Once again, we will try to answer that age old question of which is better: walking or running?
When it comes to lowering your risk of heart disease, the American Heart Association says that walking and running are equally good.
Researchers reviewed the health of about 48,000 runners and walkers who were in their 40s and 50s.
And they found that brisk walking lowers the risk for diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure just as much as running.
The drawback of walking is that it does take longer to go the same distance. For example you’d have to walk for half an hour to burn as many calories as you would in a 15 minute jog.
However, walking is easier for many people. There is less wear and tear on the joints and less likelihood of injury.
You could always mix it up a bit by adding some short sprints into your walk. That’s known as interval training which they didn’t look at in this study. But other research has shown it has some significant health benefits on its own in addition to shortening the time needed exercising.
If you’re thinking of starting an exercise routine, do get the OK from your doctor first.
This is Joan Trimble wishing you wellness.