6 surprising benefits of walking step out for good health

It’s the simplest physical activity we can do – yet it’s incredibly beneficial for our health

We’re always told about the positives of running and lifting weights, but slowing things down and going for a walk can provide a whole host of health benefits too. walking is a natural, low-impact way of moving the body, which means less chance of injury. read on to discover more of its amazing benefits…

1 It curbs cravIngs as well as burning calories, a study from the university of Exeter found that a short walk helped people reduce their intake of high-calorie snack foods by half.

2 It helps regulate hormones Women who walk after menopause lower their risk of breast cancer – even if they do absolutely no other form of exercise – according to research by the american cancer society. Walking for at least an hour a day cuts the risk by 14%, since it’s thought to regulate the levels of hormones that can encourage breast tumours to grow.

3 It Increases bone strength

Every time your feet hit the floor when you walk, your bones get a jolt that strengthens them. In fact, women who walk at least one mile a day have a higher bone density after menopause than those who walk less. 4 It burns as much fat as runnIng lower-intensity exercises such as walking actually force the body to burn more body fat. your body is more likely to burn existing fat stores with this lowerintensity exercise than it is when you’re running at a higher tempo. For more fat burn, try swinging your arms to increase your calorie expenditure.

5 It helps fIght major dIseases Walking is just as effective as running for fighting diabetes and heart disease, according to us researchers. just one brisk 10-minute walk a day can reduce the risk of early death by 15%, while the stroke association found that just 30 minutes of brisk walking can help to prevent and control high blood pressure.

6 It’s a natural mood-booster When researchers asked people with depression to walk for 30 minutes, three times a week, for 16 weeks, they found it had similar mood-boosting effects to antidepressants.