Health Benefits of Walking:
Walking is a great way to improve or maintain your overall health. Just 30 minutes every day can increase cardiovascular fitness, strengthen bones, reduce excess body fat, and boost muscle power and endurance. It can also reduce your risk of developing conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and some cancers. Unlike some other forms of exercise, walking is free and doesn’t require any special equipment or training.
You carry your own body weight when you walk. This is known as weight-bearing exercise.
Some of the benefits include:
-increased cardiovascular and pulmonary (heart and lung) fitness
-reduced risk of heart disease and stroke
-improved management of conditions such as hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, joint and muscular pain or stiffness, and diabetes
-stronger bones and improved balance
-increased muscle strength and endurance
-reduced body fat.
Walking for 30 minutes a day:
To get the health benefits, try to walk for at least 30 minutes as briskly as you can on most days of the week. ‘Brisk’ means that you can still talk but not sing, and you may be puffing slightly. Moderate activities such as walking pose little health risk but, if you have a medical condition, check with your doctor before starting any new exercise program of physical activity.