Walking Your Way To Health
Written by Dionne Tey
No time to exercise? Exercise is too expensive after fuel price increase? Then, just walk!
Walking is a form of simple & economical way to exercise as it has very minimum complications. To start walking you only need a pair of suitable and comfortable shoes and clothes. Research has proven that walking will benefit the general public as well as those who fall under the ’special population’ category. Most importantly, it can be done anywhere and anytime e.g. airport, home, gardens and many more places of your convenience.
In addition, walking is a type of cardiovascular exercise with low impact toward the exerciser. An exerciser with arthritis, osteoporosis, pregnant women and high blood pressure are encouraged to walk as it provides cardiovascular benefits without giving impact to the body. Research has shown that walking helps in reducing blood pressure, improving blood glucose levels, preventing obesity, and preventing coronary heart disease.
So how hard should we walk and how long should we walk? Based on American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) guidelines, we can achieve health benefits if we perform an accumulated 30 minutes of moderate
intensity physical activity most times of the week. Walking is a form of physical activity that can be performed to meet the guidelines.
Other studies also shown that we can reap health benefits by an average of 10000 walking steps per day. All you need to consider is your walking pattern and the floor surface. If you feel any discomfort and pain on your joints then you should reduce the intensity or stop the activity. You may apply ice to assist in recovery.
So, fit in walking into your lifestyle today! 
About the Author
Dionne earns a Bachelor of Sport Science Degree, majoring in Exercise Physiology, University of Malaya (Dean’s List) and also holds a 2nd Dan black belt in Tae Kwon Do. She has a pending American Council on Exercise (ACE) Personal Trainer Certification.
