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Written by Dr. Rachita Narsaria, M.D. | The video above contains some helpful, practical tips on healthy living and particularly, training for a marathon. There’s no doubt that completing a marathon is a remarkable accomplishment in any person’s life. However, you don’t have to be a marathon runner to tap into the perks of fitness. Walking everyday for at least half an hour a day packs many benefits that are essential to long-term health.
1. Walking helps the joints.
Incorporating daily walks into your regime, especially if you have osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, is highly beneficial. Not only can walking fill your daily physical activity requirement, it does so without worsening joint pain. Walking also takes weight off your spine and lower back, transferring the weight to your feet (which are already designed to handle weight).
2. Walking improves circulation.
This improves your overall heart rate and blood pressure. Thus, walking makes for a simple yet important component of managing high blood pressure.
3. Walking reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Along with reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes, walking has been shown to reduce the risk of diabetes as diabetes-related complications. Daily physical exercise helps control one’s weight and may prevent type-2 diabetes, which has a strong correlation with obesity.
4. Walking is an anti-depressant and stress-reliever.
Walking not only helps maintain great physical fitness, it is also an excellent anti-depressant. Taking a short walk can instantly reduce stress and relieve anxiety. It works like magic for sudden emotional outbursts, especially anger. Research shows some improvement in dementia and Alzheimer’s disease as a result of daily walking.
Other benefits of walking:
5. It helps tone your buttocks, arms, and abdomin.
6. It improves strength, endurance, and stamina.
7. It reduces the risk of colon and breast cancer.
8. It helps balance cholesterol, reducing bad fraction (LDL) and improving good fraction (HDL).
9. It increases your BMR (basal metabolic rate).
In addition, all you need to get started is a decent pair of running shoes.