Walk more for greater health benefits

Everyone knows that walking is good for you.  New studies have show how good walking is for your overall health.  If a short walk is good, is a longer walk better?  How much walking does one have to do to improve health?

How much walking is needed to improve health?
Sedentary is bad, walking is good, is a new way to look at activity.  A sedentary person who only walks about 1,000 steps a day who ups it to 3,000 steps a day can improve their health.  A study published in PLOS One, and highlighted in More Steps a day keep the doctor away, found that the more steps you do the greater the health benefits.  But even increasing walking from 1000 t0 3000 steps a day resulted in a 12% lowered mortality risk.   Those who met the goal of walking 10,000 steps a day lowered their mortality risk a whopping 46%. 
They determined this by tracking 3,000 Australians, average age of 58, for over 15 years.  The study participants wore a pedometer to track daily steps. 
In the nutrition class I teach, I emphasize how changing little habits can have big health effects.  No time to go for a walk, then at least park your car as far from the entrance as you can.   Going to class, park far away.  Going to work, park far away.  Going shopping, your car should be parked off in the distance.   There are many ways to increase steps.  Take the stairs, not the elevator.  Instead of sending an email to a co-worker, go to their office or cubicle. 

What about speed walking?
No time for a long walk?  Then fit in a fast/slow walk.  Read more about walking at: Walking Workouts.   This Fitness magazine website offers a number of ways to alter the intensity and pace of your walk.  Put an App on your Smart Phone to track not only steps but also your speed.  Read about recommended Aps at:  8 Best Pedometer Applications for iPhone.

Sources:  PLOS One, More Steps a day keep the doctor away, Walking Workouts,  8 Best Pedometer Applications for iPhone, Image source: Walking 

Comments

  1. Megan ParkerFebruary 28, 2016 at 11:19 AM

    Thank you for the simple useful tips!

    www.ovbal.com
    www.hogmu.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. AshzarFebruary 29, 2016 at 4:36 PM

    You might find this interesting. Thank me later ;)
    http://www.totalnabs.com/2016/02/facebook-showing-wrong-thumbnail-on.html

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kathryn Kotula, NutritionistMay 29, 2016 at 12:53 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Kathryn Kotula, NutritionistMay 29, 2016 at 12:55 PM

    Thank you for your comments. There are a lot of diet choices today. The US News and World Report reviews and ranks diets every year. For a list of the best diets for 2016, visit: http://health.usnews.com/best-diet/best-overall-diets.

    ReplyDelete
  5. WoowalkersJune 18, 2016 at 5:58 AM

    Walking is always fun, easy and requires no money to do which is why it is a great way to get exercise and get fit. There is no great trick to doing it. It does not require to learn any special skills or advanced conditioning and do not need any special equipment or clothing. All we really need is a pair of good walking shoes and comfortable clothes.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How does coffee and tea affect blood sugar?

Image
Who doesn’t love some morning coffee?   Or, on cold days, a nice hot cup of tea.   Does drinking coffee or tea affect one’s blood glucose levels?    Should healthy adults be concerned about coffee or tea and blood glucose levels?   The Mayo Clinic says that for healthy adults, caffeine will probably have no noticeable effects on their blood sugar or blood glucose levels.   Studies have found that up to 400 milligrams of caffeine is safe for most of us.   A cup of coffee has about 120-180 milligrams of caffeine and most adults drink about 2 cups of coffee a day.   FDA says healthy adults can consume up to 400 mg of caffeine a day which equates to about 4-5 cups of coffee a day, or 10 cans of soda , or 2 “energy shot” drinks.   (See:   Caffeine – good or bad for your health? )     Can drinking coffee or tea reduce chances of getting type 2 diabetes? Some studies have found that coffee, tea, and other drinks with caffei...
Read more

Are there drinks that will help lower your blood pressure?

Image
According to the University of Southern California , almost half of Americans over the age of 20 have high blood pressure.   This means an astounding 122 million Americans.   Unfortunately, as you get older it is more likely to have blood pressure increase.   Many people don’t even know they have high blood pressure or hypertension.   The American Heart Association notes at first there are “no obvious symptoms to indicate something is wrong, but HBP can lead to heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.”    A relative was asking what they could do diet wise to help lower their blood pressure.   We had already discussed the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension).   (See:   Best Diets for Healthy Eating in 2024 .) and physical activity.    Diet wise, they were cutting back on sodium and increasing potassium foods but were wondering if there were anything else like any drinks that could help lower blood pressure?  ...
Read more

How to eat for better sleep

Image
Having trouble sleeping?   Are there foods you can eat that would help you sleep?   My husband sent me an interesting article, 8 Eating Habits That Actually Improve Your Sleep . According to CDC , “about 1 in 3 adults in the United States reported not getting enough rest or sleep every day.”   A lot of Americans have problems sleeping, about 50-70 million Americans.   You probably heard that drinking warm milk before bed helps one sleep?   Is this true?   What eating habits really do help you get to sleep and stay asleep? Sleep and hunger Did you know that getting a good night’s sleep affects hunger hormones in your body?   A good night’s sleep can lead to less snacking the next day as it keeps hunger at bay.   A professor of nutrition at Columbia University, Marie-Pierre St-Onge, says, “If you eat better, you sleep better and be more refreshed.   And that helps you make better decision for your diet.”      Some tips to ea...
Read more