Walking benefits your health, but how much should you be walking every day?
Walking 10,000 steps per day has been shown to improve glucose levels and reduce blood pressure.
Walking 8,000 steps per day means you will reach the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendation of exercising for 150 minutes per week.
Most of us walk up to 4,000 steps per day on average. Increasing the number of steps you take is always good for you and your body.
Walk it out
Before starting that latest exercise trend, look to walking to build heart health and stay healthy. Research from the American Heart Association found that walking lowered the risk of:
• coronary heart disease by 9.3 percent
• diabetes by more than 12 percent
• high blood pressure by more than 7 percent
• high cholesterol by 7 percent
When the same energy was used for moderate intensity walking and vigorous intensity running, the health results were actually better in those who walked than in those who ran. The more people moved each week, the more the health benefits increased.
Before changing your exercise routine, talk with your doctor. Depending on your individual needs, your doctor may suggest a specific plan for ramping up to 8,000 or more steps a day. Most people can start by adding five to 10 minutes of walking into their daily routine. Park farther away from the entrance to the grocery store, or spend an extra 10 minutes after work walking outside.
It is always a good idea to discuss your fitness plans with your doctor and ask for their advice. If you don’t have a physician, Tennova Medical Group is here to help. Both of our family practice locations are accepting new patients. Give us a call at 931-502-3800 or visit TennovaMedicalGroup.com. Ask about our same- and next-day appointments. Patients of all ages welcome!
This publication in no way seeks to diagnose or treat illness or to serve as a substitute for professional medical care.