The Health Benefits of Walking More

You are not walking enough…probably. You are also probably not walking fast or often enough. Research consistently reveals that most American adults do not get enough aerobic activity, which includes walking, and that same research reveals numerous health benefits that are derived from regular walking over a long period of time at a brisk (four miles per hour) pace.

The Harvard Medical School states that the health benefits gained from walking are dependent on three things: the intensity, duration and frequency of the exercise. And while walking does not seem like an intense exercise, it can become so depending on your pace and terrain (take a look at Olympic racewalkers on YouTube if you’re skeptical). That being said, walking intensity has its limitations, but its duration and frequency does not. The American Heart Association recommends at least 30 minutes of brisk walking per day, five days per week. However, that recommendation can easily be exceeded much to your benefit.

Here are just a few reasons why you should be walking more…

• Improved heart health as walking forces your heart to work a bit harder which, like every other muscle, make it more efficient in doing its job. Beneficial cardiovascular results are derived from walking just 5.5 miles per week at a casual pace of just 2 miles per hour. At that level, the risk of a cardiovascular event was reduced by 31% and the risk of premature death was cut by 32%. However, do not be satisfied with those numbers as they improve with walking more miles per week at a faster pace. Regular walking also improves cardiac risk factors such as high cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, vascular stiffness and inflammation.
• Reduces arthritis-related joint pain especially in the hips and knees. Also, just five to six miles of walking per week can prevent the initial onset of osteoarthritis. This is because walking induces the production of synovial fluid which keeps your joints well lubricated and strengthens the muscles that surround and support those joints.
• Can help control weight in combination with a healthy diet, of course. Obviously, like any other physical activity, walking burns calories. However, the total number of calories burned can vary depending upon body weight, pace, duration, and terrain. On level ground at a moderate pace of 2.5 miles per hour, you will burn about 90 calories per mile walked. If you are looking to maintain your weight, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends you walk 150-250 minutes per week or 30-50 minutes per day five times per week. If you are looking to lose weight, then you will need to increase those numbers to 200-300 minutes per week or 40-60 minutes each day, five days a week.
• Increase your energy level due to increased blood flow, and thus, more oxygenated blood reaching your muscles and brain. Studies have shown that sustained, regular walking also increases the level of a brain protein called brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which helps us learn, think and memorize.
• Boosts your immune system which is kind of important in our current environment. This benefit is the result of the increased number of white blood cells, or leukocytes, that regular aerobic exercise produces in your blood. These leukocytes attack immune-related illnesses, such as colds and the flu. Regular exercisers take fewer sick days and when the do get ill, their symptoms are less severe than those who do not exercise on a regular basis.
• Reduces stress, improves mood and fights depression due to reduced levels of our natural stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol according to a study published by the Journal of Physical Therapy Science in 2015.
• Increased life expectancy as a cumulative result of all the above listed health benefits. A study conducted by the British Medical Association that tracked over 27,000 people aged 40-79 for 13 years found that those who walked an hour or more per day had a lower mortality rate than those who walked less than an hour a day. They also found that those who walked longer and at a faster pace further increased their life expectancy.

So, what is the moral of this story? If at all possible, walk more and at a faster pace to derive greater health benefits. Now, stop reading and get walking!