Walking and Health

“I have two doctors, my left leg, and my right.”George Trevelyan, 1913.

Any form of exercise is going to be good for you. Any activity that can raise the heart rate and make you perspire is doing you some sort of good.

However, some of the more rigorous exercises may be beyond you. You may be too old; you may have some form of condition which won’t allow anything too boisterous.

Of course, there’s always walking. It’s probably the one form of exercise which just about everybody can do.

If you’re in doubt about the benefits of walking, let’s look at some of the strong scientific eveidence that proves it is one of the best ways to keep yourself healthy and alive to the world around you.

Studies by the US Department of Health in the mid nineties and the British Heart Foundation in 2000 came up with the following benefits that can be gained from walking:

• Reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke
• Lower blood pressure
• Reduce high cholesterol and improve blood lipid profile
• Reduce body fat
• Enhance mental well being
• Reduce the risk of cancer of the colon
• Reduce the risk of non insulin dependant diabetes
• Help to control body weight
• Help flexibility and co-ordination hence reducing the risk of falls

• When you walk, you begin to improve your mental health.
• Walking brings on relaxed states of mind. .
• You can improve your self-esteem. .
• You can relieve the symptoms of anxiety and even depression. .
• Walking out in the countryside can offer you great opportunities to relax and feel calm. .

Article Source: http://www.content.onlypunjab.com

Phil Bilzon is the author of ‘The Walk Right Book - How you can develop body and mind and help make the world greener by learning the basics, and secrets, of effective walking.’ www.greenersteps.com

Please Rate this Article

5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 

Not yet Rated