10 Things That Will Happen To Your Body If You Start Walking Every Day
Sep 11, 2018 by apost team
Most people walk somewhere every day, but few understand the real benefits that happen to your body at the same time. These ten great things will get you on your feet. Instead of strolling from work to your car or ambling through the supermarket, consider getting in 10 to 30 minutes of purposeful walking every day. Your body and mind will thank you.
1. Reduce Risk of Heart Disease
If you want to improve circulation, reduce blood pressure, and even minimize your cholesterol, get off the couch and take a walk, The American Heart Association recommends it daily and says walking even works as well as running if you want to prevent cardiac troubles.
apost.com
2. Maximize Your Lung Capacity
Not only can you impress your friends with how long you can hold your breath, greater lung volume means more life-giving oxygen in your bloodstream. This helps you get rid of some cellular waste products and may alleviate lung disease symptoms.
3. Boost Digestive Health
Feeling less than regular? Get your feet moving and everything else works better. Bowel regulation is a benefit of walking daily. It can even lower the chance of colon cancer. Many other systems in the body depend on the reliability of your digestive tract. Keep it in tip-top shape.
4. Keep a Healthy Pancreas
Diabetes is a huge problem in America and around the world. It is caused by the inability of the pancreas to secrete the right amount of insulin to handle glucose amounts. Walking has been shown to improve pancreatic health more than running. In a recent study, people who walked had six times great tolerance for blood sugar changes.
5. Improve Muscle Tone
While you won't build big muscles taking a walk, getting in your 10,000 steps per day can result in weight loss and overall body toning. This low impact exercise can be even better if you include walking up and down hills and throwing in a flight of stairs or two. Not only will you be healthier, but you can look better and fit into smaller clothing too.
6. Protect Joints and Bones
Bone mass diminishes as you age and joints become worn out, painful, or have less mobility than they used to. Walking may seem like it would hurt your joints, but since it is so low impact, it actually helps instead. Stop bone density loss and protect your joints and mobility through walking. It can also decrease the chance of broken and fractured bones that become more common as you age.
7. Help Combat Back Pain
The rhythmic yet gentle motions you do when walking help stretch and strengthen the back muscles and spine. The improved circulation helps to heal injuries and reduce tension. When jogging, aerobics, sports, and other high-impact exercises are too painful, turn to walking for help. Just take it easy at first, and make sure your doctor is okay with you exercising at all.
8. Keep Healthy Eyes and Protect Your Eyesight
Glaucoma is a common problem for middle-aged and older people in which the pressure inside your eye increases. It usually requires medication and can get steadily worse as you get older. Studies find that regular exercise like walking can help reduce this problem and protect your vision.
9. Preserve a Sharp and Stress-free Mind
Walking does as much for your brain as for your body. Regular exercise helps reduce the risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer's disease in your later years. It is also a great way to combat stress, boost endorphin production to make you feel generally better. Ever hear of a runner's high? You can get a walker's high too!
10. Calm Your Emotions and Mind
While going for a simple walk will not cure mental disorders, research has shown it to help alleviate the symptoms of major depressive disorders in many patients. It also combats anxiety. For people who are not diagnosed with any mental illnesses or disorders, a carefree stroll can still provide great emotional benefits.
Did you know walking could do so much? Tell your friends about the great benefits included in this article that a short walk outside can bring to your life. Then lace up and get out there together.
Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation with your doctor. Your health is important to us!