NOVEMBER 14, 2014 BY BUKOLA ADEBAYO
The 21st century comes with many technologies such as mobile phones, fast cars and, of course, the Internet that help majority of us to get things done without moving about.
Thanks to the Internet, many people can now work conveniently from home. This is the era of home delivery; you can shop for anything and everything online without lifting more than just your finger.
More people hold desk jobs that require that they should sit at the computer for at least eight hours a day. We don’t need a rocket scientist to tell us that people are not walking as much as they should these days.
Now, people think nothing of it when they suggest that one should drive instead of walking around the neighbourhood. Walking is now perceived as a stressful activity that one need not do if there is an alternative — that is a car.
Family physician, Dr. Femi Omolola, says even though today’s technologies were designed to make life easier for us, the comfort they bring comes with health implications.
Are you surprised? Yes, Omolola says that more people, especially those living in cities, are living sedentary lives that could predispose them to high blood pressure and other health conditions.
The physician notes that walking helps the circulation of blood and other fluids in the body, reducing unnecessary pressure on the blood vessels.
Omolola stresses that daily walk helps in building the muscles of the heart, which helps in lowering blood ¬pressure.
He recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week to stay healthy and beat conditions from obesity and diabetes to heart disease and cancer.
Omolola states, “The lifestyle of many people is such that they wake up, get in their car, sit in their offices, drive back home, sit to watch TV till they sleep.
“They are either sitting, driving or sleeping. There is no room for exercise when you have this routine.
“Walking for at least 30 minutes a day will keep diseases and doctors at bay, and that holds true whether you walk for 30 minutes at a time or break it up into 10 three-minute walks.
“As you walk, more blood is pumped in the blood vessels and other organs in the body. Food and other nutrients digest and circulate better when you are walking. It is just the way a car needs oil and fuel, the body needs exercise and good food. And 30-minute brisk walking is what anybody,
including those of us working in the office, can manage.”
Scientists note that people can dramatically improve their chances of living longer – even if they are only moderately taking a brisk 20-minute stroll a few times a week.
In a US study of men aged over 70 with high blood pressure, the fittest were half as likely to have died within a decade when compared to those who did not do any forms of exercise.
The lead author of the study, Dr. Charles Faselis, says the amount of activity needed to improve one’s health and lifestyles do not require trips to the gym.
“This level of fitness is achievable by most elderly individuals engaging in a brisk walk of 20 to 40 minutes, most days of the week.
“Walking does not just add years to life, but adds life to years.”
Faselis states that their findings support the notion that fitness has a positive impact on health, regardless of age or the presence of chronic illness.
British studies have confirmed the benefits of walking regularly, especially for adults.
The lead investigator of the research, Prof. Peter Elwood, from the School of Medicine at Cardiff University said, “In a 35-year study of 2,500 men, we have found that spending half an hour walking on most days is associated not just with a reduction in the risk of death, but also a reduction in cognitive decline and dementia.”
Walking is a form of exercise, and like the experts have said, exercise saves lives. Exercise does not only lower blood pressure; here are the other benefits of taking at least 1,000 steps a day which doctors say can be achieved by walking for just 30 minutes a day.
Repairs damage
If you go from sitting at your desk at work to sitting on your couch at home, a short walk could mean some big health benefits. An Indiana University study found that the muscle activity and blood flow from even three five-minute walks a day could reverse the damage caused to leg arteries from three hours of sitting. The lesson? If you’re sitting all day during work, take frequent breaks (at least once an hour) for a short stroll around the building.
Improves creativity
Waiting for inspiration to hit? Take a walk. Stanford researchers found that walking increases creativity levels during the walk and shortly after, producing twice as many creative responses as when you’re sitting. You get the benefits whether you’re walking outside or inside, so if it’s too chilly for a stroll, hit the treadmill or an indoor track.
Walking lowers stress
A University of Michigan study found that group nature walks lower stress, particularly in people who dealt with an emotionally traumatic event. Research at Heriot-Watt University even found that the brain enters a meditative state when going through green spaces — all the more reason to take a walk through the park after brunch with friends.
Walking boosts your immune system
A walk a day keeps the doctor away? Perhaps. A daily 30-45 minute walk at a brisk pace can boost the immune system and keep colds at bay, according to research from Appalachian State University. And not only do regular exercisers get sick less often, their colds are all shorter and less severe.
Interestingly, scientists say that walking can increase sperm count and help men achieve erection better.The researchers found that a brisk two-mile walk each day can reduce men’s risk of impotence, by improving blood flow throughout the body and the blood vessels around the groin.
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