How to live longer: Brisk walking can reduce risk of early death – how fast to walk
Loose Women: Dr Hilary discusses how to live longer
The health benefits associated with regular exercise are fairly established but research continues to build on our foundational knowledge. Encouragingly, even straight-forward, relatively low-intensity exercise yields considerable benefit. Namely, walking has been associated with a host of health benefits that can contribute to longevity.
Evidence suggests that walking at a faster pace could extend your life.
Researchers found that walking at an average pace compared to a slow pace resulted in a 20 percent reduced risk of overall death.
For optimal benefits, the findings suggest you should up your walking pace.
Walking at a brisk or fast pace (at least four miles per hour) reduced the risk by 24 percent.
We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.
To draw this conclusion, the study examined the association of walking at a faster pace with factors like overall causes of death, cardiovascular disease, and death from cancer.
Other health benefits associated with walking
Walking at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week can reduce your risk for coronary heart disease by about 19 percent, evidence suggests.
And your risk may reduce even more when you increase the duration or distance you walk per day.
Coronary heart disease belongs to a group of disorders called cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).
DON’T MISS
Covid new strain: Five emergency symptoms of COVID-19 that require immediate attention [INSIGHT]
Coronavirus new strain: Seven symptoms to watch out for this Christmas [ADVICE]
Can you take paracetamol and ibuprofen at the same time? What you need to know [TIPS]
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), CVD is the number one cause of death globally, taking an estimated 17.9 million lives each year.
Evidence suggests a post-meal stroll can help to lower your blood sugar levels.
This finding is significant because high blood sugar levels is a complication of type 2 diabetes – a precursor to cardiovascular disease.
A small study found that taking a 15-minute walk three times a day (after breakfast, lunch, and dinner) improved blood sugar levels more than taking a 45-minute walk at another point during the day.
What’s more, walking may boost your immune function, bolstering your defences against nasty viral infections.
One study tracked 1,000 adults during flu season.
Those who walked at a moderate pace for 30 to 45 minutes a day had 43 percent fewer sick days and fewer upper respiratory tract infections overall.
Their symptoms were also lessened if they did get sick. That was compared to adults in the study who were sedentary.
Key dietary tips
A regular exercise routine must be accompanied by a healthy diet to maximise the longevity benefits.
According to the NHS, a low-fat, high-fibre diet is recommended, which should include plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables (five portions a day) and whole grains.
“You should limit the amount of salt you eat to no more than six grams (0.2oz) a day as too much salt will increase your blood pressure,” warns the health body.
Six grams of salt is about one teaspoonful.
Source: Read Full Article
