"I am a slow walker, but I never walk backwards." - Abraham Lincoln
Why should you start walking?
Walking for 30 to 60 minutes each day is one of the best things you can do for
your body, mind, and spirit. If that’s not enough to get you started, how about
walking for a cause? If you have a smart
phone, you can download an app called CHARITY MILES. It tracks your steps and donates to a charity
of your choice, plus it keeps track of your exercise regime. Just this week, I chose
to walk for Habitat for Humanity and have donated 10 pieces of lumber…just by
walking!
Here are some healthy reasons to
start walking.
- Walkers Live longer
The Honolulu Heart Study of 8000 men
found that walking just two miles a day cut the risk of death almost in half.
·
Walking Can Help with Weight Loss
Exercise
such as walking is an important part of any weight loss program. You must still
watch how much you eat in order to lose weight. But walking helps you build
healthy lean muscle, lose inches of fat, and pump up your metabolism
- Walking Reduces Risk of Cancer
Study after study has shown that
walking and exercise reduces your risk of breast cancer and colon cancer.
- Walking Boosts Your Brain Power
A study of people over 60 funded by
the National Council on Aging, published in the July 29, 1999 issue of Nature,
found that walking 45 minutes a day at 16-minute mile pace increased the
thinking skills of those over 60. The participants started at 15 minutes of
walking and built up their time and speed. The result was that the same people
were mentally sharper after taking up this walking program.- Walking improves mood and Relieves Stress
Walking and other exercise leads to
the release of the body's natural happy drugs - endorphins. Most people notice
an improvement in mood. A Nov. 9, 1999 study published in the Annals of
Behavioral Medicine showed that university students who walked and did other
easy to moderate exercise regularly had lower stress levels than couch potatoes
or those who exercised strenuously.
- Walking Reduces Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke
Wake
up and get your blood moving! Heart disease and stroke are among the top
killers of both men and women. You can cut your risk of both in half by walking
for 30-60 minutes a day.
- Walking Reduces Diabetes Risk
Get out and walk for 30 minutes a
day as your minimum daily requirement for health and to prevent Type 2
diabetes. A study by the Graduate School of Public Health, University of
Pittsburgh, discovered that walking for 30 minutes a day cut diabetes risks for
overweight as well as non-overweight men and women. Walking also helps maintain
blood sugar balance for those with diabetes.
- Walking Helps Prevent Weight Gain
If you add just 2000 more steps a
day to your regular activities, you may never gain another pound.
· Walking Improves Mood and Relieves Stress
You can reap the benefits of walking
from doing several shorter walks or one longer walk during the day.
Contact Nancy @ my.healthiswealth@comcast.net
