We are all aware of the considerable health benefits of exercising regularly. However exercise does not have to be intense to make a difference to your health. Numerous studies have shown that brisk walking can be just as effective as other cardiovascular activities. The most important thing to remember is to make it a brisk walk though!
Firstly, what is a Brisk Walk? The easiest way to know is – can you sing out loud!
If you are doing a brisk walk, you should be able to talk but not be able to sing. Another thing to check for is are you arms really moving from side to side – they should be if you are brisk walking – if you concentrate on pumping your arms, your walk will automatically become brisk. A final check is to stop after 10 minutes and put your hand on your heart. If you can feel your heart pumping at a moderately fast rate, then congratulations – you are brisk walking!
So now we know what brisk walking is, what are the health benefits? Researchers at the University of Cambridge looked at more than 196 peer-reviewed studies, covering over 30 million people. It concluded that just 11 minutes of brisk walking a day, significantly lowers a persons risk of experiencing a cardiac episode but if you do a 30 minute brisk 5 days a week, you will experience the same health benefits as other, more high intensity exercises.
During a brisk walk, your heart beats faster to pump more oxygen rich blood to your muscles. This strengthens the heart, improves circulation and helps keep your blood vessels healthy. The faster pace also supports better circulation and metabolism and in particular, helps your heart work more efficiently, which can lead to a reduction in blood pressure over time. Furthermore, it also helps increase the level of good cholesterol (HDL) while lowering bad cholesterol (LDL) So from a Cardiovascular point of view, brisk walking can be a complete game changer. However, the benefits of brisk walking are not just limited to the heart.
Exercise plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy immune system. Research has shown that people who exercise regularly, are much less likely to experience upper respiratory symptoms such as couching, sore throat, or runny nose. A simple example of this is a study that showed adults are 26% less likely to have the common cold, if they brisk walk five times a week. Exercise stimulates the production of white blood cells in your blood, which are your body’s natural defence against germs and diseases – by brisk walking, you are giving your immune system a boost!
Brisk walking is a fantastic way to boost your mood. It increases blood flow to the brain, which has a really positive influence on your Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal (HPA) Axis, which is your central nervous response system. Your HPA Axis is responsible for your stress response, so within five minutes of starting to exercise, your HPA will reduce stress responders, therefore making you feel calmer and less stressed. Furthermore, the brain requires a constant supply of oxygen to function effectively and increased blood flow during a brisk walk, will accelerate this process, with studies showing that this can lead to the growth of new brain cells. Studies have also shown that a persons brain becomes extremely stimulated by the environmental factors encountered when walking – the constantly changing sights, sounds and smells mean that the brain produces hormones and neurotransmitters as a result of this stimulation. This is vital for maintaining neurological health and has shown to be associated with lower risk of Dementia and Alzheimer’s.
A final top tip to ensure that you get the most from your brisk walk, is to try and make sure you include hills (preferably some steep ones) in your route. As soon as you hit a hill or incline, tell yourself that instead of taking it easy, so need to increase the intensity to get up the hill. Get those arms really pumping and power your way up the hill, with no stops or reduction in speed. This will really get your heart working hard and maximize the cardiovascular benefit.
So there you have it! Brisk Walking is the activity that we can all do to supercharge our health and increase our life expectancy but just remember it has to be a brisk walk to really get the benefits. If you are not sure – just try and sing!
