10 things to know about WALKING

Sure, walking is good for us, but that doesn't always make it easy to lace up and go. Here are 10 motivating reasons to put one foot in front of the other today. Walking can...

- by Kaitlyn Phoenix

Lower your risk of heart disease

“The heart is a muscle, and the best way to strengthen muscle is through training and getting out and being active,” says Shirley Rietdyk, Ph.D., a professor of health and kinesiology at Purdue University. Research abounds on the heart-health benefits of exercise, and walking in particular. In studies, increasing daily steps by 1,000 was associated with a 15% decrease in all-cause mortality, and even a 500-step increase was linked with a 7% decrease in cardiovascular death.

AID IN STABILIZING BLOOD SUGAR

Keeping blood sugars balanced can help prevent diabetes (having type 2 diabetes is a known risk factor for heart disease). Walking helps because it stimulates many areas of the body at once, including neurons, the heart, and muscles. “When tissues are active, blood vessels that supply them with nutrients dilate to bring them blood sugar [glucose] to use for fuel,” explains Joaquin U. Gonzales, Ph.D., an associate professor of kinesiology at Texas Tech University. “The ability of muscle to take up glucose for use and storage can last up to 48 hours, a huge benefit for those struggling to maintain healthy blood sugar levels.”