Have you heard the saying of Hippocrates: “Walking is a man’s best medicine?” We would go further, claiming that walking combined with good sleep and a healthy diet can help you avoid the doctor entirely. A 15-30 minute walk every day can dramatically improve not only a person’s overall appearance but also their health.
We were surprised to find that traditional walking is a unique practice that can significantly benefit the whole body and mind. It’s free, easy, and requires little effort.
We have created a list of benefits that you can literally walk yourself into.
Benefits of Taking Walks Every Day
1. Positive Brain Changes
As a study reveals, low-impact aerobic exercise, like walking, prevents early dementia, reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, and improves overall mental health. Not to mention reducing mental stress and maintaining a higher endorphin level.
2. Improved Vision
Although the eyes appear to be the last thing to connect with the legs, walking also has health benefits. It can even help fight glaucoma by relieving eye pressure.
3. Prevention Of Heart Disease
According to the American Heart Association, walking is no less effective than running when it comes to preventing heart disease or stroke. This activity helps prevent heart problems by reducing high blood pressure and cholesterol levels and improving blood circulation.
4. Increased Lung Volume
Walking is an aerobic exercise that increases the flow of oxygen in the bloodstream and helps train the lungs, in addition to eliminating toxins and waste. Due to better and deeper breathing, some symptoms associated with lung disease may also be alleviated.
5. Beneficial Effects On The Pancreas
It may be hard to believe, but walking for exercise turns out to be a much more effective tool for preventing diabetes than running.
This research shows that a group of “walkers” demonstrated an almost 6-fold improvement in glucose tolerance (that is, how well cells absorb blood sugar) than a group of “runners” during an experimental period 6 months
6. Improves Digestion
Walking 30 minutes every day can not only reduce the risk of colon cancer in the future but also improve digestion and constipation, helping to regulate our bowel movements.
7. Toned Muscles
Muscle tone and weight loss (in cases of excess weight) can also be achieved by walking. The practice of walking 10,000 steps a day can be counted as a real exercise in a gym, especially if you add some intervals or walk uphill.
Also, it is low impact and there is no recovery time, which means that there is no pain in the muscles and you regret regretting missing training tomorrow due to being very sore the next day.
8. Stronger Bones And Joints
Walking can provide more joint mobility, prevent bone loss, and even reduce the risk of fractures. The Arthritis Foundation recommends walking moderately for at least 30 minutes a day regularly to reduce joint pain, along with stiffness and inflammation.
9. Relief Of Back Pain
Walking can become a real lifesaver for those experiencing back pain during more challenging high impact exercises. Because it is a low impact activity, it will no longer cause pain or discomfort, such as running or HIT.
Walking helps improve blood circulation in the spinal structures and improves posture and flexibility, which are vital for a healthy spine.
10. A Calmer Mind
If walking improves symptoms of depression in patients with severe disorders, imagine how easily it could help us cope with feelings of sadness or exhaustion. And a fun walk with a friend or loved one will only multiply the happy effect and improve your mood!
We’d love to know if you’ve tried replacing a trip to the gym or running for a walk. Tell us in the comments below if it worked miracles for you or not.
