subject: How Walking is Great for Your Health [print this page] How Walking is Great for Your Health How Walking is Great for Your Health
Everyone wants to stay healthy and one of the easiest things you can do for yourself is WALK. Such a simple thing, we all learn how at a very early age and take it for granted for the rest of our lives. There are growing health problems for many people that effect their heart, immune system and general circulation. Here are a few ways that walking improves these areas.
Studies have shown that, for your heart, walking can be as good or better than high intensity workouts. Walking for more than an hour a week will lessen the risk of cardiac problems. Better yet, a daily walk of 30 minutes or more will give health benefits needed for a healthy heart by reducing heart disease risk. Use a heart rate monitor. There are instructions with it to help find your target heart rate and achieve that rate so you will get the most benefits from your walk. It isn't necessary to participate in strenuous exercise programs and risk injury, just take a walk.
Another benefit of walking is a healthy immune system. Walking raises oxygen levels by increasing blood flow and produces more cells that fight destructive germs that enter our body. Increased oxygen helps the immune system repair tissue damage. If you are prone to colds due to an impaired immune system, walking regularly increases the immune cell circulation throughout the body more quickly and will attack the unwanted bacteria. Intense exercise can overwork the immune system, so exercise in moderation, but walk everyday.
Some people have poor circulation in their lower body. If they have jobs that require sitting a lot, such as computer work this can cause problems in the lower extremities. Take a break from your desk several times a day, get up and walk around the office. On a lunch hour join some friends and take a walk outside whenever possible. There are tiny blood vessels that supply blood for proper cellular function and their size and efficiency can be improved by walking thereby improving general circulation in the whole body. Improving circulation also decreases anxiety, stress, and even depression in some cases. A nice walk can generate a feeling of well being that will change your whole day.
Walking should be done on a daily basis to continue the benefits as your immune system will return to normal after the walk and so needs the consistent stimulation of daily walking to continue its guard duty. Walking is so satisfying!
