Why Daily Walking Can Benefit You

Why Daily Walking Can Benefit You
by Jen Aguirre

fitness and flexibility. Walking is a cardiovascular exercise that can greatly enhance
the benefits of these components. The truth is, you need all three components for
optimal fitness, but a very good and basic place to start is with walking daily.

Walking serves the cardiovascular system by strengthening the heart muscle.
Strength in the heart means good news for the circulatory system as well, because
this allows the blood to flow more efficiently through the body, making the heart
have to do less work. The more efficient the heart can be at pumping blood, the less
chances you have of suffering from a heart attack. It has been shown in studies that
thirty minutes of walking a day can prevent roughly 35 percent of heart attacks.

In addition to preventing heart attacks, walking can also lower blood pressure. If you
suffer from high blood pressure, a brisk daily walk can greatly reduce your
symptoms. This is also true for those who suffer from high cholesterol. By lacing up
those sneakers and hitting the pavement or treadmill, you are reducing the likelihood
that you will suffer from blood clots as well, because walking helps to keep the blood
from becoming sticky.

Interestingly enough, the benefits of walking also extend to helping the immune
system. Cardiovascular exercise has been shown to enhance the immune system,
thus making it more efficient in fighting off sickness and infection. Regular walking can
help keep weight issues at bay, which also helps in the prevention of illnesses such as
cancer and diabetes. Insulin levels tend to be more regulated with the incorporation
of cardiovascular exercise, so walking can actually help those who suffer from
diabetes keep their symptoms in check.

Walking is beneficial in increasing flexibility, because as you walk, you are stretching
your tendons, muscles and ligaments. In conjunction with offering cardiovascular and
flexibility benefits, walking is also a weight-bearing exercise. This is extremely
important in ensuring proper bone density. If our bones are strong, we are less likely
to suffer from the effects of osteoporosis or injury from falling in later years.

If you already have a strength training routine which you are following, walking can
serve as a wonderful adjunct to increasing the effects of strength training. Even if you
don't have an exercise routine at the moment, walking for just ten minutes a day is a
good start to a healthy lifestyle change. Once your body adjusts to working out,
moving your way up until you can comfortably do thirty minutes a day is optimal. All
you need is the desire for good health and a comfortable pair of shoes and the sky is
the limit.

About The Author

Jenn Aguirre incorporates plyometric and kettle bell training in her ' '. What makes her ' 'in Hercules so special is that
she conducts free weight loss and grocery store tour seminars for all her clients. She
believes that with the combination of proper nutrition and exercise will not only
improve you physically, but also emotionally.

Let's face it: Our bodies were
designed to walk. Many years ago,
walking ensured our survival by
enabling us to gather food and shelter
materials. Over the course of
evolution, our bodies have not only
mastered walking, but have come to
be dependent on it to ensure proper
health. Without walking, our bodies
would suffer greatly, not to mention
our health and state of well-being.

Most fitness experts would agree that
there are three very important
components to overall fitness:
muscular endurance, cardiovascular

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The content on
this website is for educational purposes only. Please consult with your physician before using natural
remedies and before making any drastic changes to your diet or exercise program.