Duration of walking that is safe for health daily
Dr.Kristina Volodina, Associate Professor at the Department of Sports Medicine
and Medical Rehabilitation of Sechenov Medical University, determined the safe
duration of walking for human health.
According to her
in addition to the duration of walking
it is also useful to maintain a specific walking pace.
She says:
"Ideally, you should walk for 45 minutes to achieve a certain health effect.
Walking at a set pace allows the pulse rate to be reached which restores blood
pressure
sugar and cholesterol levels to normal. The pace must be more regular," he said.
The doctor points out that the important thing is regular training.
Regularity is the basis of health, whether in nutrition or movement.
As for the opinion promoted by social media networks regarding walking 100,000
steps a day, it contradicts common sense, and bloggers seem to be promoting it
to attract attention and gain new subscribers.
She says:
"Since a person walks on average around 5km per hour, the calculation requires
almost 20 hours of movement. Of course, this goes against health and common
sense
because humans need time to sleep and eat, and they have a main job
so this orientation is more aimed at attracting attention," he said.
In addition
following this orientation is unsafe for health, because even a distance of
10,000 steps is not suitable for everyone.
According to her
if a person is overweight, walking 10,000 steps may overburden the ligamentous
capsular system and cause worsening pain in a joint - in the knee, hip
or lower back.
It is also important to diversify movement as much as possible
including
for example, practicing cardio on a bicycle, on an elliptical device, or swimming
and in general, you must maintain good physical fitness.
Learn about the benefits of walking "100 steps back"
Despite numerous studies that have proven the benefits of walking on general
health :
the goal of reaching 10,000 steps per day may seem a little difficult for many.
In order to benefit from walking without taking thousands of steps a day
Dr.Michael Mosley, host of the Just One Thing podcast, says that walking
backwards (reverse walking) instead of forward for just
a few minutes can have some amazing health benefits.
In the latest episode of his podcast, he noted that he follows this "weird" practice
(walking backwards), to help treat the "pricks" on his lower back and knees.
He explained that
"this is a technique that has been used in physiotherapy for decades to rehabilitate
lower leg injuries. And it can improve your gait and mobility
and there's an
amazing amount of good scientific studies that show how walking backwards
can strengthen your memory and problem-solving skills," he said.
Mosley described walking backwards as "a very ancient practice.
It is believed to have originated in China, where it remains popular to this day
he said.
He continued:
"In fact, the Chinese have a saying that '100 steps back equals 1,000 steps forward.
Walking 100 steps back has several benefits
including:
1. Burn more calories
- According to Mosley, a diet expert
- walking backwards consumes more energy
- about 30%, according to studies
so it helps the body burn a little more calories than walking forward.
He pointed to a study published by the International Journal of Sports Medicine
which found that healthy participants lost 2.5% of their body fat
by adding walking backwards to their exercise plan.
"Backward walking uses less active muscles while walking forward
such as the calf
as well as the quadriceps, the large muscle at the front of the thigh,"
Dr Mosley said.
2. Enhances short-term memory
Dr.Mosley said that reverse walking can also enhance short-term memory.
Mosley cited a study conducted by researchers from the University of Roehampton
in which they tested participants' memory for a video after asking them to walk
backwards :
forwards, or stand still, and found that those walking backwards
"consistently remembered more about the video than others.".
He explained that
"walking backwards activates different parts of the brain compared to walking
forward," which helps "mobilize brain resources," including the prefrontal cortex
which is involved in planning, decision-making, and memory.
3. Reduces back pain and improves balance
- Professor Janet Dufek of
- the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
- who was a guest on
the podcast
said that one of the main benefits of reverse walking is the "different use of
major muscle groups," which can help with back pain and flexibility.
Dr Mosley explained that the muscles at the back of the legs
the hamstrings, stretch when you walk backwards.
"Having this stretch allows for a greater range of motion and therefore
reduces pressure on the back," Dr Dufek added.
She indicated that
- she conducted a small study on athletes and found that 80% of
- them were able to relieve back pain through reverse walking.
- She said the practice could help "improve stability and balance.".
Dr.Dovic found that older adults who walked for 15 minutes five days a week
for four weeks, were able to improve their balance.
Dr.Dovic suggested starting the reverse walking experiment slowly and gradually
increasing the speed for a longer period of time, and recommended starting with
a minute or two, then adding another minute every two days.
The number of
walking steps required daily to combat depression
Experts recommend walking 10,000 steps a day to maintain good health.
But a pioneering scientific review revealed that the number required
may be much lower than that, when it comes to combating mental health.
It is widely known that exercise plays a vital role in improving mental health
and overall well-being. However, this is the first study to explore the benefits of
daily step counts and discover the link between steps and depression.
The scientists from Spain analysed 33
studies involving nearly 100,000participants.
- They found that 7,000 steps
- a day reduces the likelihood of
- depression by 31%.
"Our results showed a significant association between higher daily step counts
and fewer depressive symptoms, as well as a lower prevalence and risk of
depression in the general adult population," the scientists from the University of
Castile and La Mancha (Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha) wrote.
They added that encouraging people to walk at least 7,000 steps a day would
be a good public health initiative that "has the potential to prevent depression.".
How does walking help renew the body's cells?
Rehabilitation specialist Dr.Alexander Shishonin explained how walking helps
regenerate the body's cells, and its effect on increasing longevity.
According to him
in the bone marrow there are stem cells that develop into "specialized"
cells in the body - cartilage, bones, fat, etc., that is, they renew the heart, liver
kidneys
intestines and other organs, so failure of these cells to function well leads to
a deterioration in the condition of the body’s organs.
"Since most of the bone marrow is in the bones of the pelvis and legs
when we move our legs and walk, we improve the supply of oxygen
and nutrients to the bone marrow cells and enable them to multiply" he says.
The specialist points out that any distance a person walks reduces
the risk of chronic diseases.
According to him
walking is very beneficial especially after the age of 40. Regular walking helps
add physical activity, which improves metabolism and overall health.
For her part
Dr.Alexandra Miller
a psychologist, points out that walking is a form of meditation while moving
which helps reduce anxiety and enhance communication between the mind
and body because while walking, the person focuses on breathing and the
environment, and often indulges in states of meditation.
This allows the restoration of internal balance.
Study:
Walking one hour in nature reduces stress
- Living in cities can be stressful and often leads to stress
- but a new study has found that spending one hour in nature
- can bring about a significant change in mood and relieve stress.
For decades
researchers have found differences in mental health between those living in
rural and urban environments.According to studies, spending time in a natural
environment can be psychologically beneficial, reducing stress and negative
emotions.The neural underpinnings of
these effects of nature are still not well understood.
Studies have shown that the amygdala, a part of the brain involved in stress
processing, is less active during stress in people who live in rural
areas compared to those who live in cities.
In the new study
the researchers created a unique experiment to find out whether and how spending
time in nature directly reduces our responses to stress.They recruited about 60
volunteers and asked them to undergo an MRI scan.The researchers then tracked
their amygdala activity through several tests in order to measure their stress levels.
Everyone who hiked in the forest noticed a decrease in stress levels, while those
walking on the urban road did not notice any change in amygdala activity.
The study again
- emphasises the importance of urban design policies to create
- accessible green areas in cities in order to
- enhance people's mental health and overall well-being.
5 ways to make daily walking :
more beneficial for your physical and mental health
Walking is a simple physical activity, but it is effective in improving general health
as several studies have shown that it helps reduce the risk of diseases
such as heart disease, diabetes, strokes, and others.
Diversify your speed
In a four-month study, intermittent periods that included three minutes of
brisk walking followed by three minutes of moderate walking showed greater
improvements in blood sugar control and physical fitness in adults with type 2
diabetes :
compared to those who walked at a constant speed for the same period.the time.
Intermittent walking also reduced body fat and improved overall physical ability.
To apply this to your daily walk, try increasing your speed for a few minutes
then returning to your usual speed. Repeat this cycle throughout
your walk to increase your heart rate and burn more calories.
Walk fast
- Walking faster not only helps you reach your destination faster
- but it also provides greater health benefits, as a study of
- data from more than 50,000 people showed that
walking at a speed of no less than five kilometers per hour is linked to a reduced
risk of death from any cause, including a reduced risk of death.
The risk of death from heart disease and cancer is significant.
Studies have also shown that increasing walking speed can improve
heart health and help with weight management.
Add some weight
Carrying weight while walking can increase exercise intensity.
Using a backpack, for example, forces your muscles to work harder
which boosts strength and burns more calories.
If you want to try this, it is important to start at a light weight to avoid stress
or injury.
- It is preferable to start by carrying a backpack that represents about 5% of
- your body weight (for example, if you weigh about 80 kg, you can start
- by adding about 4 kg of weight to your bag).
You can then gradually gain weight over time. Make sure to distribute
the weight evenly, while maintaining good posture while walking.
Insert hills or stairs
Adding slopes to your walk can make a big difference, according to experts
as walking up or climbing stairs engages different muscle groups, especially in
the legs and buttocks, compared to walking on flat ground.
This not only increases strength, but also burns more calories because walking up
increases the intensity of the exercise without having to walk more quickly.
In addition
- walking downhill in return
- also helps improve muscle function
- and balance.
Practice mindful walking
Walking not only benefits your physical health
but it can also improve your mental health.
Mindful walking, or mindfulness, is one way to do this. This includes focusing on
your movements, breathing, and surrounding environment.
Research has shown that people who practiced mind walking regularly
for a month saw a decrease in stress levels, in addition to
improved mood and general mental health.
To experience mindful walking, start by focusing on the sensations of each step
the rhythm of your breathing, and the sights and sounds around you.
This not only enhances your mental health
but also makes your walking more enjoyable.