You may know that walking, as one of the safest, easiest, and most convenient forms of exercise, offers health benefits, but you might be surprised to learn all that walking truly has to offer. Check out the list of walking benefits below to see how you can significantly improve your health and your life with just your feet, a bit of motivation, and a pair of good walking shoes:
Diabetes Prevention: According to new research, spending some time walking briskly in your walking shoes each day can significantly reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes. Even for people with a family history of disease or insulin resistance, walking at a moderate to vigorous pace on a routine basis can significantly improve insulin sensitivity.
Better Sex Life: In a study of women between 45 to 55 years old, those who took part in regular walking or other forms of exercise reported higher levels of both sexual desire and satisfaction. Walking not only helps you burn calories and fat that make you feel better physically, it also gives you greater confidence. Both of these factors can lead to better results in the bedroom.
Money Savings: Walking is one of the easiest forms of exercise, because it requires very little equipment. Good walking shoes with supportive insoles and a place to walk are all you really need. If you choose walking as your primary form of exercise, you can save on costly gym fees. Plus, walking regularly has been shown to prevent heart disease and decrease stress, saving you expensive trips to the doctor.
Decreased Medication: According to the National Walkers’ Health Study, walkers who take long weekly walks are less likely to use medication than those who don’t. This doesn’t mean that you should cut out short walks, and you should always have your most comfortable sneakers handy if an opportunity to walk presents itself, but you may want to consider taking a longer walk when you have the time.
Alleviated Fibromyalgia Pain: Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that affects approximately 4% of the U.S. population, causing pain, fatigue, and brain fog. However, according to a study following women aged 32 to 70 with the disease, those who walked for 60 minutes three times per week reported significant improvements in their mental functioning and less fatigue and depression.
Better Breast Cancer Survival Rates: Women who walk regularly after being diagnosed with breast cancer have a 45% better rate of survival from the disease than those who do not walk. Plus, researchers have found that women who walked regularly in the year before they were diagnosed with breast cancer were 30% more likely to survive that those who did not exercise prior to diagnosis. Clearly, this is good motivation for women to put on their walking shoes.
Reduced Risk of Stroke: Walking for at least 30 minutes in good arch support shoes five times a week can lower your risk of stroke, according to one study. Researchers followed 46,000 men and 15,000 women over 18 years and found that those who walked regularly were 40% less likely to suffer from a stroke than those with the lowest level of fitness.
Improved Memory: Walking regularly has been proven to improve your memory and preserve valuable hippocampus tissue in the brain. An Italian study also showed that people who suffer from memory problems and walk regularly had nearly a 30% lower risk of developing dementia than those who did not exercise. Researchers believe the powerful effects of walking on the brain may have to do with the increased blood flow to the brain that occurs during physical exercise.
It’s clear that walking has a lot to offer, and it’s not all health benefits. Why not pick up a pair of the best walking shoes and start improving your life today? You’d be surprised how many opportunities you’ll find for walking if you keep your eyes open and your walking shoes on.
