Walking is the unsung hero when it comes to its health benefits. It is a great way to slow down your pace for a little bit, uplift your mood and is simply good for you.
“If you want to add seven years to your lifespan, set aside 20 to 25 minutes for a daily walk,” says Dr. Joseph Mercola, a leading health expert and physician. “This simple habit, which can also arguably be one of the most enjoyable parts of your day, has been found to trigger an anti-aging process and even help repair old DNA.”
Research presented at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress shows that a daily walk can add 7 years to your life.
The researchers found that just 25 minutes of brisk walking a day can help increase lifespan.
The research team followed 69 people between the ages of 30 and 60. Those who exercised daily including brisk walks, jogging, high intensity workouts, and strength training experienced anti-aging benefits that could add up to 3 to 7 years of additional lifespan.
The great thing about walking is that the benefits are possible at any age. Study author Sanjay Sharma, professor of inherited cardiac diseases in sports cardiology at St. George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in London, told The Independent:
“We may never avoid becoming completely old, but we may delay the time we become old. We may look younger when we’re 70 and may live into our nineties. Exercise buys you three to seven additional years of life. It is an antidepressant, it improves cognitive function, and there is now evidence that it may retard the onset of dementia.”
Walking has shown other benefits including potential breast cancer prevention, anti-depressant effects, better sex life, heart health, diabetes prevention, and stroke prevention.
Katy Bowman, a scientist and author of the book, Move Your DNA: Restore Your Health Through Natural Movement said it best when she said:
[pullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”#228B22″ class=”” size=”17″]“Walking is a superfood. It’s the defining movement of a human.”[/pullquote]
The study details showing that a daily walk can add 7 years to your life were published on The Independent.
Note: None of the information in our website is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any illness or disease. The content on our website is for educational purposes only.
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REFERENCES:
1. “Walking and Type 2 Diabetes.” Diabetes Care. American Diabetes Association, n.d. Web. 15 Sep. 2015.
2. “Greater Survival After Breast Cancer in Physically Active Women With High Vegetable-Fruit Intake Regardless of Obesity.” Journal of Clinical Oncology. American Society of Clinical Oncology, 14 Dec. 2006. Web. 15 Sep. 2015.
3. “New Study About the Benefits of Walking Daily.” Mercola.com. Mercola.com, n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2015.
4. “A Daily Walk ‘can Add Seven Years to Your Life’” The Independent. Independent Digital News and Media, n.d. Web. 15 Sept. 2015.
5. “Walking Is the Superfood of Fitness, Experts Say.” Reuters. Thomson Reuters, 29 Sept. 2014. Web. 15 Sept. 2015.
