(Newswire.net — April 16, 2017) — You probably heard the saying that 10,000 steps is enough to keep your body fit, but here is what this exercise actually does to your body:
First popularized by Japanese pedometers in the 1960s under the name “manpo-kei,” which means “10,000 steps meter”, walking is found to be even better than running because there is no aggressive knee pressure involved that may cause injures.
The beneficial impact of walking on overall health and stamina is undisputable. Physician and Chief Wellness Officer at the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Michael Roizen, claims that simple walking combined with other healthy habits and nutrition is a sufficient amount of daily exercise that your body needs.
According to Dr. Roizen, the author of “Age Proof: Living longer without running out of money or breaking a hip”, walking can lead to a decrease in chronic illnesses such as diabetes, metabolic syndromes and heart disease. It also saves money we would otherwise spend on healthcare.
Cited by USA Today, Roizen calculated that if every American walked 10,000 steps a day, it would “probably decrease healthcare budget by $500 billion a year.”
However, the Centers for Disease and Control (CDC), the leading national public health institute of the United States, recommends 30 minutes of moderate activity every day, coupled with two or more days of muscle-strengthening activity. According to Neil Johannsen, assistant Professor in the School of Kinesiology at Louisiana State University, 30 minutes of daily activity is equivalent to around 7,500 steps.
“So, taking that standpoint, 10,000 steps represent that highest level in most adults,” Johannsen said, USA Today reports. But that doesn’t mean that you need to jump right out of the chair and not rest until you reach 10,000 steps. The process should start gradually from several thousand steps. Once you feel like it, you may increase the amount of steps, and in order to keep track of your progress, you should buy a pedometer or install an app that will transform your smartphone into one.
“It’s that do more than what is recommended and you will see further benefits to your health,” Dr. Roizen said. He highlighted a study in Scotland that found that postal workers in Glasgow who walked 15,000 steps a day had fewer heart disease risk factors than their colleagues who sat behind their desks throughout the day.
Whether you are walking 8,000 or 13,000 steps a day, the point is to get you moving, Dr. Roizen concludes.