We want our health to be in top condition. In winter it is extra important to take good care of yourself and see your health as a priority. We now know that we should eat healthily, sleep enough and exercise a lot. But there is a simple hack that falls under exercise that will immediately improve your health: walking!
Walking is healthy!
Whether you have a bloated stomach or just want to do more cardio, we cannot deny the benefits of walking. But walking a long distance is not the most important factor in experiencing health benefits. It’s mainly about the way. You only experience the health benefits of walking if you walk ‘normally’ to ‘fast’. So not when you’re strolling around the city. If you walk between 5 and 6 kilometers per hour, you are 39% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes or heart disease than if you walk slower (which means you are 24% less likely to develop these types of things). Any form of walking is of course better than no walking at all. If you already walk 15 minutes a day for 5 days a week, you will boost your immune system and, for example, prevent cravings for unhealthy food.
10,000 steps?
We always hear around us that we should take at least 10,000 steps a day. But recent research shows that you will already experience a lot of health benefits if you take between 2,600 and 2,800 steps per day. And if you take 7,000 steps a day, you already have a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Of course it’s good to reach 10,000 steps, but if you can’t do this, try to at least reach 2,800.
Other simple health hack
Not only walking is a miracle activity for your health. A short, intensive activity of between 20 and 25 minutes helps improve your lung function. And did you know that climbing stairs is also great for you? Walking up and down stairs 5 times a day (that’s about 50 steps) also has health benefits for your heart and lungs.
So: take those extra steps where possible and your body will thank you! If you want more insight into the number of steps you take, always take your phone with you or purchase a sports watch.
