Just get out and walk more. And then walk a lot more. That’s some of the best health advice I can give you.

Humans’ ability to walk upright for long distances put us at the top of the food chain. Walking allowed us to take over the earth and become the apex species. Walking freed our hands so we could carry food, kids, and tools along the way. Walking allowed us to view the horizon and explore the unexplored territories of the world.

Our ancestors walked 6 to 15 miles a day. But most of us walk two miles or less on an average day. Our bodies are designed to walk a lot more than the 3,000 to 4,000 steps most of us take on an average day. And because we don’t walk like we are supposed to, our health suffers in a multitude of ways.

Walking is becoming the wonder drug of the 21^st century. It’s good for just about everything including, but not limited to, boosting your health, reducing your waistline, improving your chances of living longer, and giving your brain a much-needed rest. If things aren’t going your way, chances are all you really need is a nice long walk.

Many of us start walking for the fitness, but we keep walking for all the other benefits. Walking doesn’t cost a dime. And you don’t need any equipment: just step out your front door and start moving around the block, down the street, and maybe even through your local park.

Walking is Great for Your Brain

You might be tempted to listen to music or catch up on a podcast while you’re walking, but don’t. Listening to the sounds of the world around you is like meditation for your mind. When you walk, your brain works better. Creativity flows. Ideas appear. Solutions to problems you’ve been stuck on for days materialize. What walking does for your mind is spectacular:

• Walking on a regular basis can heal your brain and keep it healthy by promoting new connections between brain cells.
• Walking staves off the usual brain tissue withering that comes with age. It increases the volume of the hippocampus.
• Walking elevates levels of molecules that stimulate the growth of new neurons and transmits messages between them.

If you’re feeling down, walking can be even more beneficial. Just 75 minutes of walking a week lowers the risk of depression by 18 percent. One in nine cases of depression could be prevented if people just walked 90 minutes a week.

It Will Help You Live Longer

Dan Buettner, author of numerous books about the science of longevity and creator of the Netflix series Live to 100, has found that you can add at least three years to your life by shifting from being sedentary to walking twenty minutes a day.

Research published in Scientific America found that walking speed is also a great predictor of longevity.

If an 80-year-old can only walk one mile an hour, they have a 10 percent chance of living to 90. 

But if they can walk 3.5 miles an hour, they have an 84 percent chance of living to 90.

It Will Prevent Obesity

Going for a walk immediately after eating will slow down the digestion of your meal, lower your blood sugar, and increase your metabolism. For years we’ve been telling our clients the best time to go for a walk is right after a meal. But there’s more to the story.

Harvard researchers looked at 32 obesity-promoting genes in over 12,000 people who regularly watched four hours or more of TV a day. They found that the effects of those genes were cut in half in those who walked briskly for about an hour a day. Meaning that regular walking is a proven way to keep fat from your midsection.

It Will Keep You Well

Like we mentioned earlier, the average American gets in about 3,000 to 4,000 steps a day. A study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that a person’s chances of developing metabolic syndrome drop 10% for each additional 1,000 steps they take each day.

Regular walking also helps boost your natural immune function. According to Harvard Medical School, “A study of over 1,000 men and women found that those who walked at least 20 minutes a day, at least five 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.”

It Will Help Everything Work Better

Regular walks lubricate your joints to ease pain and can prevent arthritis from happening in the first place. Walking strengthens important muscles in your legs and hips. It helps keep your spine healthy and aligned. It helps your lymphatic system pump waste out of tissues. Walking improves every aspect of your life.

Make sure you take the time to get outside for a solid walk every single day. Ten minutes, twenty minutes, or even an hour—it’s all good. Start today. Do it the rest of the year. Even when it’s cold outside. Your life will be different in so many ways.

Stay Strong,

Bo Railey