Walk your way to health
By Andrew May & Matt O’Neill
When it comes to fitness, Australians love to walk! More than 2.5 million Australians report that walking is their favourite recreational activity. That’s no surprise, considering that walking offers such great health benefits. Even better, it’s free, safe and easy to do for almost everybody. There are no expensive memberships or equipment required, just a sturdy, comfortable pair of shoes and the determination to make a change.
Walking can boost both physical and mental fitness. It’s a proven stress-buster and you don’t have to knock yourself out to get lasting benefits. For example, a comprehensive US study of more than 70,000 American women showed that walking the equivalent of three or more hours per week at a brisk pace was as significant in reducing the effects of coronary heart disease as vigorous exercise, which makes walking a great habit to build into your life, no matter what your age or fitness level.
If you’ve found it difficult to fit more physical activity into your life, you’re not alone. Advances in technology have all but eliminated the need for any of us to move. We use remote controls to open the garage and change channels on the TV, and mobile phones, e-mails and the internet mean we no longer need to get up to answer the telephone, post a letter or do the weekly shopping.
While technology is certainly making some things easier, it’s also contributing to a lack of physical activity, which is causing our waistlines to expand, and leading to more serious health problems such as high blood pressure and adult-onset diabetes. The good news is that relatively small bursts of activity, like making regular walks a part of your day, is enough to replace much of the movement lost thanks to modern technology.
To turn your life around, don’t let modern conveniences do all the work for you. Instead, think about how to make your life more inconvenient! That’s right – make changing your attitude to movement your first positive step towards a more active and healthier lifestyle.
Ten good reasons to walk to health
Here are ten good reasons why walking is the best exercise to put into you day – every day!
1. You can easily start with small amounts - ten minutes each day.
2. You can catch up on the latest gossip with a friend.
3. You don’t have to be co-ordinated to walk.
4. Walking offers a wide range of health benefits.
5. It’s low-impact, so there’s less stress on your joints.
6. There are no excuses with walking - you can do it anytime, anywhere.
7. It makes you more efficient - you can do errands and get exercise at the same time.
8. You get to see the sites - walking is the best way to get around on holidays.
9. You can start walking at any age.
10. You save the environment when you walk instead of drive.
The health benefits of walking
Fitness
Physically fit people improve the ability of their body to carry oxygen around the blood supply. This translates into more energy and ease of getting though daily tasks like shopping, vacuuming or putting out the garbage.
Stress relief
When you are stressed, your heart rate increases, blood pressure rises and fats are dumped into the blood. Going for a walk is not only a way to get away from the “stressor” (eg: your partner) but can help release mood-elevating chemicals that can help you feel less anxious.
Strong bones
The mechanical loading of weight-bearing exercise helps prevent the loss of bone minerals that leads to osteoporosis later in life, especially for women. While walking doesn’t have as much effect on bone strength as weight training, it’s an important part of keeping weight on your bones. Walking may also help with co-ordination and postural stability that is important to prevent the falls that often break bones in our elderly years.
Immunity
Moderate exercise can enhance the immune processes, so walking may provide some benefits.
Blood Pressure
During a walk, your small blood vessels dilate and take pressure of your arteries. This persists even after you stop moving. Regular walking may help reduce the natural tendency of blood pressure to rise with age.
Diabetes
Walking, like all aerobic activity, improves glucose tolerance by enhancing insulin sensitivity. After a bout of physical activity, insulin sensitivity can be elevated for up to 48 hours. Active people are less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes.
Cholesterol
Although not a powerful effect, regular walking may cause a small increase in HDL (good cholesterol). Even a small increase in this component of your total cholesterol is associated with a large decrease in the risk of heart disease.
Osteoarthritis
Walking may help build leg muscle strength and increase the range of motion in the knee and hip joints. Just feeling more active can also have a psychological effect. In some cases, walking may aggravate knee pain, so check with your doctor.
Matt O’Neill is a top Australian nutritionist and regular on Channel 7’s Sunrise program. You can subscribe to Matt’s free email newsletter, download useful tools or enrol in a course at his website at www.SmartShape.com.au