Walking is a type of aerobic physical activity that can be performed by anyone, regardless of the age and physical condition of the person, and has various health benefits, such as improving the cardiovascular system, reducing symptoms of stress and anxiety, strengthen muscles and promote blood circulation.
For walking to have many health benefits, it is essential that it be done regularly, at a faster pace than regular walking, and that a healthy diet accompanies it. See how to eat healthy to lose weight.
Health Benefits of Walking
The benefits of walking daily are:
Improve blood circulation
Walking regularly helps reduce fluid retention in the legs and ankles, as it stimulates blood circulation, and the person needs to increase fluid intake and maintain a balanced diet. See how to combat fluid retention.
Prevent diseases
When you walk daily, some diseases such as type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, hypertension, atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases can be prevented or improved. This occurs because several muscles are worked during this type of physical activity, increasing energy expenditure and improving blood circulation.
Walking promotes the integrity of the veins and arteries, reducing the risk of fat depositing on the wall of the blood vessels and improving respiratory capacity and promoting increased bone density.
Strengthen muscles
Muscle-strengthening occurs because, with regular exercise, the muscles begin to take in more oxygen, increasing their efficiency. In addition to this, as walking is an aerobic exercise, a group of muscles are developed that need to act together, strengthening and toning them.
Improve body posture
As walking is a physical activity that involves several muscles and joints, regular practice can help reduce back pain and improve body posture.
Promote relaxation
The relaxation promoted by walking is due to the release of hormones responsible for the feeling of well-being, especially endorphins and serotonin. These hormones act directly on nerve cells and can relieve anxiety and stress.
In addition to this, this type of physical activity can also help relax the neck and shoulders muscles since this tension can be related to stress, for example.
Health benefits
STRENGTHEN THE HEART. Walking regularly reduces your risk of heart disease and stroke. It reduces LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and increases HDL levels (good cholesterol), and it keeps the blood pressure under control. Anything that increases the heart rate and promotes blood pumping is an exercise for the heart and circulatory system. Brisk walking for 30 minutes can help prevent and control high blood pressure, reducing the risk of cardiovascular accidents by up to 27 percent.
REDUCE THE RISK OF DISEASES. Walking can also reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, asthma, and some cancers by up to 60 percent. Those who maintain a moderate activity level have about a 20 percent lower risk of developing colon, breast and uterine cancer.
KEEP WEIGHT LOW. Walking also increases muscle mass and tone.
HELPS PREVENT DEMENTIA. Physical activity has a protective effect on brain function, and regular exercise reduces the risk of dementia by 40 percent.
IT HELPS PREVENT OSTEOPOROSIS. Stimulates and strengthens bones, increasing density. It also helps maintain joint health by helping to prevent diseases such as osteoarthritis.
TONES LEGS, BUTTOCKS AND ABDOMINALS. A good walk can help strengthen and shape the legs, giving definition to the calves, quads and hamstrings and lifting the glutes. If you pay attention to posture while walking, you can tone your abs and gradually reduce your waistline.
TONES YOUR ARMS. Walking speed comes from the arms. To get the best benefit, you should keep them at a comfortable level, bent at the elbow, and move them back and forth as you walk. Moving them faster allows us to speed up the pace automatically. This movement tones the arms, shoulders, and back.
