20-minute daily walk boosts immunity – study

12 / 05 / 2020

By Marwa Nassar - -

Harvard University researchers found out that a 20-minute walk on daily basis can help boost people’s immunity and protect them during cold and flu season.

A study of over 1,000 men and women found that those who walked at least 20 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week, had 43% fewer sick days than those who exercised once a week or less. And if they did get sick, it was for a shorter duration, and their symptoms were milder.

The Harvard University study had detected many benefits for walks away from the well-known boon of walking which is easing joint pains.

Several studies have found that walking reduces arthritis-related pain, and that walking five to six miles a week can even prevent arthritis from forming in the first place. Walking protects the joints — especially the knees and hips, which are most susceptible to osteoarthritis — by lubricating them and strengthening the muscles that support them.

The researchers found that this simple habit has far more benefits.

Harvard researchers discovered that walking can also counteract the effect of weight-promoting genes.

The researchers found out that these genes are cut to the half if people walk briskly for about one hour per day.

The study looked at 32 obesity-promoting genes in over 12,000 people to determine how much these genes actually contribute to body weight.

The benefits of walking went farther than this to the extent that it was found out that walking can even reduce the risk of developing breast cancer.

Researchers already know that any kind of physical activity blunts the risk of breast cancer. But an American Cancer Society study that zeroed in on walking found that women who walked seven or more hours a week had a 14% lower risk of breast cancer than those who walked three hours or fewer per week. And walking provided this protection even for the women with breast cancer risk factors, such as being overweight or using supplemental hormones.

More surprisingly, a pair of studies from the University of Exeter found that a 15-minute walk can curb cravings for chocolate and even reduce the amount of chocolate you eat in stressful situations. And the latest research confirms that walking can reduce cravings and intake of a variety of sugary snacks.