It's official....walking
the dog is good for you!
Of course, you
always knew that taking the dog out was probably doing you
just as much good as your dog, but now researchers think walking
may be the perfect exercise. In an article in Time magazine,
an American doctor is quoted as saying that 30 minutes of
brisk walking a day could reduce the incidence of some chronic
conditions by up to 40%!
Many studies
undertaken over the last few years have pointed to the fact
that brisk walking offers many of the same benefits as jogging
or aerobics.
- Brisk walking
is good for the heart, lowering blood pressure, boosts HDL
cholesterol in the blood (this is the friendly one!) and
seems to affect the stickiness of the bllod, making it less
likely to produce unwanted clots. All in all, it could reduce
the risk of a heart attack by up to 50%
- By analysing
the daily walking habits of nurses, researchers have found
that those who walked the most reduced their risk of suffering
a stroke by a clot by up to 40%
- Brisk walking
is ideal for controlling your weight. Not only do you burn
calories but your metabolic rate is increased for the rest
of the day. You would however have to walk for a good hour
a day to burn off fat reserves.
- Your 30 minute
brisk walk can postpone and possibly avoid the development
of Type 2 diabetes in overweight people whose bodies are
already experiencing difficulty in metabolizing glucose,
according to two recent studies.
- Brisk walking
can help sufferers of arthritis and osteoporosis.
- There is
new evidence that regular outdoor exercise is good for those
suffering from depression, with less chance of relapse.
Of course any improvements in
health are long term for what is after all fairly gentle exercise,
and one should also take into account your whole lifestyle
if you are looking to gain real health improvements through
your daily routine of dog walking!
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