Stay active to live better and move better

All it takes is an hour a day to live a better, more balanced and healthier life.

Researchers from Uppsala University in Sweden have found that an hour of moderate physical activity, or half an hour of more vigorous exercise a day, can reduce your chances of heart failure by up to 46%.By simply jogging or swimming for an hour a day, you can almost halve your chances of dying from heart failure.The researchers made the discovery after they looked at the lifestyles of 39,805 men and women, aged from 20 – 90, who didn’t have heart problems when the study began in 1997.  Their levels of activity were divided into light (such as casual walking), moderate (which included jogging and swimming), and heavy (which involved competitive sports).By doing some kind of exercise every day – even just walking or taking the stairs – you could make a big difference.But it doesn’t just have to be jogging. Walking is a ‘sport’ that all ages can enjoy and active walkers stay much healthier as they age.It’s for people of any age, can be done anytime and anywhere, and with minimal risk to injury if done correctly.  All you need are comfy walking shoes and sense of adventure!Walking is an activity that can easily be built into daily routines, whatever your age or level of fitness.  Just 30 minutes a day of a brisk walk can help you to maintain and improve your health – and it’s free!Walking strengthens your body and helps position the spine in the natural shape it was designed for – being upright. Research has also shown that walking can reduce the risk of heart disease and strokes, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and even relieve tension and stress.It can be challenging to break the habits that might currently be blocking you from making regular walking part of your lifestyle.  Begin at the beginning – start slowly and try to build a walking regime gradually.To get the best health benefits from walking, it needs to be of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (faster than a stroll) – one way to tell is that you’ll be able to talk, but not sing the words to your favourite song.The easiest way to walk more is to make walking a habit. Coax yourself into parking a bit further away from work or the train station, or get off the bus a block or two sooner than your stop.At Putney Chiro, we’re devoted to the promotion of health, wellbeing and restoring the body’s normal function and can help you  find the right strategy to achieve this is all aspects of your life. To find out more call us today on 020 8767 6718.