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Benefits of Activity
Physical activity is simply moving yourself physically during the course of your every day activities. It may include exercise, and that’s great, but you don’t have to exercise to be physically active.
The 10,000 Steps Program is all about encouraging people to be physically active as part of their day-to-day life.
Why 10,000 Steps?
The ultimate goal of 10,000 Steps was chosen as a target for people who want to get health and well-being benefits out of walking. However, you can equally achive these goals by swimming, cycling, working in the yard, playing tennis, going to the gym or doing any other activity that raises you heart rate and gets you breathing a bit harder.
If you aren’t in a job that requires a lot of activity you will probably need to do a little extra activity to get you to the point that you can get some health benefits. You will need to set aside 30 minutes in any of the above activities to achieve gain. If you are a person who is currently not undertaking much physical activity, you will need to work up to this goal in a gradual manner.
Being inactive is now recognized as a huge risk factor.
The latest scientific facts are very clear.
Simply put, physical activity reduces the risk of death or ill health from many non-communicable diseases and conditions including:
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Colon and Breast Cancer
- Type II Diabetes
- Osteo-Arthritis and Osteoporosis
- The incidence of Falls in the elderly
- Obesity
- Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety.
Article provided courtesy of the 10,000 Steps Project
