Walk Your Way to Better Health
At Pickering Village Chiropractic & Massage, we understand the importance of keeping your body moving!
Chiropractors Dr. John Noble and Dr. Mark Fera are spine, muscle, and nervous system experts and encourage you to incorporate walking as part of your daily routine.
1. Walking is good for your brain.
Walking boosts blood flow to your brain, decreasing your stress hormones and releasing endorphins. This helps improve your mood, lower your chance of depression and reduce your risk of cognitive decline.
- Two hours of walking a week can reduce your risk of stroke by 30%.
- A 40-minute walk three times a week protects the brain region associated with planning and memory.
- A 30-minute walk a day can reduce symptoms of depression by 36%.
2. Walking is good for your bones, muscles and joints.
Like other weight-bearing activities, walking helps maintain bone health. Four hours of walking per week can reduce the risk of hip fractures by up to 43%.
Walking up and down hills increases the activation of the hip, knee and ankle muscles. The steeper the grade, the bigger the benefit.
Walking increases the circulation of synovial fluid around your joints, providing essential lubrication and nutrients to cartilage, the tissues that act as a cushion between your bones.
3. Walking can help you maintain a healthy weight.
Walking at least 30 minutes per day is linked to lower body weight, body fat and waist circumference. A daily one-hour walk can cut your risk of obesity in half.
4. Walking is good for your digestive tract.
By taking a walk after a meal, you help your food move your digestive system, reducing the incidence of bloating and digestive problems.
5. Walking can help manage diabetes.
Diabetes affects approximately 2.5 million Canadians, with over 200,000 cases being diagnosed every year. Researchers around the globe have all found that regular exercise, along with dietary changes, can help manage diabetes. Walking can help reduce insulin resistance, keeping blood sugar levels balanced and energy levels even.
6. Walking is good for your heart.
Studies have shown that exercise lessens your risk of developing heart disease because it helps reduce the amount of fats and cholesterol in the body (both play a role in damaging your arteries). A daily 30 to 60-minute walk increases your heart rate, improves blood flow and helps your heart pump more efficiently, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
7. Walking can help you live longer.
With all these health benefits, it only makes sense that walking increases longevity. A mere 75 minutes a week of brisk walking can add almost two years to your life!
Enjoy the warmer weather and improve your overall health by making walking a part of your daily routine.
At Pickering Village Chiropractic and Massage, we provide our patients with more than just chiropractic and massage therapy services, but also the know-how to build better personal wellness habits so you can be at your best for work or play, every day.