Walking is an activity that is easy to practice, alone or with others and that costs nothing. In addition to these advantages, it also brings many health benefits, from the first steps.
Walking, an activity that acts on the body from the first minute
Step remains one of the most beneficial activities for our health, especially when practiced regularly. Dr. Manan Vora, orthopedist and specialist in sports medicine in Mumbai, reports his benefits in a video posted on Instagram.
The doctor details how every minute of walking triggers a beneficial reaction in our body.
What are its effects, from the first minute and up to an hour of practice?
From the first minute of walking, blood circulation accelerates. Result: muscles and organs receive more oxygen and nutrients. A small impulse that already changes a lot.
After five minutes, the famous endorphins appear. These well-being hormones provide a feeling of calm and almost immediate good humor.
Around ten minutes of walking, it is the rate of cortisol, hormone of stress, which begins to drop. The body enters relaxation mode. A boon that those who suffer from tense days are to benefit from work or who struggle to mentally win their professional constraints. Just go down one or two bus or metro stations before yours, for example, coming back from work.
At fifteen minutes, a new effect manifests. This is the regulation of blood sugar. For people prone to glycemic peaks or with type 2 diabetes, walking therefore represents a simple way to adjust this biological parameter. Just after a meal, walking can limit the too brutal increases in blood sugar.
From 30 minutes, walking transforms metabolism. Our body activates fat combustion. He begins to draw on his reserves, which can promote weight loss, especially when she integrates into a regular routine.
By pushing the effort up to 45 minutes, there is a notable drop in mental agitation. “”Calm literally walks the brain“, Underlines Dr. Vora. Parasitic thoughts are moving away, anxiety decreases, ideas are clarified.
Finally, after an hour, dopamine enters the scene. This neurotransmitter, associated with motivation and pleasure, offers a revival of mental energy.
Walking, a real global health indicator
For his part, Dr. Gérald Kierzek, an emergency doctor, also insists on the revealing role of walking in the general health. “”The way a person works gives a lot of information on their general state of health“He explains. A fluid, rhythmic approach, is often the sign of a well-trained body and a good physiological balance.
“”People who maintain good walking speed tend to live longer and healthier“He continues.
Conversely, a gradual decrease in the rate of walking – even without other symptoms – may indicate emerging neurological, cardiovascular or metabolic disorders.
To monitor your own rhythm, or that of a loved one, then becomes a simple prevention reflex. Both to assess your health but also to continue to benefit from the benefits of walking, whether in 10 minutes or in an hour.