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Can You Make Walking More Effective? Expert Shares Tips

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Can You Make Walking More Effective? Expert Shares Tips

Can You Make Walking More Effective? Expert Shares Tips (Image Credits: iStock)

Walking is one of the most effective and easily accessible exercises. Walking can be easily undertaken by most people, even by those who are suffering from neurological or orthopaedic problems. Regular walking not only enhances cardiovascular fitness but also plays a pivotal role in reducing the risk factors associated with various chronic diseases. It is an effective way to improve health and reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, dementia and cardiovascular diseases. Further, the benefits of walking go beyond physical health and have a significant impact on mental well-being as well. It has been linked to reduced stress levels, improved mood, and enhanced overall quality of life.

Walking helps in weight management, improving insulin sensitivity, and lowering blood pressure, which helps prevent obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. Further, some studies reveal that the health benefits of walking extend to cognitive health, and it can work as a catalyst in reducing the risk of dementia through increased blood flow to the brain and enhanced neural connections.

But can you make walking more effective? Dr Sudhir Kumar, MD, DM Neurology at Apollo Hospital Hyderabad took to X (formerly Twitter) where he has shared some means by which you can make walking more effective:

Vary Stride Length: Take shorter or longer steps while walking. For every 1 per cent increase in step length variability, there is a 0.7 per cent increase in the metabolic cost of walking.

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Walk Backwards: Walking backwards can be fun as well as healthy. Walking backwards activates different sets of muscles (hamstrings and calves) and strengthens them. Walking backwards also improves balance and coordination, reducing the risk of falls. It is also good for joint health.

Walk In Greenery: Walking in parks with greenery or in natural forests provides benefits beyond what is expected from the effect of exercise alone. Greenery improves mental & cognitive functions and boosts the immune system as well.

Walk Briskly (faster pace): Walking is beneficial; walking faster is more beneficial. Aim for a pace of 3 miles per hour (or faster) to derive greater benefits from walking.

Walk More: In general, the benefits increase as the total number of steps (walked) increases. If you are healthy and well-trained, there is no upper limit for walking. People who are just starting, or those with heart or joint diseases, need to be careful about the duration (and distance) of walking.

Walk After Meals: Short walks (5-10 minutes) after meals improve insulin sensitivity and help in sugar control and weight management.

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Take Walking Breaks During Office Hours: Prolonged sitting may be as dangerous to your health as smoking. As per research, doing five minutes of light walking for every 30 minutes of sitting can help offset the harm.

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Exercise Your Demons is a mixed reality fitness game from hell

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Exercise Your Demons is a mixed reality fitness game from hell

Image: Vyersoft

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Exercise your Demons is a new spin on fitness games where you get in shape by fighting demons from hell right in your room.

After you carelessly sign a contract with the Demonomicon, a portal to hell opens in your world and countless demons pour out. The only way to repel these uninvited guests is to fight them off with brute force.

Under the tutelage of demonic instructors Ash and Zephyr, you will learn the proper moves such as ducking, dodging and smashing in the “Infernal Gym” and at locations such as Poison Blossom Park and the Ultimate Demon Derby.

Coming in December for Meta Quest

Studio Vyersoft promises a story campaign where you unlock new levels and cosmetic items using Impcoins and Soulbars, and thanks to an online leaderboard you can compete with others and see your physical progress in the game.

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Exercise Your Demons will be released on December 12 in the Horizon Store. Meta Quest 3S, 3, 2 and Pro are supported. The price will be $20. The mixed reality game supports a range of languages.

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Even Adding a Few Extra Minutes of Exercise Daily Lowers Blood Pressure

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Even Adding a Few Extra Minutes of Exercise Daily Lowers Blood Pressure

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 13, 2024 (HealthDay News) — Small additional amounts of exercise each day are associated with lower blood pressure (BP) in a free-living setting, according to a study published online Nov. 6 in Circulation.

Joanna M. Blodgett, Ph.D., from University College London, and colleagues investigated associations between a 24-hour behavior composition composed of six parts (sleeping, sedentary behavior, standing, slow walking, fast walking, and combined exercise-like activity [e.g., running and cycling]) and systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP). The analysis included data from 14,761 participants in six cohorts of the Prospective Physical Activity, Sitting and Sleep consortium.

The researchers found that the average 24-hour composition consisted of sleeping (7.13 hours), sedentary behavior (10.7 hours), standing (3.2 hours), slow walking (1.6 hours), fast walking (1.1 hours), and exercise-like activity (16.0 minutes). Compared with other behaviors, more time spent exercising or sleeping was associated with lower BP. There were estimated reductions of –0.68 mm Hg SBP and –0.54 mm Hg DBP with an additional five minutes of exercise-like activity. Reallocating 20 to 27 minutes and 10 to 15 minutes of time in other behaviors into additional exercise was associated with clinically meaningful improvements in SBP and DBP, respectively. More time spent being sedentary was adversely associated with SBP and DBP, but there was minimal impact of standing or walking.

“If you want to change your blood pressure, putting more demand on the cardiovascular system through exercise will have the greatest effect,” Blodgett said in a statement.

One author holds equity in a company for products and services related to the study.

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NASA Astronaut Sunita Williams Refutes Health Concerns Amid ISS Mission

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NASA Astronaut Sunita Williams Refutes Health Concerns Amid ISS Mission

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams has recently addressed speculations surrounding her health condition while on the International Space Station (ISS), discarding recent claims made by media outlets regarding her wellbeing. In response to reports that suggested she appeared “gaunt” due to an extended stay on the ISS, Williams clarified her status during a video interview on November 12, explaining that her weight has remained unchanged since her arrival in orbit.

Routine Exercise and Physical Adaptations

Williams, who commands Expedition 72 aboard the ISS, responded to health concerns publicly, indicating that any changes in her physical appearance are the result of rigorous exercise routines rather than health deterioration. Like all astronauts on extended missions, she has been following an intense workout regimen designed to counteract the muscle and bone density loss commonly associated with prolonged microgravity exposure. Williams stated that her routine includes running on a treadmill, riding an exercise bike and lifting weights. It is a form of exercise that has led to increased muscle mass, particularly in her thighs and glutes, while her overall weight remains consistent.

NASA’s Statement on Crew Health

NASA had previously denied the reports, emphasising that Williams and her fellow crew members, including NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore, are in good health. Williams and Wilmore, who arrived at the ISS on June 6 aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule, were initially scheduled for a ten-day mission under the Crew Flight Test programme. Technical issues with Starliner’s thrusters led NASA to extend their stay on the ISS until early 2025, when they are expected to return with SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission astronauts.

Current ISS Crew Status

The current ISS team, led by Williams, includes three NASA astronauts and three Russian cosmonauts, all working collaboratively despite recent media scrutiny. Williams assured viewers that her health and morale remain robust as the crew carries out essential research and maintenance tasks on the orbiting laboratory showing NASA’s confidence in their well-being during extended missions.

 

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