More and more Americans are realizing the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle and incorporating it into their daily routines. And health experts point to fitness as a key component to a achieving optimal health.
While fitness routines vary based on ability and interest, taking a stroll in your local park or along your favorite trail is one of the easiest (and most cost-effective) ways to include fitness as part of your healthy lifestyle.
And science backs this up. Recent studies have shown that walking brings some surprising benefits beyond a healthy lifestyle.
The University of Exeter conducted studies that indicate that taking a 15-minute walk can curb cravings for sweets. One study showed that taking a 15-minute walk before you go to work can not only reduce the amount of chocolate you eat at work, but also reduce chocolate consumption in stressful situations.
Researchers have proven that any physical activity can help significantly reduce the risk of breast cancer in women. And an American Cancer Society study specifically focused on walking, which discovered women who walked seven or more hours per week had a 14% lower
risk of breast cancer than hose who walked three hours or less per week.
Americans are paying more attention to their immunes systems and taking a walk can help you boost yours. One study claims that taking a 20-minute walk every day for five days a week during flu and cold season yielded 43% fewer sick days than exercising once a week or less. And those walkers who did get sick, they had a shorter duration of the illness and experienced milder symptoms.
From Shakespeare to Robert Frost, some of our favorite writers have hailed the benefits of a stroll in nature. But recent studies by the University of Stanford have scientifically proven that taking a walk can increase creative output by 60%. The study cites, ““walking opens up the free flow of ideas, and it is a simple and robust solution to the goals of increasing creativity and increasing physical activity.” So giving your mind a break and letting your feet do the thinking can clear the head to let a new idea creep in!
In a tech-driven society, it’s no wonder that connecting and meeting with people is something that easily goes by the wayside. No doubt, you’re reading this blog on a computer or mobile device. But putting the phone down and walking with friends and family has proven to not only strengthen relationships with those we love most, but also lessens seasonal affective disorder, provides opportunities to communicate while staying fit and generally helps foster accountability and connectivity in a fast-paced world.
So three cheers to the common, average, everyday walk! Incorporate this simple gift into your daily fitness routine!
Resources:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/5-surprising-benefits-of-walking
https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/why-walking-most-underrated-form-exercise-ncna797271
https://handsonaswegrow.com/10-ways-to-get-more-from-walks-with-children/
https://www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-living/wellbeing/a27430/health-benefits-of-family-walk/