All the benefits of walking

There is no more natural and effective exercise. To walk It can be done anytime, any time of year, anywhere. And you don't have to become a runner to enjoy all the important benefits of walking. Those steps, simply put, prolong life and ward off many health threats.

BENEFITS OF WALKING

Walk, walk, walkOr, more simply, walking, which better conveys the idea of ​​freedom of thought and movement as well as a precious and very simple physical exercise. Many researchers maintain that using all our energies in the attempt to conceive a new idea It's not the best way to have the so-called "flash of genius." On a subconscious level our brain tends to stifle creative thinking which is instead free to express itself when the body is busy with other activities because, only at that moment, the "hyper-rational" defenses are lowered. So it cannot be a coincidence that Friedrich Nietzsche he was convinced that "all the greatest reflections are conceived while walking”. And the stimulation of creativity is just the latest point in the long list of benefits that walking brings, which is useful also to grow in height. From the heart to the liver, to the circulation and the joints of the arms and legs. Let's take advantage of any moment, even the most banal (like going to the newspaper shop on Sunday), to reap the benefits of a pleasant walk.

ALSO READ: Diabetes and hypertension risks plummet when walking

WHY WALKING IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH

There are several scientific studies that demonstrate how important walking is for people's health and longevity. Walking well and often is one of them. The first comes from America and demonstrates how Walking, without running, significantly increases creativity and the clarity of our thoughts. More steps, more ideas. A recent study by the School of Education of Stanford University, published in Journal of Experimental Psychology, in fact, highlights the relationship between walking and the activity of our brain.

WALKING INCREASE CREATIVITY

In practice: of the approximately 200 volunteers examined by the Stanford researchers, those who responded while they were on the way had an average of 60 percent more creative responses than those who sat down.From a cognitive standpoint, we believe that exercise, by relaxing the control of the prefrontal cortex, can improve the activity of so-called associative memory. Hence the increase in creativity.”, explains Professor Daniel Schwartz, coordinator of the study.

ALSO READ: The Camino de Santiago de Compostela: Everything you need to know if you want to walk it

BENEFITS OF WALKING

The second novelty is the publication of a delightful little book, written by Honoré de Balzac and entitled Theory of walking (Elliot Editions). The great novelist, who found inspiration precisely through walking, in this short psychological essay explores the deeper meaning of walking. And its usefulness for free inspiration and for heightening creativity. A Stanford professor today and a great writer in the nineteenth century say essentially the same thing: Walking helps us think. Effectively..

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF WALKING?

To walk regularly, and without excessive effort, for about thirty minutes a day It is used for a series of things that actually extend life.

• The probability of dying from causes cardiovascular or for cancer it reduces by up to 50-70 percent.
• On average, runners live three years longer than non-runners. But running is not suitable for obese people, those with weight problems, or those with arthrosis, to patients with respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. For them, walking is more than enough.
• Walking reduces blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, and has a positive effect on heart rate.
• The walking movement promotes intestinal transit, and is therefore highly recommended for those who suffer from constipation.
• Walking regularly means burning calories, and this can only have positive effects on your weight.
• According to Gianfranco Beltrami, a member of the board of directors of the Italian Federation of Sports Medicine (FMSI), "giving it all once a week, on Saturday or Sunday, makes no sense, as walking, to be effective, must be done every day."

ALSO READ: Risks of a sedentary lifestyle: it damages the heart and brain. Don't sit at your desk for too long.

WALKING AND HEART ATTACK RISK

WALKING: PREVENTION

Science is proving to us, more and more every day, how beneficial walking is. For everything. A study from the University of Queensland, Australia, has published a sort of summary of the benefits of walking. It's truly impressive. The risk of heart attacks and strokes is reduced ictus (here the required dose is 2-4 hours of brisk walking per week), as well as the incidence of tumors, with particular effects on breast cancer. Osteoporosis is prevented, endorphins are released and with this, anxiety is reduced. anxiety and stress, blood pressure stabilizes. It decreases the mortality rate of diabetics and the possibility of developing headaches. back lumbar. The brain works better, as does short-term memory, and themood makes a positive leap forward.

HOW MUCH SHOULD WE WALK PER DAY?

But how far do we have to walk? The ideal would be to be able to become famous ten thousand steps a day, recommended by countless health guidelines. The minimum, to ensure the benefits indicated by Australian researchers, is a thirty-minute walk three to five times a week. In any case, know this: the more you walk, the better you feel.

TO LEARN MORE: Climbing the stairs helps you lose weight and helps your heart and lungs.

THE CORRECT POSTURE FOR WALKING

How to walk correctlyWhat should be your posture while walking? Some are essential:

• Keep your shoulders straight and stable, without letting them slide forward.
• Slightly contract your glutes to strengthen your muscles at the end of each step.
• Slightly bend the knee of the leg that remains behind
• Swing your arms naturally, with your elbows slightly bent
• Head straight and gaze forward, with alignment between the head and legs
• Always breathe deeply
• Finally, to walk correctly, it is important to drink plenty of water, wait at least 20 minutes after the meal and finish with a drink. stretching exercises. 

Sign up for our newsletter to stay up-to-date. Click here!

SIMPLE MOVEMENTS TO MAKE TO FEEL BETTER:

• Walking among the trees eliminates stress and keeps depression at bay.
• Walking barefoot: all the benefits and advantages for the health of the body and mind
• Walking together reduces the risk of stroke and depression. And it improves our mood.