10,000 Steps to Better Health
Do you have any idea how many steps you take each day? Could you even guess? Several studies conducted in both Japan and the United States have determined that you should walk 10,000 steps a day. That’s about five miles (8 km).
Estimates indicate that roughly half of adults are overweight; of that, about half of those are obese. And the number of children falling into the “overweight” category tripled between 1980 and 2000. Does it come as any surprise that the major cause of weight gain is lack of exercise? Did you know that walking is one of the least expensive and most effective ways to lose weight? And walking doesn’t require any fancy equipment or a pricey health club membership either. Walking moderately for just 30 minutes each day can produce measurable results.
Daily walks decrease cardiovascular disease and hypertension, improve sleep quality and duration, fight depression, and lower cholesterol. Walking also improves muscle strength and builds bone mass.
One effective way to keep track of your steps is to invest in a pedometer. Clip this inexpensive device onto your belt or waistband to provide feedback on the number of steps taken and associated calories burned. It can help you to “step it up” when you fail to meet the daily-recommended 10,000 steps!
We're interested in the lifestyle choices people make that affect their overall health and well-being. In fact these days, most of us will die from the effects of our lifestyle, not tuberculosis, small pox and other diseases that plagued previous generations. We encourage walking as part of the chiropractic lifestyle along with routine chiropractic care, sound nutritional choices and other choices you make to protect your health and improve the quality of your life.
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