From boosting your mood with endorphins to enhancing your muscle aaab to improving your oxygen consumption, the advantages of aerobic exercise are plentiful, especially in terms of maintaining a healthy heart. Heart disease holds the unfortunate title of being the primary cause of death among Americans, as per data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). On the positive side, walking emerges as one of the most effective methods to care for your heart.
Indeed, there are scarce more effective ways to promote your heart’s well-being than through the uncomplicated act of walking. According to Tom Frieden, MD, the former head of the CDC, it’s deemed as “the nearest thing to a miraculous remedy,” with no need for a doctor’s note.
So, how much walking is required to enjoy these advantages? A review conducted by Harvard Medical School, amalgamating various research findings on the matter, states that “engaging in 2.5 hours of walking a week—equating to just 21 minutes a day—can diminish your likelihood of heart problems by 30 percent.” In simpler terms, a 30-minute walk undertaken five times per week will bolster your heart’s resilience by a third in the long haul.
Cardiac specialist Dr. Brian Lima clarifies that the positive impacts on your heart involve “mitigating risk factors for heart disease such as high cholesterol, hypertension, obesity, and diabetes.” Essentially, your susceptibility to heart disease escalates when present conditions, which walking can aid in preventing, are prevalent. Therefore, by fortifying your heart, walking addresses the core issue, thus making you healthier and less vulnerable overall.
Additionally, cultivating a habit of walking is one of the simplest forms of exercise to embrace. You could stroll around your neighborhood or incorporate your local cafe into your morning routine, much like this editor who transformed her morning walks into her caffeine fix—and enjoyed significant benefits besides fortifying her heart. Alternatively, you could vary your routine by tackling hills and introducing intervals. Whichever route you choose, these walking shoes will help optimize your distance covered (and your heart).
