Are you suffering from joint pain or suffering from heart problems, stress, depression or obesity? If so, you should make a walking effort to overcome from all of these health problems. According to one research, walking helps to reduce the risk of all chronic diseases. In fact, most health professionals recommend walking rather than running because it’s a low-impact exercise and have several health benefits. However, apart from that it is also beneficial for heart and joints.
What is the Right Way to Walk?
Some people said that walking fast is more beneficial. On the contrary, some people said that it is more beneficial to walk slowly. So let’s tell you fast or slow it depends on you. You can determine the speed of walking according to your health and ability.
Because our body benefits when it runs both fast and slowly. But if you are strolling after dinner, walk slowly. The evening walk gives a rest for a while with various physical and mental stress throughout the day. A walk after eating in the evening makes a good sleep.
14 Incredible Benefits of Regular Walking.
- Control High Blood Pressure.
- Leads to Weight Loss.
- Improves Heart Health.
- Strengthen the Bones.
- Beneficial for Cancer.
- Improve Blood Circulation.
- Prevent Diabetes.
- Strengthen Immune System.
- Improve Muscle Tone
- Reduce Stress Level.
- Improve Digestion
- Boost Memory Power.
- Prevents Dementia.
- Improve Lung Capacity.
Regular Walking Control High Blood Pressure.
Regular walking help you to reduce high blood pressure. Researchers from Wakayama Medical University, Japan, has done a study where they carried out an trial on individuals suffering from mild hypertension, where 83 participants walk 10,000 steps per day for 12 weeks.
At the end of 12 weeks, researchers observed a significant drop in the blood pressure of concerned individuals. Even if you are unable to complete 10,000 steps per day, you should walk at least 60 minutes every day to keep your blood pressure level under control.
Regular Walking Leads to Weight Loss.
Walking is a very good exercise that helps you to lose weight. You can burn up to 70-75 calories from your body by walking 4 kilometers. So if you walk at least 2 kilometers a day, you can lose your excessive weight.
So, instead of your car, it might be a good idea to walk to places around you.
Regular Walking Improves Heart Health.
Walking helps to improve your heart health. According to Irish scientists, walking is the best exercise for individuals, especially adults, to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
In another study published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society, scientists have confirmed that men and women aged 65 years and older, who had at least 4 hours of walking every week, were less prone to cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, be sure to walk 4 hours a week to reduce the risk of stroke, heart attack and other heart disease.
Regular Walking Strengthen The Bones.
Your bones begin to weaken with growing age. But, the good thing is that if you start walking regularly, it can strengthen your bones. This flame impact exercise protects you from loss of bone density, thereby reducing the risk of osteoporosis, fractures and injury.
Strong and healthy bones helps you to improve the strength, stamina and balance. Walking can also prevent arthritis and at the same time it can also reduce the pain associated with arthritis.
Regular Walking Beneficial for Cancer.
Every year more than one million people die due to cancer and the main reason is a sedentary lifestyle. Scientists have found that regular walking can help in weight loss, which can also reduce the probability of cancer.
In addition, walking provide benefits to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy. Apart from that, it can also reduce the risk of breast cancer.
Regular Walking Improve Blood Circulation.
Believe it or not, but walking can actually increase your intelligence. It helps to supply the required amount of oxygen and glucose to the brain, helping the brain function better.
It also reduces LDL cholesterol levels, which prevents arteries and thus reduces the risk of stroke. Walking help to improve blood circulation in the brain and improve cellular function.
Regular Walking Prevent Diabetes.
One of the most common diseases that sedentary lifestyle has given is diabetes. Scientists have advised to walk from 3,000 to 7,500 steps per day to treat type 2 diabetes.
Walking every day can help to control blood sugar level, which in turn can help you prevent type 2 diabetes. (1)
Regular Walking Strengthen Immune System.
Your body’s immune system should function properly at all times to prevent infection, illnesses and death. Walking is one of the vital key to strengthen your immunity power. At least 30 minutes walking a day strengthen the immune cells, B-cells (also known as B lymphocytes) and T-cells (lymphocyte is a type of white blood cell).
These antibodies are known to protect the body from external substances and can help to improve physical activities. However it quickly release white blood cells, helping to heal the body quickly.
Regular Walking Improve Muscle Tone.
Like bones, you may experience growing age as well as muscle loss. Walking here can also help you to strengthen your muscles as well as tone and protect the muscles from any kind of damage.
Regular walking can strengthen your leg and back muscles.
Regular Walking Reduce Stress Levels.
Walking helps to reduce stress levels by improving blood circulation. At the same time, the cells provide nutrients and oxygen.
It stimulates nervous system receptors and reduces the production of stress hormones. Breathing outside and inside while walking helps to flush out stress.
Regular Walking Improve Digestion.
Improper digestion can cause gastrointestinal discomfort, bloating, constipation, diarrhea and even colon cancer. So, it is very important that you must keep your digestive system healthy.
In addition to good food habits and drinking water, you should also walk on foot to improve digestion. Walking a while after meals is have many positive health benefits. It helps you to lose weight and also keep your digestive system healthy.
Regular Walking Boost Memory Power.
Japanese scientists have found that walking can help to improve the memory among the older patients. Physical exercise helps to increase the size of the hippocampus (a complex neural structure), while a sedentary lifestyle reduces the hippocampus and memory power.
So walk regularly to boost your memory power. (2)
Regular Walking Prevents Dementia.
Dementia is a neurological problem in which memory gradually weakens and indl may face difficult to perform cognitive function. This may eventually make you unable to perform day-to-day tasks and depend entirely on others.
Regular walking can help you to prevent dementia, improve memory and increase confidence in older individuals.
Regular Walking Improve Lung Capacity.
Walking can also increase your lung capacity. When you walk, you get more oxygen than you are stable.
Exchanging a large amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide can help you to increase your lung capacity, thereby increasing your strength.
Frequently Asked Questions.
1. What are the benefits of walking backwards?
The benefits of walking backwards are:
- Improves mental health.
- Helps in sleep.
- Sharpens thinking skills and concentration.
- Burn calories.
- Improves fitness level.
Bottom Line.
Walking is a great way to start the day. Once you’ve made it a part of your daily routine, you’ll be able to see and feel many positive changes in yourself. Walking is counted as a complete physical activity for its positive health benefits. It is better not to make the body a home of sickness and hence, increasing the burden of medicines. It is always good to naturally keep the body healthy. Don’t forget to tell us how you like this article. For other information you can ask us questions in the comments section below.
+2 Sources
Freaktofit has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, educational research institutes, and medical organizations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and up-to-date by reading our editorial policy.
- Steps to Preventing Type 2 Diabetes: Exercise, Walk More, or Sit Less?; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3500773/
- Effects of exercise on brain activity during walking in older adults: a randomized controlled trial; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5450147/