Fit and Function

Reduce Health Risks - Sart Walking!

Walking is one of the best ways to stay fit, healthy, and reduce stress

• "Walkers have an overall lower incidence of cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other killer diseases." - Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, GA
  
  To have any impact on reducing your risk for heart disease and high blood pressure, you should walk at least a half hour a day or 3 hours per week. Walking 7 hours a week has been show to yield a decreased risk of breast cancer and Type II diabetes. For this reason, it is recommend that you build up to walking an hour a day, most days of the week.
  
• Walking can reduce breast cancer. A 20-year long Nurse's Health Study, conducted at Brigham & Women’s Hospital, has shown significant decreases in occurrence of breast cancer and Type II diabetes in women who engaged in "brisk" walking or other vigorous exercise for seven hours a week, and as little as three hours a week for heart disease reduction.
  
• Walking promotes weight loss. Walking is one of the easiest ways to add exercise to your weight loss program. Walking at a moderate pace for 30-60 minutes burns stored fat and can build muscle to speed up your metabolism. Walk as many days a week as you can, even if some days you must decrease your time, in order to build your new healthy habit. Work on increasing the time you walk, before trying to increase the speed.
  
• Walking can slow the aging process. The most active people show a slowing of cell changes associated with aging. The cell changes in those who exercised regularly appeared the same as sedentary people who were 10 years younger! This adds to the growing body of evidence that regular physical exercise cuts risks for aging-related illnesses such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Adults who are physically active in their 50s and early 60s are about 35 percent less likely to die in the next eight years than those who are sedentary. For anyone with a heart risk because of diabetes, high blood pressure or smoking, the reduction is 45 percent. (Archives of Internal Medicine, 1/28/2008)
• Walking can reduce the incidence and severity of colds. Studies show that men and women who walk briskly for 45 minutes a day, 5 days a week, experience half as many colds as those who do not exercise. The walkers also showed an increase immune system cells that attack bacteria and viruses.
• Walking can prevent glaucoma. Dr. Michael Passo of Oregon Health Sciences University has found that starting a walking program lowed the intraocular pressure of 40 sedentary individuals, which decreased their risk of glaucoma. He also found that exercise can lower the pressure for those who already have glaucoma. (Glaucoma Research Foundation)

Your shoes are your most important walking tool

Your feet are unique. Regardless of the style, a well fitting shoe should give you support, flexibility, cushioning, and compensate for any stride irregularities you may have. Be sure to ask your sales associate for a brand and style that is suited to your physique, fitness and goals. Read "If the Shoe Fits" to find out if you pronate or supinate and if you may need lateral stability or arch support.

Choose Shoes that Fit. Athletic shoes should leave enough room for your feet to expand during exercise, so you may need to size up from your normal shoe size. This is especially true if you plan to replace the insoles with orthotics. Also, make sure to wear the same weight sock that you wear for exercise when trying on new shoes. Read "Top Ten Tips for Ensuring Proper Fit" for the top 10 guidelines for selecting shoes that are right for your feet.

Remember, shoes that are used everyday won’t last forever. To avoid problems and possible injury, replace your athletic shoes at least twice a year.