Wonderful benefits of walking

health

When it comes to simple ways to be healthy, walking is all the rage. Whether it’s a brief walk to the shops or a leisurely stroll around your local park or community garden, walking remains one of the best, low-impact exercises for all ages and a great way to get more active.

What’s not to like about walking? It’s easy to do; it requires no special clothes or equipment, and it’s free. Adding a walk to your daily routine can significantly improve your physical health and wellbeing, boost your mood, and provide a multitude of long-term benefits. So, the next time you have a check-up, don’t be surprised if your doctor hands you a prescription to walk. Let’s take a quick look at the health benefits of regular walking...

Improves heart health: When you walk, your heart rate goes up, and this lowers your blood pressure. It improves your heart health over time and helps your overall circulation. It also lowers the risk of blood clots, since the calf acts as a venous pump, contracting and pumping blood from the feet and legs back to the heart, reducing the load on the heart.

Strengthen muscles: Walking tones your leg and abdominal muscles. This increases your range of motion, shifting the pressure and weight from your joints to your muscles. Stronger muscles give you a wider range of motion and improve your overall strength and health.

Eases joint pain: The majority of joint cartilage has no direct blood supply. It gets its nutrition from joint fluid that circulates as we move. Walking protects the joints - especially the knees and hips, which are most susceptible to osteoarthritis. Several studies have found that walking reduces arthritis-related pain, and that walking five to six miles a week can even prevent arthritis from forming in the first place.

Helps in managing diabetes: When you have diabetes, moving more can make a huge difference to how you feel and how you manage your condition. Walking is a great way to help lower blood sugar. Even short walks - 10 to 15 minutes a few times a day - can reduce blood sugar. And walking after a meal, as long as it’s fine with your doctor, may be even more beneficial at lowering blood sugar than at other times. A recent study suggests that picking up the pace of your daily walk - the faster, the better - is linked to a lower risk of developing diabetes.

Boost your immunity: Brisk walking can help boost the production of immune cells that strengthen your body’s defence against common infections to keep you physically fit and healthy. Walk can help to curb any hunger cravings and also promote mindfulness in choosing healthier options.

Get better sleep: It is widely acknowledged that getting up to eight hours of quality sleep is essential to feel relaxed and refreshed at the start of each day. A brisk walk has been found to contribute to better sleep quality and reduce common sleep disturbances, such as insomnia and sleep apnoea.

Lifts up your mood: Walking releases natural pain­killing endorphins to the body. By incorporating regular walks into your routine, your cortisol levels are reduced, helping you to release tension and regulate your moods. In fact, research shows that just 10 minutes of walking can lift your spirits. Plus, the effect may be amplified even more if you take a stroll through some greenery. Joining friends and family during a leisurely walk can also significantly improve your mood and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety.

Burns calories: Daily walking increases metabolism by burning extra calories. A brisk 30-minute walk burns 200 calories. Over time, calories burned can lead to pounds dropped.

Keeps your mind sharp: When you walk, there’s an increased flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients to your brain. A protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (or BDNF) is also released, which stimulates the growth of new brain cells and connections. This can help your memory and brain to work better.

Ready to get started? Here’s how you can incorporate walking into your life:

• Use an app on your phone (or pedometer) to track steps.

• Start small. Aim for 2400 steps a day (about 1 mile) and gradually build up to more.

• Tie your walk to a regularly scheduled activity, like after work or in evenings, and you’re more likely to stick to it.

• Listening to music or something enjoyable can make you look forward to your walks.

• Aim for 30 minutes of moderate activity 5 times a week.

• Walk in areas designated for pedestrians. Look for well-lit areas, if possible.

• Wear sturdy shoes or joggers while walking. Never walk in your flip flops.

• Wear loose, comfortable clothing.

• Drink plenty of water before and after your walk to stay hydrated.