Why Walking is King

Finding what is best for you and good for you can be a challenge when it comes to exercise. We all know it is good for us and gives us many benefits and reduces the risk of many fatal diseases. There is so much overwhelming and contradicting information out there that can be difficult to sort through and ultimately lead to a headache. There are so many great exercise options but the best, most overlooked exercise is simply walking. It not only has a tremendous amount of benefits but is free and easily accessible and really does not require any planning. I believe that incorporating walking into your lifestyle is the best possible exercise and is so incredibly simple.

Soooooo, what exactly are the benefits of walking???

1. Longevity

Walking has a huge correlation to longevity. Those who live the longest typically walk frequently and have been their whole life. Studies have shown that walking even 15 minutes per day, 4 days a week greatly increases lifespan. It provides adequate cardiovascular exercise. Walking increases heart rate slightly increases blood flow and gives our organs oxygen-rich blood. This will lead to a lower resting heart rate which is great for longevity as your heart does not have to work as hard constantly. Walking has also been shown to lower blood pressure which in turn adds years to your life. On top of the great cardiovascular benefits, it strengthens our bones and muscles which is crucial as we age. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, walking has huge benefits for bone health. It does so by being easier on the joints. Some benefits they list for walking include, a lower risk of arthritis, and osteoporosis, both are issues associated with aging. Walking will also help us stay mobile and reduce the risk of falling which is crucial for longevity.

1. Digestive health

There are immediate benefits from walking too! Walking has been shown to greatly improve digestive health. Walking and adding movement will stimulate your digestive tract to begin digestion. It will cause the food to move through the digestive tract faster and easier, leaving you feeling less discomfort. This also allows the body to spend less time in the postprandial state. The postprandial state is the time when your body is digesting the food, breaking it down, and distributing it to the body. According to Jesse Inchauspe, a biochemist, this period of time also causes the largest hormonal and inflammatory changes in the body. Walking will help us digest and distributed our food to our body faster and more efficiently and keep us out of the postprandial state for as long as possible to keep hormonal changes and inflammation to a minimum.

1. Keep our glucose in check

Walking also has tremendous effects on our glucose levels. Whenever we consume carbohydrates, we experience a glucose spike. Depending on how we eat those carbs and what we eat them will determine the height of the spike. The larger the spike, the worse it is for our health. (see my previous post on managing glucose levels) Spikes can lead to weight gain, insulin resistance, infertility, acne, mood problems, and many more unwanted symptoms. It is important to keep steady glucose and avoid spikes and dips. Now, where walking comes in. Walking after meals, even for 10 minutes at a time has been shown to manage glucose spikes and keep glucose steady. According to Jesse Inchauspe, biochemist and author of Glucose Revolution, walking brings glucose spikes down by allowing our body to use the glucose we consumed instead of letting it sit there. We use the glucose by using our muscles which will prevent a glucose spike.

1. Provides Adequate Cardiovascular Exercise

A common but unfortunate barrier that many faces when wanting to begin exercise is thinking they need to do more than they really need to. This may lead to being so overwhelmed and just not doing anything. The easiest way to get exercise is simply walking. This form of exercise provides the right amount of cardio, nothing too strenuous either! Walking is a much more sustainable form of exercise as well. When picking an exercise routine, it is important that it is sustainable for you in the long run and walking is just that.

Now that you know the undeniable and tremendous benefits of walking, how much is recommended??

Now, of course, anything is better than nothing. Start small, go for 10-minute walks at a time, that is about 1,000 steps right there which is amazing!! Begin by simply walking to class or the grocery store when it's convenient. Get in the habit of taking the stairs instead of the elevator or going for a walk after lunch on your lunch break (double whammy, keep glucose in check, and get steps in!). Ultimately, getting 7,000-10,000 steps in each day will promote longevity and keep our hearts healthy. But starting slow and stacking habits on top of each other will keep it sustainable and allow you to ease into it and keep it less overwhelming!

I hope you enjoyed the article and found it useful!! Go get those steps in and let me know how it goes.

Regan