1. Improves mood, energy, and sleep!
Just like any form of exercise, it helps improve your mood via a number of ways – increasing the release of happy chemicals (endorphins) within your body. This in turn can also reduce pain sensitivity, stress levels and mental wellbeing which can be very useful. To read more, the following CNN article is a great and easy resource:
By exercising you are increasing the amount of oxygen being pumped through the body which then increases the amount of energy you have!
2. Strengthens the Immune System
We all know exercise increases our heart rate and in turn increases the amount of blood pumping throughout our body. But our blood contains immune cells, so the more blood pumped throughout the body, the stronger our immune system is at identifying infections but also fighting them! Boom!
3. Assists with Weight Loss
No matter how many fad diets there are out there, it all comes down to one single principle – ‘calories in’ vs ‘calories out.’ So if you are walking you are increasing your ‘calories out,’ which helps increases your chance of losing weight!
4. Reduces the Risk of Cancer
Did you know that exercise actually reduces the risk of cancer? It sounds far-fetched but its actually true! And even the risk of relapse! It reduces the risk by helping control weight, reduces hormones which have been suggested to contribute to cancer growth and also strengthens the immune system! It can even boost your quality of life during cancer treatment!
- 42% risk reduction in oesophageal cancer
- 27% risk reduction in liver cancer
- 26% risk reduction in lung cancer
5. Improvements in Cognitive Health – Memory, Creativity and Focus
We explained in point 2 (immune system) that it increases blood flow throughout the whole body which then improves blood flow to the brain. Good blood and regular blood flow to the brain results in improvements of cognition – memory, creativity and focus!
6. Improving Joint Health (improving blood flow to joints, increasing healing and rejuvenation)
Movement is actually the best thing for our joints because movement results in rejuvenation of joint fluid which has good nutrients and healing cells. So the more you move the healthier and stronger your joints become! Walking specifically is very low load on our joints so this is where you get the benefits of both – low load and good joint fluid.
7. Reduces bone loss (maintains healthy bones)
There are two types of stress – good and healthy stress vs unhealthy stress. Walking is actually a healthy stress on our body because it results in more bone mass/density! Who doesn’t want stronger bones? This then reduces the risk of fractures and then means a happy and unrestrictive life!
We all know that exercise is so good for our bodies, but we may be too busy to do it regularly, but if you schedule in time in your diary (just like you would with a doctor’s appointment) then there’s no negotiating that. You’ll make time around that appointment to fit everything else in.
If you’re in pain then this is where we come in! We are able to assess everything very thoroughly and be able to achieve your goals so you don’t have to get rid of exercise. Don’t let pain or injury stop you! What are you waiting for?
