Walking is widely recommended by health and fitness gurus for its numerous health benefits. Today, there are several physical activities you can engage yourself in, but walking is one of the best of them all. This is because walking is not complicated, requires minimal or no equipment to perform, it is low impact, can be done by anybody at any time and above all contributes to few injuries. Unlike other forms of exercise, walking is ideal for people of all “walks” of life and requires no training whatsoever to perform. The following are some of the numerous benefits of walking and why medical Science emphasizes it is good for your health:
Reduces the risk of heart diseases
Studies show that walking on a regular basis can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases, which includes heart problems as well as stroke. Walking lowers bad cholesterol levels in the body while at the same time increasing the HDL cholesterol levels in the body. Increased HDL (good) cholesterol levels help in keeping blood pressure under control.
Helps in maintaining a healthy weight
Medical science points out that for you to lose weight, it is important that you burn more calories than you eat on a daily basis. Walking is one of the easiest ways of burning calories. This is attributed to the fact that when you walk, countless movable parts of your body are involved. This means that each muscle responsible for the movement of these parts is exercised in the process.
Helps in preventing dementia
From an orthopedics point of view, a huge percentage of the elderly population suffers from dementia simply because of reduced brain activity. Being active has a positive effect on the brain function and helps it to be alert. This helps to reduce dementia. Therefore, in order to reduce the risk of dementia, it is advisable to take a walk on a daily basis.
Enhances bone health
Walking stimulates and strengthens the bones. This, in turn, increases the bone density and boasts their development. Walking also helps reduce injuries associated with unhealthy bone formation or development especially in women. On top of that, walking also assists in maintaining healthy joints, and prevents the risk of contracting arthritis as well as general sports injuries.
Helps in toning arms, bum, tummy, and legs
A simple walk can immensely improve and strengthen your legs, shape your calves, hamstrings, quads and also helps lift your rear muscles (“glutes”). Additionally, when you maintain a good posture while walking, it can also help tone your abs and shape your waist as well.
Improves balance and coordination
Walking helps in improving general body balance and coordination of several key parts of the body. When you walk, almost each and every part of your body is involved in the activity. This makes it easy to improve coordination and also allows for improved body balance. It is a little wonder that many individuals recovering from many injuries are encouraged to take simple walks as a form of exercise and recovery.
If you thought walking is not important to your health, you may want to rethink that. Walking on a regular basis can be an important part of an overall health and wellness program. However, like any activity, consult with your medical professional before you begin a new walking regimen. Here’s to your health!
For more information about Lubbock Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Kevin Crawford, click below.
