5 Diseases That You Will Get Rid Of If You Walk Every Day

It is considered the perfect exercise, while according to Harvard University researchers there are five health benefits of walking that few know.

It is the movement we make almost from the first year of our life and it is a "miracle cure" for our health. Walking, according to experts from Harvard Medical School, is probably the most perfect exercise to help with weight loss, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, boost memory and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and more.

But all this is already known, so let's look at five benefits that walking offers that are likely to surprise you:

1) Treats the genes that cause weight gain. Harvard researchers looked at 32 genes that cause obesity in more than 12,000 people to determine how many of these genes play a role in body weight. They then found that among participants who walked briskly for about an hour a day, the effects of these genes were reduced by 50%.

2) Studies from the University of Exeter have shown that walking for 15 minutes can reduce the desire for chocolate and reduce the amount of chocolate we eat when we are under pressure. Recent research has even confirmed that walking can reduce the desire to eat several sweet snacks.

3) Reduces the risk of developing breast cancer. Researchers already knew that any physical activity reduced the risk of breast cancer, but a study by the American Cancer Society found that women who walked seven hours a week had a 14% lower risk of breast cancer than women who walked, three or fewer hours a week.

4) Reduces joint pain. Several studies have found that walking reduces joint pain. It is estimated that walking about eight miles a week can protect against arthritis. Walking protects the joints, especially the knees and hips that are most prone to osteoarthritis, ensuring joint function and strengthening the muscles that support them.

5) Strengthens the function of the immune system. Walking can shield the body's defenses against the invasion of respiratory viruses, according to a study of 1,000 men and women who walked at least 20 minutes a day at least five times a week. Participants had 43% fewer days of illness compared to those who exercised once a week or less, while the duration of their illness lasted less and the symptoms of colds and flu were milder.