Many Health Benefits of Walking

Doctors at Duke University say walking is the magic pill for better health. Walking is among one of the most effective ways to get the exercise you need to stay healthy.

Study shows time and again that walking is the most natural movement to us and the most beneficial of all. Daily walks are essential to our health and wellness, to our physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing. Many people walk as much for mental and spiritual well-being as for fitness.

Walking lowers high cholesterol levels, lowers high blood pressure, burns off excess calories, boosts your mood, lowers stress levels and much, much more.

“Studies have shown that spending as little as an hour a week in a natural area can have a positive influence on creativity” says James A. Swan, PhD, author of Nature as Teacher and Healer. New ideas, thoughts and emotions often surface during a walk.

A brisk 30-minute walk every day can make significant changes to you overall health. If you are overweight, walk off those excess pounds and at the same time you'll be increasing your overall fitness level. Start off slowly and gradually increase your speed.

According to a University of Pittsburgh study, walking to a beat could be useful for patients needing rehabilitation. Also, according to the Journal of the American Heart Association, if you are a woman and you can walk two or more hours a week at a brisk pace of 3 miles per hour or faster, you will significantly lower your risk of having a stroke compared to women who don't walk.

To get the heart-healthy benefits of walking, you need to walk briskly enough to increase your heart rate and breathing, but not so fast that you can't talk comfortably. Walking 30 minutes a day reduces your chance of having a heart attack.

Regular walking also helps protect your heart and circulatory system by raising the HDL, you know, the good cholesterol, and holding your weight down.

Here are some of walking's other benefits:

* Strengthens muscles and builds flexibility.
* Improves cardiovascular fitness.
* Keeps bones strong to help prevent osteoporosis.
* Improves the body's use of insulin to help prevent diabetes.
* Burns calories to help manage body weight.
* Builds strong muscles around joints to protect them.

Comments

Adopting a Vegetarian Diet

Adopting a vegetarian diet has become a popular choice for individuals looking to improve their health, particularly as heart disease and obesity rates continue to rise in many parts of the world. Vegetarians tend to have lower cholesterol levels and consume fewer trans fats than those who consume meat and dairy products. However, to maintain good health, vegetarians must ensure they obtain the right amount of nutrients from their vegan diets. By taking care to plan their diets carefully, vegetarians can enjoy a satisfying and tasty way of life. While there is no established vegan diet, it is widely agreed that with so many vegetarian diets to choose from, the choice is ultimately up to the individual. However, vegetarians must be cautious not to make their diets too restrictive as this can lead to difficulties in meeting the body's daily nutritional requirements. Commonly deficient nutrients among vegetarians include protein, iron, vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium, and zinc. Soy pr...

4 Steps Tо Bеttеr Health

4 Steps Tо Bеttеr Health It's роѕѕіblе tо learn HOW tо bеttеr уоur health іn оnlу 4 steps аnd thіѕ article wіll show уоu how. Eасh step іѕ а bite-sized nugget оf healthy living information уоu саn асtuаllу use. Let's gеt started... Step 1: Nutritional Supplements In mу opinion, thеу аrе vеrу nесеѕѕаrу аnd vеrу beneficial- еѕресіаllу whеn combined wіth healthy eating habits. It's vеrу difficult tо gеt аll thе nutrients уоur body nееdѕ thrоugh food alone, but combining proper nutrition wіth nutritional supplements іѕ vеrу powerful. Thаt bеіng said, thе оnе supplement еvеrуоnе ѕhоuld bе tаkіng іѕ а good multi vitamin/mineral. Lооk аt іt аѕ added insurance- eating wеll іѕ crucial, but nоw thаt you're аlѕо tаkіng а multi, уоu саn rest assured you're gеttіng thе nutrients уоur body needs. Step 2: Nutrition Good nutrition іѕ SO important. Yоu аrе whаt уоu eat...remember that. Mаkе а conscious effort tо gradually improve уоur eating habits, eating mоrе оf th...

THE TRUTH ABOUT MENOPAUSE, WEIGHT GAIN AND "THE POOCH"

By Colleen McCleery, MD, OB/GYN—Exuberan® by Virtua Menopause is a mixed bag of little surprises. While most women look forward to saying goodbye to tampons and pads, far fewer are excited to now experience hot flashes and night sweats. And it’s probably fair to say that weight gain is the least popular and often least expected “side effect” of this hormonal shift. Considering many women struggle with their weight on a good day, it’s not surprising that this is the number one complaint from patients who are going through this transition. The biology of menopause During the late 40s to mid-50s, a hormone called FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) increases and no longer performs its job to regulate the ovaries. During this increase in FSH, other hormones like estrogen, progesterone and testosterone decrease. A decrease in testosterone can lead to weight gain and decreased energy. And, not surprisingly, estrogen loss has far-reaching effects beyond hot flashes. It contribut...

Daily Health News Blog

Search This Blog