10,000. That’s the number of steps you’ve walked each day that your phone or watch should show. And if you treated it as “unimportant information”, it’s time to change your attitude. Experts have tested and proved that regular walking can even save some lives
Although 10,000 steps sounds like a marathon to some, in fact, at a leisurely pace, you can complete it in what’s called “an hour and a half. And you don’t have to do it all at once. You just need to develop the habit of walking, and instead of driving to the store, you can go shopping “on your own”, and coming home from work, you can get off two or three stops earlier and cover the rest of the route by walking. Of course, walking your pets outside will also help here.
Why is this type of movement so important? If you work out in any sport on a regular basis (yes, that’s right – you visit the gym or workout room at least twice each week), let’s just say it’s a nice bonus, boosting your mood and burning extra calories (scientifically guessed). But if you’ve mostly shunned physical activity, know that those walks could save your life in the future. How it’s possible
American scientists observed the bodies of people over 40 for 10 years. What conclusions did they come to? The experts found that the main cause of death among the subjects was cardiovascular disease. Interestingly, those who daily walked at least 8 000 steps (about 6 kilometers) reduced their risk of death by as much as 51 percent. This is because it’s worth knowing that exercise – especially outdoors – improves the elasticity of the arteries, and thus the heart rate.
Also important is the fact that, according to the researchers (their analysis was published in the journal JAMA), the pace of the walk didn’t matter much.
So what do you think? See you on the trail?
Read also: CAN YOU DRINK TOO MUCH WATER?
Main photo: Ben Hershey/ unsplash.com
