Physical activity is a necessary part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. While most people will interpret this as doing vigorous exercise in the gym, simply walking on a daily basis can also have a positive impact on your health. Let’s take a look at how your body benefits from walking and how it can help improve your health.
The Benefits of Walking
Some of the biggest benefits of walking include:
It Helps With Weight Loss
Walking is a great way to lose weight. Not only does it burn calories, but according to a Harvard study, walking helps control the effects of genes that promote an increase in body weight. Additional research showed that walking can help reduce stress-related cravings for sugary snacks such as chocolate. This can also help prevent weight gain.
It Makes Your Bones and Muscles Stronger
Walking is very beneficial for individuals suffering from osteoporosis. It makes your bones stronger by helping them retain bone mass. Walking can also help prevent arthritis. It improves the health of your knee and hips joints by providing them with lubrication. It also increases the strength of the muscles that provide support to these joints. According to a study in Boston, walking was shown to reduce the risk of hip fractures in post-menopausal women by 40 percent.
Walking also helps tone the muscles of your legs, abdomen, and arms. The increased movement helps alleviate the stress that is placed on your joints and is beneficial for those suffering from arthritis.
It Helps Your Circulatory System
Walking helps in improving your blood circulation. This is extremely beneficial as it brings up your heart rate, lowers your blood pressure, and improves the overall health of your heart.
It Lowers the Risk of Breast Cancer
According to recent studies conducted by the American Cancer Society, walking has been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer by 14%. It also helps in providing protection against some of the risk factors associated with breast cancer such as obesity.
It Alleviates the Risk of Mental Decline
There are several benefits of walking in terms of your mental health as well. When you walk, your body releases endorphins. This automatically boosts your mood and is good for your mental health. According to research conducted at the University of California, walking has also been shown to reduce the chances of memory decline in individuals who are 65 years of age and older. Additionally, walking can reduce the chances of suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
In Conclusion
There are several short-term and long-term benefits of walking. Walking for at least 15 to 30 minutes every day can improve your health, boost your immune system, and protect you from several diseases.
If you’re seeking further advice on how to improve your health through walking and other kinds of physical activity, we suggest you make an appointment with a physician at irvingprimarycare.com, visit https://www.healthonemedicine.com/or call (469)262-5762.