More than 2,400 years ago, Hippocrates stated, “Walking is a man’s best medicine,” Today, there’s a lot of research available to back up his statement. Research has shown that moderate walking for an average of 30 minutes a day can lower the risk of diabetes, stroke, and heart disease by 30% to 40% and the risk of breast cancer by 20% to 30%. Here are some of the reasons why walking is your best health insurance

BENEFITS OF WALKING REGULARLY

It protects your heart: Cardiovascular disease is one of India’s leading causes of death, but in many cases, it is preventable. According to one study, a third of all heart attacks and deaths due to heart disease in middle-aged men and women could be avoided if they walked for exercise. Different studies suggested following:

• Walking for three or more hours in a week reduced the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease by 35%. 

It helps stave off diabetes:  Inactivity promotes type 2 diabetes. Working your muscles more often and making them work harder improves their ability to use insulin and absorb blood sugar (glucose). ­This puts less stress on your insulin-making cells. Different studies suggested following:

• Briskly walking for a half-hour every day reduces the risk of developing diabetes by 30%
• 15 minutes walk immediately after every meal provided better blood sugar regulation than a single 45 minutes walk
• If you have diabetes, walking more than 4000 steps daily improves levels of Hb1Ac, a highly sensitive marker of blood sugar.

It helps lower blood pressure: High blood pressure is a primary risk factor for heart disease and strokes, but walking is an effective way to lower blood pressure, Research showed a reduction of 5 to 11 points in systolic blood pressure (first number of reading) and 3 to 8 points for diastolic pressure (second number). Different studies suggested the following.

• If you are hypertensive, i.e., your blood pressure is between 120/80 and 140/90 taking multiple short walks of 10 minutes throughout the day is more beneficial than a single 30 minutes walk. 

It reduces the risks of falls and fractures: Staying active keeps your muscles strong and flexible, making you less likely to fall off something. And weight-bearing activities like walking will strengthen your bones, so you’ll be less likely to break one.  

It counteracts the effects of weight-promoting genes. Harvard researchers looked at 32 obesity-promoting genes in more than 12,000 men and women to determine how much these genes contribute to body weight. Then they examined the people’s exercise habits and found that in men and women who walked briskly for about an hour a day, the genetic effect was cut in half.

It reduces the risk of developing breast cancer: Research has determined that physically active women have a lower risk of breast cancer. Different studies suggested the following.

• Women who walked seven or more hours a week had a 14% lower risk of developing breast cancer. 
• Women who walked three to five hours a week after receiving a breast cancer diagnosis were 40% less likely to suffer from negative outcomes. It also reduces the chances of recurrence and death. 

It helps tame a sweet tooth: Research suggests that a 15 minutes walk reduces cravings and intake of various sugary snacks.

It improves sleep: Different studies suggested the following.

• A 45 minutes morning walk may help you fall asleep faster when bedtime comes
• Postmenopausal Women who take five or more morning walks a week fell asleep faster than those who didn’t walk or walked in afternoon. 

It boosts your mood: Anyone taking a walk when feeling blue knows it’s a tremendous on-the-spot mood booster—and studies support this. But even for more severe depression, walking is a viable remedy. It can be just as effective as drugs. Research suggests

• 30 minutes of walking daily have a similar effect to that of an antidepressant medicine.

It easies joint pain: Walking lubricates joints and strengthens the surrounding muscles to keep them healthy. Studies have shown that. 

• Walking 8-10 km a week may even protect you from developing osteoarthritis, a degenerative condition of the joints that causes joint pain, swelling, stiffness, and weakness.

It improves immune function: Walking can boost your immunity and protect you during cold and flu season. Research suggests

• People who walk 20 minutes a day and five times a week experienced 43% fewer sick days than those who did not exercise or walk. Also, if they got ill, it was for a shorter duration, and symptoms were milder.

It sharpens your thinking: Walking 8-10 km a week helps maintain brain volume and reduces memory problems in people. Walking enhances brain connectivity, so a person is better at planning, prioritizing, strategizing, and multitasking.

It lengthens your life: According to Research, 30 minutes walking five days a week increases your life expectancy by three and half years. 

Here is a short infographic to help you remember the benefits of this simple but amazing exercise