activity. These results were published in her October 24 WalkTalk Newsletter, a free weekly newsletter published by Leslie Sansone's Walk at Home website.
Walking fits into the latest "Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans" which were released in October by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
According to these new Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, adults gain substantial health benefits from two and a half hours a week of moderate aerobic physical activity, and children benefit from an hour or more of physical activity a day.
Walking is a great way for adults and children to get the physical benefits of aerobic physical activity, but walking also has many health benefits.
Walking is Good for the Heart, Body and Mind
A recent Harvard study shows that walking at a moderate pace (3 mph) for up to 3 hours a week or 30 minutes a day cuts the risk of heart disease in women by as much as 40%.
Regular physical activity reduces a person's of early death; coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, colon and breast cancer, and depression.
Walking can improve thinking ability in older adults and the ability to engage in activities needed for daily living. Walking helps improve cardio-respiratory conditioning, muscular fitness, bone health and contributes to a favorable body composition for children and adolescents.
Many Health Benefits of Walking
According to the Mayo Clinic, there are many known benefits of walking:
- Manage stress and boost your spirits. Going for a brisk walk helps reduce stress.
- Reduce depression and anxiety. Regular walking can reduce feelings of depression and anxiety.
- Stay strong and active as you age. As you get older, walking for physical fitness can prevent falls, help you stay mobile and maintain your independence.
- Reduce your risk of a heart attack. Walking keeps your heart healthy by lowering the "bad" cholesterol (LDL) cholesterol and raising the "good" cholesterol (HDL).
- Reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure.
- Manage your blood pressure. If you already have high blood pressure, walking may help reduce it.
- Reduce your weight. Walking is an excellent way of burning calories which help lose weight.
- Manage your weight. Middle-aged women who walk more than 10,000 steps a day have lower levels of body fat than do women who are less active.
- Reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Regular exercise reduces your risk of developing type 2 diabetes and improve your body's ability to process sugar.
- Manage your diabetes. If you already have type 2 diabetes, taking part in a regular walking program can improve your body's ability to process sugar, lower your blood sugar, reduce your risk of heart disease and help you live longer.
For more of the health benefits of walking read Walking Benefits the Mind, Body and Spirit.
Tips to Start to Walking
To get the heart and the health benefits from walking experts recommended people should walk at least 30 minutes a day, 5 or more days a week.
When walking one should be able to maintain a conversation as you walk. Increase your pace if you are breathing to easily. Slow down your pace if you are out of breath.
The AARP offers these tips to get people walking and keep people walking.
- Walk during your breaks or after lunch.
- Walking up stairs or hills is a great way to strengthen the heart.
- Take a brisk walk after dinner.
- Walk in place while you are watching television.
- Take a friend along.
- Get the family involved.
You may want to walk a longer distance, walk to work, walk to get your groceries or walk out in nature.
What are you waiting for? Put on a pair of walking shoes and head out the door.
More Resources
Dyer KA. How to Be Healthy for Life. Suite 101.
Dyer KA. Walking with Children is Good Family Time. Suite 101.
Department of Health and Human Services. October 2008. HHS Announces Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Press Release.
© 2008 Kirsti A. Dyer MD, MS, FT.
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