Why walking is so good for you
We know you hear us say -- over and over again -- that you have to walk every day, no excuses. That's because we're so convinced of its importance! You see, walking (aiming for 10,000 steps daily) doesn't just strengthen your circulation, pump oxygen to your brain, improve your balance, and provide a chance to spend time with your posse, it has even more health benefits.
According to Harvard Medical School, walking for as little as 15 minutes helps reduce cravings for sugary snacks and chocolate. That happens because it ups circulation of feel-good endorphins and reduces stress. It also can help ease arthritis-related joint pain by strengthening muscles that support your hip, knee and ankle joints and keeping them lubricated. And hoofing it for just 6 miles a week can help prevent arthritis from setting in.
Walking also turns on genes that produce the protein irisin, which helps you stay smart and strengthens your immune response. One study found that a 20-minute walk at least five days a week results in 43% fewer sick days compared to non-walkers. And it can help defeat the power of weight-promoting genes. A Harvard study found that the effects of those obesity genes were slashed in half by walking briskly for an hour a day. All for just putting one foot in front of the other!
For more info on how to incorporate walking into your daily life, check out our audiobook "You on a Walk" and Dr. Oz's article "More Movement May Increase Longevity -- Here's Why" at iHerb.com/blog.
Dr. Mike Roizen is the founder of www.longevityplaybook.com, and Dr. Mehmet Oz is global advisor to www.iHerb.com, the world's leading online health store. Roizen and Oz are chief wellness officer emeritus at Cleveland Clinic and professor emeritus at Columbia University, respectively. Together they have written 11 New York Times bestsellers (four No. 1's).
(c)2024 Michael Roizen, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
(c) 2024 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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