That's why walking is so healthy

1. Walk for at least half an hour every day, no pill can beat that. It makes your heart and lungs stronger, your memory improves. And it is very good for your mood. Especially if you always walk with someone.

1. Walking is good for everything. Your heart, blood vessels, blood pressure, cholesterol, bones and muscles, weight and memory, they all improve. And don't forget: it improves your mood. And all this by simply walking for at least half an hour every day. Why is walking so healthy, and how healthy is it exactly? The American doctor Mike Evans collected all the research on these questions and made an engaging video of it that you can find on YouTube (go to YouTube and search for 'Dr. Mike Evans' and '23 and ½ hours'). His conclusion: daily walking provides a drastic improvement in health.

2. Walking is good for everything. Your heart, blood vessels, blood pressure, cholesterol, bones and muscles, weight and memory, they all improve. And don't forget: it improves your mood. And all this by simply walking for at least half an hour every day. Why is walking so healthy, and how healthy is it exactly? The American physician Mike Evans collected all the research on these questions and made an engaging video of it that you can find on YouTube (go to YouTube and search for 'Dr. Mike Evans' and '23 and ½ hours'). His conclusion: taking daily walks dramatically improves health.

Assembly step by step

1. Anyone who is not in such best condition would do well to gradually build up the walking rhythm. On the site of the Nederlandse Wandelsport Bond (Dutch Hiking Association) and wandeltraining.nl (click under 'schedules' on 'hiking beginners') you will find schedules and tips. In short, it comes down to walking briskly for more and more minutes and alternating that with two minutes of gentle walking. A training schedule prevents muscle pain and sore shins. Real injuries do not occur quickly, except for those who run untrained long tours. Walk upright and relaxed, at a pace that is easy to maintain. Do not make the steps too big, wrap your feet well and let your arms move smoothly. There is no need to swing your arms extra firmly. The condition of your lungs and heart improves especially with brisk walking. In addition, the heart rate increases to 170 beats per minute, minus your age. For example, for a 60-year-old that would be a heart rate of 110. Alternate faster walking with slow walking, for example, one minute fast and then another two minutes at your normal pace.

2. Anyone who is not in such good shape would do well to gradually build up the walking rhythm. On the site of the Nederlandse Wandelsport Bond (Dutch Hiking Association) and wandeltraining.nl (click under 'schedules' on 'hiking beginners') you will find schedules and tips. In short, it means that you keep walking briskly for more and more minutes and alternating that with two minutes of gentle walking. A training schedule prevents muscle pain and sore shins. Real injuries do not occur quickly, except for those who run long rides untrained. Walk upright and relaxed, at a pace that is easy to maintain. Do not make the steps too big, wrap your feet well and let your arms move smoothly. There is no need to swing your arms extra firmly. The condition of your lungs and heart improves especially with brisk walking. In addition, the heart rate increases to 170 beats per minute, minus your age. For example, for a 60-year-old that would be a heart rate of 110. Alternate faster walking with slow walking, for example, one minute fast and then another two minutes at your normal pace.

Rather walk long than short exercise

1. Hans Savelberg is associate professor of human movement sciences in Maastricht. He explains that sitting a lot is very unhealthy. Research showed that after just four days the concentration fats in the blood increase and the insulin sensitivity decreases. These are risk factors for high blood pressure and diabetes, respectively. In this study, the group that exercised intensively but briefly appeared to be healthier than the sedentary group. But things went even better with the group that wandered around quietly for five hours a day. A lot of walking is therefore healthier than short, intensive exercise. A

2. Hans Savelberg is associate professor of movement sciences in Maastricht. He explains that sitting a lot is very unhealthy. Research showed that after just four days the concentration fats in the blood increase and the insulin sensitivity decreases. These are risk factors for high blood pressure and diabetes, respectively. In this study, the group that exercised intensively but briefly appeared to be healthier than the sedentary group. But things went even better with the group that wandered around quietly for five hours a day. A lot of walking is therefore healthier than short, intensive exercise. A

Walking helps ...

1. ... for muscles and bones Walking strengthens the muscles and bones and therefore reduces the risk of osteoporosis (bone loss). By regularly exercising bones, they not only become stronger, those who walk a lot even build new bone mass. Walking is also good for cartilage, the elastic tissue between bones. Many elderly people notice that they feel pain when they turn their joints, for example when dancing. By moving little, the cartilage in the joints has become thinner. Walking helps build cartilage and therefore move more smoothly. ... for heart and blood vessels Walking for at least half an hour every day lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels in the blood. It also improves the condition of the heart and blood vessels. The risk of heart problems falls by 50 percent if people are active for one hour a week. ... for the lungs Walking a lot increases the lungs' ability to absorb oxygen. ... against diabetes Walking daily lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes by as much as 58 percent. ... for the brain In people who remain physically (and mentally) active all their lives, the risk of Alzheimer's is reduced by 20 to 50 percent. Walking is also healthy for those who already have dementia. Walkers are more cheerful and their memory functions better. ... against depression Walking works against stress and feelings of depression. Anxiety disorders decrease by almost half. ... for the night's rest Walking is also good for the biological clock, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep. The quality of sleep also improves. ... against obesity Walking briskly for an hour (5 kilometers per hour) costs about 240 kilocalories. If you walk for half an hour every day, you can lose a lot of weight: one kilo in two months and six kilos in a year. ... for the intestines Daily walking stimulates the metabolism and is good against intestinal blockage. ... against (certain types of) cancer A lot of walking reduces the risk of colon, breast and uterine cancer, for example. The survival rates of people with colon cancer double if they walk for an hour or more every day. This relationship has not (yet) been demonstrated for other types of cancer. Many of the health effects mentioned only occur if you walk every day for a longer period of time. But who starts today immediately feels more relaxed and gets a better mood. After a week you will notice that your condition is improving.