21 Incredible Benefits Of Walking !
21-07-2017 | Posted By: Rajni Joshi | 11600 View(s)
Walking is the best form of aerobic exercise as it helps people stay fit and healthy. There are many wonderful health Benefits of walking. However, the benefits of walking seem so obvious that we hardly discuss them. Did You know a 30-Minute walk in the morning can change your life completely? Walking helps prevent diseases like obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, etc. and also helps you stay calm.
Going for a walk every day can help you calm your nerves, strengthen your bones, stay energised and positive throughout the day. Going for a morning walk is proven to be highly beneficial for people.
Even doctors ask their patients to go for a morning walk daily! Why? Well, because going for a morning walk can have a huge impact on your health. People who go for a walk daily are less prone to health disease as compared to those who don’t. In a study, men and women who walked regularly were found to have less body fat than those who didn’t walk. This article is to remind you about all the benefits of walking so that you can inculcate the healthy habit of walking in your lifestyle.
Top 20 Health Benefits of Walking:
1. It Reduces the Risk of Diabetes
Diabetes Mellitus has become a common health condition nowadays. It is now one of the most common lifestyle-related diseases. But you can stay away from this metabolic disorder by going for a morning walk for 30 minutes daily. Studies claim that a 30-minute walk helps control blood sugar levels, aid management of insulin in type 2 diabetes and keeps type 2 diabetes at bay.
Walking helps burns body fat that is not needed and improves the Body Mass Index (BMI), thereby preventing Diabetes. It also improves the Body Mass Index by allowing the cells in the muscles to use more of the glucose that helps in burning of the body fats which is not required. In fact, studies claim that if you walk regularly, you can lower the risk of type 2 diabetes by around 60 %. According to the American Diabetes Association, walking is an excellent way to prevent diabetes. Keep your spine straight and chin up while walking. To monitor your blood sugar levels, go for a health checkup on a regular basis.
2. It Promotes Weight Loss
One of the best health benefits of walking is that it helps people lose weight. Obesity has become a big health issue and is the root cause of many other health problems. A major reason for being obese or overweight is leading an inactive lifestyle. Walking is one of the best exercises for weight loss. If you want to burn calories and shed a few pounds, then you must go for a walk for at least half an hour every day. It helps to burn calories which is essential for weight loss. At first, you might find it difficult but when you start doing it on a regular basis, you won’t feel exhausted and would start loving it.
Also, you must remember that walking at a relatively fast speed is very important because it can help you achieve your weight loss goal. Did you know that you can burn about 75 calories simply by walking at 2mph for 30 minutes? Yes! You heard it right! Not only this but if you increase your speed up to 3mph, you can burn around 99 calories whereas walking at 4mph can help you burn 150 calories. The calories you burn can help shed those extra Kilos!
In a study, conducted by the University of Utah, it was found that every minute of brisk walking throughout the day could lower the risk of obesity by 5 %. If you are aiming to reduce your weight, then go for a walk every day. It will not only help you lose weight but will also improve your metabolism too which will help you stay healthy and fit.
3. It Keeps your Heart Healthy
Your heart loves it when you walk! Want to keep your heart in good health? Then Walk, Walk and Walk! Yes! Going for a walk has too many benefits, and one of the benefits of walking is that it helps in keeping the heart strong and healthy. According to the American heart association, brisk walking helps in reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. It also helps lower the levels of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) and increase the levels of HDL cholesterol ( good cholesterol). Apart from that, morning walks lower triacylglycerol levels in the body and prevents hypertension.
There are many studies that prove that a morning walk keeps the heart strong and healthy. According to a Study conducted by the University of South California, if you walk briskly for at least half an hour for five times a week, it will help you in lowering the risk of strokes. People who maintain a regular fitness regimen eventually reduce the risk of suffering from a heart stroke by at least 40% as compared to people who are not physically active.
Another study initiated by the Harvard Medical School showed that if you walk for just 2.5 hours a week (21 minutes a day), you can cut the risk of heart disease by 30%.
In another study, two scientists sifted through around 4295 articles published on the underrated exercise walking. Out of these, 18 met their high standards for quality. Each of these studies gathered information about the participants including their walking habits and cardiovascular risk factors like age, alcohol consumption and smoking. The participants were observed for 11.3 years, and the cardiovascular events and deaths of these participants were recorded during this period.
After all this, the scientists could draw the conclusion that walking reduced the risk of cardiovascular events by 31% and lowered the risk of early death by 32%. So what are you waiting for? Start going for a morning walk to keep your heart healthy.
4. It Strengthens your Bones
Did you know that living a sedentary lifestyle can lead to stiff joints and further lead to arthritis? There’s no direct blood supply for the majority of joint cartilage. As you move, your joint cartilage gets its nutrition from the synovial or joint fluid that circulates. The impact that comes from the compression or movements, such as walking, squishes the cartilage, bringing oxygen and nutrients to the area. When you stay inactive and don’t walk, your joints remain deprived of life-giving fluid, which can speed deterioration.
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Physical activities such as walking help strengthen bones, increase bone density and prevents arthritis. Many studies have shown that walking can help treat arthritis pain and joint pain. Go for a walk daily to prevent arthritis and osteoporosis.
5. It Helps you Stay Happy
Depression is a significant problem people suffer from these days, and it is something serious because depression gives rise to multiple health disorders such as heart disease, obesity and so on. In severe cases, it can also lead to death. Fortunately, walking can help you lower your stress levels and treat depression.
According to a study, going for a brisk walk for 35 to 60 minutes daily in the morning can alleviate depression and improve your mental condition. Another study by California State University showed that more the people walked during the day, the better their moods were!
When you walk, your body releases feel-good hormones- endorphins that help you stay happy. So, do not forget to step out for a walk when you feel stressed.
6. It Protects you From Cancer
Cancer is a deadly disease which kills millions of people every year worldwide. You will be shocked to know that one of the benefits of walking is that it helps to keep various kinds of cancers at bay. According to medical experts, people develop cancer when they eat an unhealthy diet and do not get involved in physical activity. Various studies suggest that morning walk helps in preventing and fighting ovarian cancer, kidney cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer and cervical cancer. Furthermore, it also helps in improving the quality of sleep in cancer patients.
A study by Harvard University for Women’s Health showed that walking for 1-3 hours a week lowers the risk of death from uterine cancer and breast cancer by almost 19%. Whereas, it was also concluded that if these women push themselves a bit more, and walk for around 3-5 hours a week, they can reduce the risk of uterine and breast cancer by up to 54%. So go for a morning walk every day to prevent cancer.
7. It Keeps Your Body Toned
Everyone loves to have a sexy and toned body figure, isn’t it? But, due to unhealthy eating habits and lack of exercise, people tend to gain weight. Well, if you want to look slim and sexy, the best option for you is to go for a morning walk daily. Going for a morning walk can help you define your calves, quads and hamstrings.
While walking swing your arms backwards and forward. By doing this movement, your arms will be toned. A brisk morning walk helps in restoring muscle tone. Pay attention to your body posture while walking to tone your abs and waist.
8. It Boosts your Vitamin D Levels
One can easily get vitamin D by taking a walk early in the morning. It plays a vital role in strengthening the overall bone health as well as the immunity. Health professionals suggest that exposing the skin to the sun, during the early hours of the day, ensures sufficient vitamin D for the body, without causing any irritation or burning.
9. It Prevents Miscarriages
Walking is without any doubt a great exercise for pregnant women because it helps prevent gestational diabetes and uterine contractions. Pregnant women are often advised by their gynaecologists to go for a brisk walk on a daily basis for at least 15 minutes. It helps in keeping the mother and baby, both healthy.
10. It Strengthens Immunity
One of the major benefits of walking is that it helps in improving the blood circulation in the body which has a strong impact on the immune system too. Furthermore, a brisk walk helps to improve the supply of oxygen throughout the body.
A study conducted at Appalachian State University in North Carolina suggests that a regular moderately-paced walk for around 30-45 minutes can help increase the number of immune system cells in your body and can even show a remarkable effect on your body’s ability to fight disease over a period.
If you inculcate a regular habit of walking for at least 20 minutes, you can help reduce your risk of getting sick by almost 43%. So, go for a walk daily to keep yourself protected from diseases. Boost your immune system by going for a walk daily.
11. It Prevents Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease
Are you aware of the fact that morning walks can help you improve your memory and thinking skills? Being active has a protective effect on brain functionality and doing exercises daily will lower dementia by up to 40 per cent. Experts say that older people who walk regularly can avoid shrinkage and could preserve their memory for a longer period.
Recent studies claim that walking on a daily basis can help prevent diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s disease and dementia are common health problems among the elderly, and walking can help people prevent both of these diseases.
Going for a morning walk also helps in improving the brain function in elderly people. In a nutshell, it keeps the brain functioning properly.
12. It Helps in Managing Cholesterol Levels
Controlling cholesterol levels in the body is one of the crucial benefits of walking. Your body needs cholesterol to maintain optimum health, but too much cholesterol in the body in the form of LDL cholesterol is harmful to health and can lead to heart disease. At the same time, low amounts of HDL, i.e. the good cholesterol in the body can also be harmful.
There is generally a higher risk of heart stroke when the body has high levels of LDL and low levels of HDL. If you follow an active lifestyle and walk regularly, then your levels of cholesterol will be regulated in the body. So, to maintain cholesterol levels in the body, you must go for a morning walk daily.
13. It Helps in Protecting Against Atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis is a condition wherein the arteries are blocked because of plaque, and LDL cholesterol gets deposited on the arterial walls.In this condition generally, the block occurs in the inner walls of the arteries in organs which include brain, heart, legs and kidney.
Here, blood flow gets restricted due to which the circulation of blood does not occur thoroughly. However, regular morning walks can help and protect you from this health condition. One of the major benefits of walking is that it protects you against atherosclerosis.
14. It Promotes Healthy Sleep
Are you not able to sleep peacefully at night? Lack of sleep is not good for health because it causes skin problems, obesity, stress and many more health conditions. However, a morning walk can help you have a good night sleep. A morning walk helps keep your mind calm which in turn can help you get good quality sleep at night.A study showed that those between the ages of 50 to 75 who included one-hour morning walk in their routine were less likely to suffer from insomnia than those who didn’t go for a morning walk. So go for a morning walk every day to improve the quality of your sleep.
15. It Improves your Breath
Yes! This is one of the unique benefits of walking! You can improve your breath by walking. It’s because oxygen travels faster through bloodstream when you walk as your breathing rate increases. It helps to eliminate the waste products and also improves your energy level as well as the ability to heal.
16. It Keeps Your Skin Glowing
Benefits of walking are too many. Do you want to have a healthy and radiant skin? Well, then you must go for a walk on a daily basis for at least 30 minutes. Skin specialists suggest that walking improves blood circulation which gives your skin a healthy glow. Apart from that, walking also helps in preventing skin problems such as pimples, acne, fine lines, wrinkles and so on.
17. It Prevents Hair Fall
Walking helps to prevent hair fall by improving blood circulation. It also helps in balancing the hormones in your body, which in turn keeps your hair healthy and strong, So, if you desire for long, lustrous and beautiful hair, then make it a habit of going for a brisk walk in the morning daily for at least 30 minutes.
18. It Helps you Stay Energetic
Brisk walking is one of the best natural energy boosters. It boosts circulation as well as increases oxygen supply to every cell in your body which helps you feel more alert and alive. Go for a walk daily to stay active throughout the day.
19. It Helps You Live Longer
It is one of the most impressive benefits of walking. Research suggests that people who exercise regularly in their fifties and sixties are almost 35 per cent more likely to live more than their non-walking counterparts.
Yes! Walk to maintain your health during old age. People who walk regularly in their late adulthood are less likely to experience brain shrinkage and are more likely to be able to preserve memory.
20. It Improves your Vision
Walking every day keeps your eyes healthy. According to experts, going for a morning walk helps prevent eye disorders such as glaucoma, blurry vision, dry eye syndrome, and so on.
21. It Cures PCOS
PCOS is a common hormonal disorder that affects women. Women with PCOS have infrequent or prolonged menstrual periods or excess male hormone (androgen) levels. Gynaecologists suggest PCOS patients go for a walk every day to treat PCOS.
So, these were few of the health benefits of walking. Walking does not only keep you fit but also helps to prevent many diseases like cancer, diabetes and heart disease! So do not delay any further – Just buy a pair of walking shoes and go take a walk in the park because as it is said “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” likewise a 30 minutes morning walk keeps the diseases away. Walk every day to reap all the benefits of walking and get a happy and healthy life.
