How walking benefits your health

Have you heard people say, “I need to get in shape.” But then nothing happens.  Oh, they mean to join a gym someday or they join a gym and then don’t go.  Going to the gym is great but so is just going for a walk.  My sister sent me some interesting articles this week about the many ways simply going for a walk benefits your health.  

1. What if you only have a few minutes to walk.  Are there benefits to walking a mere 10 minutes a day?  Self-confidence – Research has found that a short walk, say 12 minutes (yes, a little more than 10 minutes), can lead to better attentiveness, a more positive mood, and greater self-confidence. 
2. Reduce Your Risk of Death by 15% - a short, 10- minute walk a day, can reduce your risk of an early death by 15%.  A physician, Muir Gray, in the UK states, “I’d advise anyone of any age and activity level to start to fit in at least one 10-minute brisk walk a day as a simple way to get more active, especially those who may be taking medication for a long-term health condition – you will receive even more benefits from walking briskly for 10 minutes or more a day.”
3. More focused – Know any students?  Recommend they take a brisk walk to be more focused on their studies.  Even a short 10-minute walk can improve memory and focus.  Researchers note in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, “Physical exercise is an important lifestyle intervention for promoting mental health…”  These researchers found that even very light exercise such as walking at a slow pace or yoga or tai chi improves memory.
4. Improve Your Blood Flow - When you sit, you can restrict blood flow to your legs.  Walking improves circulation and helps your arteries.  The article, The Game-Changing Health Benefits of Walking Just 10 Minutes a Day , says walking just 10 minutes a day can “safeguard your arteries”.
5. Burn Some Calories – Walking for only 10 minutes doesn’t burn many calories, about 50 depending on your weight and pace.  But 50 calories a day burns 350 calories a week.  If you can, aim for three 10-minute walks a day and then you burn about 150 calories or 1,050 calories a week.
6. Lower Your Blood Sugar – even better if you walk after a meal.  Eat your lunch and go for a 10-minute walk.  Your muscles need glucose for energy so glucose is taken from your blood as you walk which lowers your blood sugar levels.  Study results reported in the journal Diabetologia, recommend walking at least 10 minutes after meals to lower blood sugar levels, especially for those with type 2 diabetes.
7. Boost your Creativity – Many famous people swear that walking helps them think.  Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, conducted walking meetings.  The Pulitzer Prize winner, William Styron, loved to walk with his dog through the woods.  Scientific Reports noted that their study found a positive relationship between “bodily movement and creativity “and better well-being.   

 Many people say, “I have no time for exercise.”  Yet, just a short 10-minute walk a day can have huge health benefits.  A neighbor has started a major walking program – aiming for the 10,000 steps a day.  He walks every morning and says he feels better and he looks healthier.  But even if you walk only 10 minutes a day, you are doing great things for your health.  

 

 

Sources:  10 minutes a day , short walk , physician , focused , Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , blood flow , The Game-Changing Health Benefits of Walking Just 10 Minutes a Day  , Diabetologia , Creativity ,  Scientific Reports      Image Sources:  10 minute walk , Benefits of walking   , 7 benefits of walking