Walking is a powerful tool for both our physical and mental health ― perhaps even more powerful than we think. According to a 2017 Harvard Health special report, walking an estimated 21 minutes a day can reduce your risk of heart disease by 30%. The report also suggests that walking has been “shown to reduce the risk of diabetes and cancer, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and keep you mentally sharp.”
In other words, walking offers significant health benefits, along with being a free workout that doesn’t require any equipment or much planning.
“Walking consistently is a great form of exercise that reduces cardiovascular mortality… and often correlates to other healthy habits and behaviors,” said Dr. Tamanna Singh, co-director of the sports cardiology center at Cleveland Clinic. While walking doesn’t exert the same energy as spin classes or interval runs, it’s just as valuable and can help people of all ages and health backgrounds improve their health outcomes.
“Anyone can benefit from walking,” Singh added. Whether you’re at low cardiovascular risk or dealing with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, or obesity, walking can help you reach your health goals and prevent future strokes or heart attacks.
In fact, walking is so beneficial that the Harvard Health report stated, “the next time you have a medical check-up, don’t be surprised if your doctor hands you a prescription to walk.”