Academician Zhang Boli has maintained this habit for 20 years: walking 7,000 steps a day is best!

Reviewer of this article: Chen Haixu, Deputy Director and Master Supervisor of the Second Medical Center of PLA General Hospital

As the saying goes, "Walk a little every day and live to be ninety-nine." Recently, Academician Zhang Boli also shared his 20-year walking habit.

Academician Zhang Boli has been walking 7,000 to 8,000 steps every day for 20 years

On January 1, Academician Zhang Boli said in an interview that for the sake of health, one thing he insists on doing is walking 7,000-8,000 steps every day, and he has maintained this habit for 20 years.

He pointed out that walking is the best exercise for the elderly. He suggested that the elderly should walk 6,000 to 7,000 steps a day. If they have time, they should walk a few more steps, walk faster, make their heart rate a little faster, and sweat a little, which is the best state.

Walking is the best medicine for longevity!

Life lies in movement, and exercising more is one of the most important behaviors to improve and maintain our physical health. A large number of studies have shown that any form of regular exercise is much better than sitting for a long time and can provide us with substantial health benefits, including reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.

1. Walking is a longevity drug

A research report published in the Mayo Clinic Journal in 2019 by the Leicester Biomedical Research Center in the UK revealed the relationship between brisk walking and life expectancy.

The study collected data on the walking habits and deaths of about 475,000 people, most of whom were over 50 years old. The study found that people who walk fast live longer than those who walk slowly, about 15 to 20 years longer.

2. Walking is an “anti-cancer drug”

A National Cancer Institute study published in 2016 found that adults who were the most active had an average 7% lower risk of cancer than those who were the least active.

People who exercise the most, walking briskly for more than an hour a day, have a 42% lower chance of developing esophageal cancer, a 27% lower chance of developing liver cancer, and a 23% lower chance of developing kidney cancer. Other diseases that have a 20% lower chance of developing include stomach cancer, endometrial cancer, and myeloid leukemia. Regular exercise can also reduce the chances of developing myeloma, colon cancer, head and neck cancer, rectal cancer, gallbladder cancer, and breast cancer by 10% to 20%, and reduce the chances of smokers developing lung cancer by 26%.

3. Walking is a blood pressure medicine

In August 2021, a study conducted by Peking University Third Hospital and published in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension found that after three months of brisk walking, most people's blood pressure dropped by about 2-3 mmHg.

According to researchers, for patients with hypertension, brisk walking 4,000 to 8,000 steps a day can achieve ideal results in lowering high blood pressure.

4. Walking is a "blood sugar lowering drug"

Li Qingwen, a postgraduate tutor at the School of Health and Sports Sciences of Tianjin Institute of Physical Education, said that walking is also beneficial for diabetes. Exercise is one of the "five carriages" for diabetes treatment. Some people compare brisk walking to a "walking pill" that has a blood sugar-lowering effect. When the body's blood sugar rises, it needs to rely on insulin to lower blood sugar. Exercise can increase insulin sensitivity, improve skeletal muscle function, and prevent and treat diabetes complications.

5. Walking is a laxative

Li Qingwen said that the current popular way of "walking" is to twist your waist and hips while walking. This method can promote defecation, effectively relieve constipation, and has a certain effect on the prevention of rectal cancer.

Especially for people with a "fat belly" on their abdomen, twisting can consume more energy because the lateral muscles are used more.

6. Walking is a bone health supplement

Zhang Hui, a national second-level public nutritionist, said that insufficient calcium intake can lead to calcium deficiency, but few people know that too little exercise can also easily lead to calcium deficiency. Studies have shown that weight-bearing exercises such as walking and running have a higher rate of bone calcium deposition than non-weight-bearing exercises such as swimming.

Zhang Hui suggested that in order to prevent osteoporosis in middle-aged and elderly people, in addition to drinking more milk, we should also develop a good habit of exercise. Compared with bottles of calcium supplements, walking is an economical and convenient calcium-preserving exercise.

7. Walking is a "diet pill"

Walking is the easiest way to lose weight. In 2013, actor Chow Yun-fat lost 13 kilograms in 10 months for the filming of the movie "Casino Tycoon". When he talked about his secret to losing weight, he said it was "control your mouth and move your legs", insisting on eating only half a bowl of rice and walking for at least 1.5 hours a day.

He said that he has developed a habit of walking every day, and usually walks for at least an hour and a half, from his apartment to Tsim Sha Tsui and back, which is often 10 kilometers, so it is definitely a lot of exercise!

Pay attention to 4 points for healthy walking!

1. Pay attention to the number of steps you take when walking! 7,000 steps is best

In 2019, a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine by Harvard Medical School found that walking 7,500 steps a day is most beneficial for longevity for older adults.

The study pointed out that it is estimated that walking 7,500 steps per day is associated with a 60% lower risk of all-cause mortality compared with people who walk 2,700 steps per day. After 7,500 steps, there is little relationship between the risk of all-cause mortality and the number of steps.

Therefore, as Academician Zhang Boli said, it is recommended to walk 6,000-7,000 steps a day. If you have time and physical strength allows, you can walk more.

2. Pay attention to your walking posture! Keep your head up, chest out, and abdomen in.

Walking posture is also very important. An abnormal gait can easily have a counterproductive effect and be detrimental to health.

Wang Mei, a researcher at the Institute of Sports Science of the General Administration of Sport of China, reminded that when walking briskly, the body should be straight, the cervical spine and spine should be in a straight line, and the eyes should be looking straight ahead. Pay attention to relaxing the shoulders and do not maintain a single posture to avoid shoulder and neck discomfort. At the same time, when walking briskly, pay attention to contracting the lower abdomen, and then slowly stretch it with the frequency of exercise. The contraction and relaxation can well exercise the abdominal muscles.

3. Be careful where you walk! Parks and grasslands are best

Many people are used to walking along the roadside, but this may be a waste of time...

Professor Li Jing from the Sports Health Consultation Clinic of Nanjing Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine said that streets are places with serious air pollution, and vehicles coming and going will emit a lot of harmful gases such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, etc. During exercise, breathing will deepen and speed up. If the environment during exercise is relatively polluted, inhaling it will definitely be harmful to the body.

It is best to walk in a place with a better air environment, such as a park. In addition, plastic grass is more suitable for walking than asphalt roads, which can reduce the impact on the knee joints.

4. Pay attention to the length of your walk! 30 to 50 minutes is best

Every day, a person walks a few steps to the toilet, up and down the stairs, and in the office, which may add up to thousands of steps. But the best way to walk is not to walk in bits and pieces, but to stop and go.

You also need to ensure a certain amount of walking time, which can be more than 30 minutes to 50 minutes. In addition, you need to ensure that the cumulative walking time per week is more than 150 minutes, which will be beneficial to your health.

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Source: Health Times (ID: jksb2013)

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