Why walk and the benefits of exercise
Benefits of Exercise - What the World Health Organisation (WHO) has to say (www.who.int January 2007)
The health benefits of regular physical activity are many. At least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity, for example brisk walking, is enough to bring many of the effects below. By increasing the level of activity, the benefits will also increase.
Regular physical activity:
- reduces the risk of dying prematurely, and reduces the risk of dying from heart disease or stroke which are responsible for one-third of all deaths
- reduces the risk of developing heart disease or colon cancer by up to 50%
- reduces the risk of developing Type II Diabetes by 50%
- helps to prevent / reduce hypertension, which affects one-fifth of the world's adult population
- helps to prevent / reduce osteoporosis, reducing the risk of hip fracture by up to 50% in women
- reduces the risk of developing lower back pain
- promotes psychological well-being, reduces stress, anxiety and feelings of depression and loneliness
- helps prevent or control risky behaviours, especially among children and young people, like tobacco, alcohol or other substance use, unhealthy diet or violence
- helps control weight and lower the risk of becoming obese by 50% compared to people with sedentary lifestyles
- helps build and maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints and makes people with chronic, disabling conditions improve their stamina
- can help in the management of painful conditions, like back pain or knee pain
Regular physical activity, combined with adequate diet has shown to be one of the most effective means of controlling mild to moderate obesity and maintaining an ideal body weight in women.
Physical activity can also greatly help prevent and manage osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break. Women, particularly post-menopausal, have a higher risk of developing osteoporosis than men.
Why walk?
Walking is a perfect form of exercise and is perhaps the safest way to keep fit and healthy. Unlike running, it doesn't put stress on the knees and just 30 minutes per day can ward off 30-40% of chronic diseases.
Walking is also free - have quality trainers, will walk!
A report by TIME Magazine (US) suggests that walking for 30 minutes 5 times a week helps to lower the onset of heart failure, diabetes, osteoporosis and can help with arthritis, hypertension and depression.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) claim that several million people who die every year from diabetes, heart disease, stroke and the like could have been prevented had they undertaken just 30 minutes of exercise every day. In fact it's estimated that 2 million people die every year down to lack of exercise.
30 minutes of walking in Power Diet exhausts up to 300 calories - so what are you waiting for!
