Walking is the most natural exercise of all. It’s simple and safe – and its life enhancing benefits are all within walking distance.

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 It can be done without equipment (except good shoes), in most terrains and weather and even into very old age. There are 60,000 miles of blood vessels in the body, mostly capillaries- those minute vessels are responsible for irrigating the flesh. Only a few capillaries will open when a muscle is at rest; perhaps 50 times as many will open when the muscle is being exercised. Walking not only awakens dormant capillaries but also increases the number of these vessels that nourish and enrich the muscles with oxygen and nutrients, strengthening them. It also helps reduce blood pressure due to vasodilatation. 

If you cannot maintain a brisk pace for long, walk briskly for five minutes and then the same amount of time at an easier pace, and so on. Eventually make the quicker-paced intervals longer and the easier intervals shorter until you can sustain the quicker pace for most or all of your walk. If you can talk comfortably without getting breathless as you walk you are not walking briskly enough!

Walking is a great way to get fit, as long as you walk correctly and safely, wearing cushioned, comfortable shoes and on level ground. Benefits of walking include:

Brain – Just 2 hours of walking a week can reduce your risk of stroke by 30%.

Memory – 40 minutes of walking 3 times a week protects the brain region associated with planning and memory.

Mood – 30 minutes walking in a day can reduce symptoms of depression by 36%.

Health – Logging 3,500 steps a day lowers your risk of diabetes by 29%.

Heart – 30 to 60 minutes of walking on most days of the week drastically lowers your risk of heart disease.

Bones – 4 hours a week can reduce the risk of hip fractures by up to 43%.

Longevity – 75 minutes a week of brisk walking can add almost 2 years to your life.

Weight – A daily 1-hour walk can cut your risk of obesity in half.