Benefits of Walking

Most of us know that exercise, physical activity of most any kind, is good for us. Often times, however, individuals think that something as simple as walking probably doesn’t do much good. But nothing could be farther from the truth.

Walking briskly for as little as 30 minutes a day has shown to improve fitness of our heart and lungs, reduce risk for heart disease, increase muscle strength and endurance, and even improve balance and bone health.   https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/walking-for-good-health

In addition, walking has been shown to turn on healthy genes, curb cravings for sugary snacks, reduce joint pain, boost immune function and also reduce the risk for breast cancer. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/5-surprising-benefits-of-walking?fbclid=IwAR2lHGphCi3m1ctN9de-yq5u3P7dYkf25mDG3Shd1iUi-r6Dl5jkrVqWgik

Regular walking has been shown to reduce our risk for memory problems and Alzheimer’s Dementia. https://www.aan.com/PressRoom/Home/PressRelease/870

Best of all, you don’t need any special equipment, just a comfortable pair of shoes. You don’t need to join a gym or be tied down to a particular schedule for an exercise class. You can do it at a time and place convenient for you. But, like any other positive lifestyle change, you have to stick with it. 

To get maximum benefit from your walk, walk briskly for about 30 minutes, of course, you will get even more benefits by doing 60 minutes a day. Walking briskly is regarded as a moderate-intensity form of exercise. Here is a summary of recommendations from the CDC(Center of Disease Control) regarding the duration and intensity of exercise in adults. 

• For substantial health benefits, adults should do at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic activity. 

Fortunately, the awareness of a healthy lifestyle which includes, plant based nutrition, mindfulness activities(such as yoga and meditation) and physical exercise, like walking is spreading. A nonprofit organization called Walk with a Doc was formed in 2005 to encourage the community to walk with their local doctors. During these walks, a doctor gives a brief presentation and then participants walk at their own pace. In case you still need a bit more convincing, here are 100 benefits of walking provided by their website. https://walkwithadoc.org/2018/03/100-reasons/

We are pleased to announce that Lifestyle Docs has formed an affiliation with this international organization. This aligns with our mission to create a community that supports each other in healthful behaviors such as walking. Our first Walk with a Doc event will be Saturday Aug 10. If you are in the Bellaire or  Houston area, we would love for you to join us for a walk! https://walkwithadoc.org/our-locations/bellairetx/