Health benefits of walking

Sustained walking sessions for a minimum period of thirty to sixty minutes a day, five days a week, with the correct walking posture,reduces health risks and has various overall health benefits,such as reducing the chances of cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, anxiety and depression. Life expectancy is also increased even for individuals suffering from obesity or high blood pressure. Walking also increases bone health, especially strengthening the hip bone, and lowering the more harmful bad low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and raises the more useful good high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.

Studies have found that walking can also prevent dementia and Alzheimer's.

Do you believe all of this information?

I do to a certain extent as I have seen improvement in my health due to my daily walking for pleasure. As far as the stuff like cholesterol - really can't say.

I hope it's true.

My only concern with daily walking for one hour+ is the effect on my feet! Can we overstress our feet?

Only if you have other pre-existing conditions. I've walked up and down one of my favorite trails (close to 8 hours of walking) a few times and it's no big deal. Your arches might get fatigued but that's about it.

Hi Lori:

All things must be done in "moderation" (lol).

Base your walking on how your body reacts. Me personally, I can walk all day if the route is comfortable. Now that I am back home in Phenix City, Alabama - those hills are a challenge

Thanks for stopping by and commenting on my post.

Walkers have less incidence of cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and other killer diseases. They live longer and get mental health and spiritual benefits.

I love my daily walks! They help we keep focus throughout the day. They provide me time. It is nice to get away from a machine even for a little while

I love walking outdoors in nature more than walking on a treadmill in the gym. It's great for my spiritual and mental health as well as physical health.

LOL, even though I have no choice but to walk to work, I still enjoy the sites. And the neat part about living in Columbus, Georgia are the trains. While living in Orlando,Florida I did not have hills, trains and so on. Now don't get me wrong, I do not appreciate it when one stays put on the train tracks and does not move for hours!!!! Yes folks, around here it is like the train folks do not care that one has to get to work. Now I have seen some BRAVE folks climb through the train, while it is tempting - I can just see me being dragged down the tracks by the train(lol). My boyfriend does pick me up from work, which I do appreciate as it is now getting dark earlier with the time change and it is getting colder. Yikes, they are talking about the 30's starting Thursday. Not to worry, I bought 3 sets of ladies thermal wear and cannot wait to wear them. The leaves are changing colors - awesome and they don't have much snow when it does come. Thank you Jesus!!! The last time I had to walk in snow was when I was 18, now 53 - so you figure how I would do if they had the major storms they have in St. Louis, Missouri & Chicago, Illinois. I remember those 2 years of being a flight attendant and having to keep cotton in my ears from my chronic head colds. But I am glad I got to live a dream I had as a child when I was an adult.

Happy walking everyone

A regular walking programme improves the quality of life. anything you do to improve your life, reduce stress and tension has to have positive overall health consequences. So yes i believe we can keep many of these diseases at bay by regular walking. It is the cheapest, easiest form of exercise.

I have just found my password for logging in which had been missing for weeks and I couldn't remember it so I hope to become a regular poster from now on if I can

I agree Elizabeth. I know it has helped me combat depression which was not helped by counseling or drugs(lol).

Wish I knew this back in my 20's (now 53 and getting younger) - spent alot of cash and wasted time.

On the other side, some folks do benefit from counseling and medication, so I am not totally against this - it just did not work for me.

I now encourage my only child (age 25, girl) to try different things with any issue in her life as I did not have a mom or sister to bounce things off. Yes, grandma was there (died this year at age 104 back in my island - Jamaica, West Indies) - but you know it is not the same. LOL, some things you dare not discuss with granny.

I did not cry about "Mamamae's" passing, as I knew she lived a fulfilling and independent life in spite of grandpa dying over 30 years ago. I was not able to afford to go back home for her funeral (I now live in Columbus, Georgia) - but I know she understood. I SMILE as I write this, she has ALWAYS been my reason for living my life MY way

Keep up the AWESOME site Elizabeth - way to GO!!!

Hi dear, Walking is very effective exercise for the health. It burns the fat of legs, belly and thigh and reduces the extra weight. It keeps us fit, active and young.

Hi Finbar:

I see you are a "newbie" - welcome to the Bella Family and thanks for stopping by and sharing

Hi Finbar:

Yes, I totally agree - walking is one of the best exercises (and free/lol) for general health.

If you want to lose fat, then there are options to do this.

As you know there are different types of walking styles - the trick is to figure out which ones get the results you want.

Me, I am into it for "relaxation" and volunteer to walk to and from work which is not too far from our duplex although we do have a car. My other half use to get upset with me, but now he understands that when I walk, I am a lot NICER to be around

Hi Angela, sorry to hear about Mamamae's death but she certainly had a good innings.Walking is BRILLIANT. When I had difficulties rearing a teenager my morning walk helped me enormously. All my anxieties were gone before I went in to work. I also find I think a lot better when I am walking and I solve lots of problems.Thanks for posting link to my latest article. Lisa from Fiction sent me a message how to do it . I thought it was simple but so far haven;t succeeded creating the link

Hi Elizabeth:

It takes persistence and not feeling bad about not learning stuff right away.

The bottom line, you are LEARNING like we all did as "first time" editors for this site.

Once you get it down, then you will be able to help other new folks - trust me, here I am at age 53 - set in my ways & hated learning new stuff - still do(lol).

But when you want to do something, you buckle down like you are doing and never give up.

Talk soon

I love walking. Not only is it good for your body/heart it's a good way for me to clear my head..After a long day at work or after being around the kids all day I just go for a walk. You would be amazed at how refreshing it can be.

Hi All about improvement:

Welcome to our Bella Family, I see you joined 12/21/11.

Yes, walking is free and does so much for your body, mind and so on.

Depending on what your focus is - we can all benefit from walking.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing!

walks everyday,good for our hearts.

Yes ssabrinaa, I totally agree.

If you don't mind my asking, I do tend to get too personal at times(lol) - so you walk every day?

I do to get from home to work - and some days, I would rather not, but so glad that I do. At the moment I am battling with some unwanted inches at age 53. While I don't weigh except when my doctor makes me - I gauge my weight on how tight of loose my size 10 clothes fit.

Thanks SO MUCH for stopping by and sharing with us - much APPRECIATED.

Hugs,
A

I love walking and some days I forget and just sit here working on my netbook. I hope to get out today - maybe even do some camping.

This is a good reminder thread to get out and walk, even if it's just for 15 minutes.

LOL Jilly, remember we use to have a thread for everyone when I was the Walking editor.

Hey Elizabeth, you up to it?

Hugs,
A

Funny that this topic should pop up today. I just got back from a nice 35 minute walk, when any other year I would be shovelling snow instead. But today is mild and sunny, and not a snowflake in sight. I would MUCH rather walk for exercise!

Way to go Claybird - they say 20 minutes or less daily is a good amount.

Good for you

Right, we did have our own walking threads! This works too, though.

Good on you, Claybird!

I am hoping Elizabeth checks in soon so that we can get her involved if she is interested. I notice she has posted a new article today and was wondering if she wanted some help with getting it linked on the forum. Like us all, she is working on this part of things. Yikes, I remember those days. Now I am so glad I can help other new folks with the forum.

Snow today! No walking any more, for a while at least. That's the trouble with living in the snow belt off of Lake Michigan. In the winter the only place I can walk is in the Mall, not a very pleasant place. I'm just glad I was able to get that unexpected walk in yesterday.

Thanks for the update Claybird - I did my usual 1/2 hour from home to the office.

Talk soon

Walking is aerobic exercise. It keeps you fit and it helps you take off extra weight and keep it off. Obesity has become an epidemic among Americans; it is especially troubling that so many American children are now overweight or obese. Numerous studies have shown that lack of exercise is a major factor.

Walking is no doubt the best exercise not only for maintaining good health but also to keep you away from different severe diseases as well. Walking exercise is simple and for the people of all age as well . Walking is also helpful to lose weight .

Yes, I agree - too many young people are having weight issues due to not spending enough time being a child and being outside instead of playing video games. Thanks for stopping by and sharing with us

Hi Davidryan, thanks for stopping by and sharing with us. I agree, walking is simple and free!!!!

Great Benefits to go for Walk on daily Bases . My Grand Father Is of 95 in Age and Still Fit As Go for Daily Walk of 45 min to 1 hour . He do Some Light Exercise . Yes Exercise Makes you healthy and Takes you Away from Deceases like Cancer , heart etc .

Hi Angela, Walking is the simplest but one of the effective cardio exercise to reduce and maintain body weight. Walking promotes muscular development and reduce cholesterol level. Walking strengthen immune system, lowers high blood pressure and prevent us from major health diseases.

My grandfather is almost 90, he has just recovered from mild stroke and good thing today, he can now start walk on his own though most of the time, he needs assistance but still he can manage. What they did is to let him do exercise in the morning especially walking, and of course, never disregard on having a good diet.