Why and How Walking Can Help Prevent Chronic Illness
As both a registered dietitian nutritionist and a certified personal trainer, I cannot stress enough the importance of regular physical activity. Exercise is something that has long been understood to be a promoter of health and a preventor of disease. The American Heart Association recommends that adults aim to accomplish 150-300 minutes of moderate physical activity on a weekly basis (or 75 minutes of vigorous activity). It seems like these days more than ever there is a huge flood of wellness and fitness promotion displayed on the media and social media platforms alike. The latest fitness crazes from CrossFit to HIIT workouts demonstrate high energy, highly power-driven movements. But these movements may not be suitable for everyone and may not even be within everyone’s abilities. Organized exercise and intentional movement don’t have to be about all these kinds of activities, in fact, one of the easiest exercises we can perform is something many don’t even consider exercise at all: walking. Walking doesn’t require any fancy equipment or skills, and allows for some peace and quite and time for reflection (if you like that sort of thing). Walking is a form of cardiovascular activity, which means that it speeds up your heart rate.
Since the Covid-19 pandemic (and long before), many have experienced more sedentary, or inactive, seated lifestyles at work and at home. A sedentary lifestyle is associated with higher risk of chronic disease. People who walk have a lower risk for chronic illnesses such as heart disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and depression. For instance, walking can help to lower and stabilize blood glucose and insulin resistance. According to the American Heart Association, walking also has the ability to help improve blood pressure (through increased blood flow) and cholesterol levels and also reduce stress. A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2018 found that walking briskly reduced the risk of dying during the study by nearly 25%! A speed of 3 miles per hour (mph) is suggested to be the best speed for walking to reap health benefits. Though many people don’t realize it, walking is actually as effective at disease prevention as higher-impact workouts such as running, according to a 6-year-long cohort study. Walking can also increase your energy levels by releasing endorphins (“happy” hormone) and delivering oxygen throughout the body.
Some other benefits of walking include: improving balance and coordination for activities in daily life and maintaining bone density which can help prevent the bone disease osteoporosis; this is because walking is a low-impact activity.
The following are some tips on how to get more active and get walking include:
start small; don’t shoot for that 10,000 steps right off the bat…add 1,000-2,000 steps at a time until you feel comfortable
setting a timer on your phone for every hour to get up and walk around for 2-3 minutes (or if you have a smart watch to set movement reminders)
take a brisk walk with your loved ones after dinner; this not only gets you walking but it can also help to improve your digestion!
plan ahead where you’re going to walk; map your walk to see the distance you will be going
wear comfortable clothing for your walks, nothing too tight or restrictive
for more of a heart rate boost, pump your arms in the air above your head while you walk
wear sunscreen if you’re walking outside in the sun!
stay hydrated
take the stairs or park a little further from the building you’re going in when you’re out of the house
I make a goal for myself to get in at least 10,000 steps on a daily basis. What’s your goal?
