Walking a good health Tonic

By Editorial Team , Jagran Cityplus

Jul 08, 2010

Walking 2 ½ hours/week and losing just 7% of your body weight (12-15 pounds) can reduce your risk of diabetes by 58%.

Walking and other kinds of exercise protect the heart and circulatory system by raising HDL, the good cholesterol, and keeping weight down.

3 hours/week or 30 min/day can cut the risk of heart disease in women by as much as 40%. This is the same benefit you would get from aerobics, jogging, or other vigorous exercise. In one study, mortality rates among retired men who walked less than one mile per day were nearly twice that among those who walked more than two miles per day.

Walking also lowers the risk of hypertension (raised blood pressure) and stroke.

Walking reduces the risk of breast and colon cancer. Women who performed the equivalent of one hour and 15 minutes to two and a half hours per week of brisk walking had an 18% decreased risk of breast cancer compared with inactive women. Walking can help prevent constipation and colon cancer and even if an individual person develops colon cancer, the benefits of exercise appear to continue both by increasing quality of life and reducing mortality.

Walking is good for your bones. Walking is also effective in slowing the rate of bone loss from the leg. It can be a blessing for women especially to tackle osteoporosis, if followed regularly.

Walking helps alleviate symptoms of depression. Walking for 30 minutes, three to five times per week for 12 weeks reduces symptoms of depression by 47%. o We all need stress busters and something to pep up our mood. So start walking...

Walking helps tackle sleeplessness. It is much healthier to get addicted to walking than to sleeping pills.

Regular walking improves energy and stamina levels. Walking just three times a week for 30 minutes can significantly increase cardio respiratory fitness.