New study reveals simple act could stave off 2 leading causes of death among adults: ‘Doesn’t need to be complicated’
Erin Feiger – September21, 2023
A quick walk a day may keep an early death away.
A recent study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that as little as 75 minutes a week of moderately intense, non-occupational physical activity substantially lowers the risk of dying from certain types of cancer or heart disease, two of the leading causes of death among adults.
That’s just over an hour a week – and half the 150 minutes a week recommended by the CDC – of activity where your heart rate is 50% to 60% higher than when at rest.
You’ll know you’re at the right level of activity if you can speak while doing it but not sing, according to the CDC. So, while walking outside might make you feel like singing, in order to reap the health benefits of this walk, you’ll have to leave that to the birds.
This study is the largest ever done on this topic, pooling data from 196 articles and over 30 million participants from nearly 100 study groups, so the results are significant.
The Mayo Clinic agrees with its findings, stating that “physical activity doesn’t need to be complicated. Something as simple as a brisk daily walk can help you live a healthier life.”
This is good news for a large part of the population who find it difficult to carve out 30 minutes a day, five days a week, to commit to a strenuous workout.
Being able to walk in nature, or at least in a park or among trees, has added physical benefits, too.
An article by Lincoln Larson and Aaron Hipp of North Carolina State points out that “nature-based programs can even be prescribed by health care providers as part of alternative, cost-effective treatment plans.”
However, a brisk 10-minute walk among trees is likely not an option for over 80% of the population in the United States and over 50% of the world’s population who live in urban centers or urban heat islands.
Creating more green space and more walkable cities would not only allow more people to easily achieve this health benefit, but it would also reduce pollution caused by cars.
If a 10-minute walk isn’t an option for you, then find something that is, like dancing, biking, or swimming.
Russian soldiers who ran out of ammunition say they are being sent to ‘certain death’ in a video shared by a Ukrainian official
Rebecca Cohen – September 21, 2023
Russians attend military training.Arkady Budnitsky/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Russian soldiers who ran out of ammunition say they are being sent to ‘certain death’ in a video shared by a Ukrainian official
Russian soldiers say they are being sent to “certain death” in a video shared by Ukraine.
They say Russia asked a group of Russian artillerymen, who ran out of ammo, to fight on the front line.
They said they fled and left all of their weapons behind because they were not trained as infantry.
A group of Russian artillerymen said they were being forced to move to the front lines after running out of ammunition — despite lacking any training on how to fight at the front, according to a video shared by a Ukrainian official on Wednesday.
Artillerymen typically position themselves away from the front line, where they fire ranged weapons to support troops in front of them. Infantrymen are typically ground forces who engage in close-range combat using different types of weapons.
Anton Gerashchenko, an advisor in Ukraine’s internal affairs ministry, posted a video on X, formerly known as Twitter, in which the group of men claiming to be Russian soldiers say they are “servicemen in regiment number 1442” and are fighting in “the area of Klishchiivka.”
In the video, which includes subtitles written by Gerashchenko, the men say their infantry had been killed in battle, prompting Russia to try and reinforce the front line.
“We ran out of ammunition, so we got reassigned to infantry. We weren’t trained to be infantry. We were trained to be artillerymen. That’s it,” one of the men says in the video.
They said some soldiers were refusing the assignment and fleeing instead.
The men said that Russia was sending them to “certain death” by asking them to leave their positions as artillerymen to fight on the front lines. They added that others are fleeing, and some are “hanging themselves already” to get out of the new assignment.
“We’re not abandoning our duties, and we never have,” one man says in the video. “We’re just being sent to certain death. All of us. The unprepared.”
Expert issues warning over hidden danger of heating food in a microwave: ‘People certainly should care about it’
Sara Klimek – September 21, 2023
Most people don’t think twice about putting their leftovers in a Tupperware and popping the container in the microwave. However, the “microwave-safe” label on these containers may be misleading — potentially putting us at risk.
What’s happening?
For years, plastic companies used a chemical called Bisphenol A, or BPA, in a range of products, including shatter-proof windows, bottle tops, and baby bottles. Although the chemical makes these products more durable, it has come at the expense of human health, causing a range of complications, including congenital disabilities, infertility, and increased risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Tupperware phased out the use of BPA in its American and Canadian products in 2010, but that doesn’t mean people don’t still have pre-2010 containers around in their homes. They are durable, after all.
As consumers use their Tupperware and put it through the damage of cutting, dishwashing, and washing, they may remove some of the protective coating that prevents plasticizers and chemicals from leaching into their food — especially when food is heated in the container.
“Every single time that they’re used, they’re leaching small amounts of BPA out of them,” Laura Vandenberg, a professor of environmental health sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, told CNN. “Even the low levels of BPA that leach from consumer plastics, canned food linings or other consumer goods … have been shown to be associated with harm, and people certainly should care about it.”
“So we totally advocate that you transfer your food from a plastic container into a glass bowl and microwave it that way,” she further said.
Why is it important?
The number one way people come into contact with BPA is through food and food containers. Populations that are particularly at risk for complications from this endocrine disruptor are pregnant individuals and children.
This is because the BPA mimics estrogen, a sex hormone that also plays a role in muscle-building and fertility. Even small doses of estrogen via BPA can have numerous complications on development, fertility, and overall health and well-being.
What’s being done to protect consumers?
Consumers are urged to dispose of food containers once they notice any discoloration, which may indicate micro-holes or micro-tears in the plastic layer. Several consumer advocacy groups align with Vandenberg and also recommended heating food in inert containers like glass.
Plastics labeled with numbers three through seven or those with the “PC” (polycarbonate) labels are most likely to contain BPA.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more, waste less, and help yourself while helping the planet.
Water levels on the Mississippi River are plummeting for the second year in a row
Rachel Ramirez, Eric Zerkel and Brandon Miller – September 21, 2023
Water levels along the Mississippi River are plummeting for the second year in a row after this summer’s blistering heat and low rainfall triggered extreme drought across parts of the Central US.
The low water levels have made a unique rock formation in the Mississippi River, usually surrounded by water, accessible by foot, and the Army Corps of Engineers is increasing the size of a levee in Louisiana to prevent saltwater from surging into drinking water in New Orleans.
The drought comes as a critical harvest season approaches and farmers across the Midwest are concerned about water supply and barge deliveries. Officials and residents along the river worry about the widespread impacts another decline could bring.
Every water level gauge along a nearly 400-mile stretch of the Mississippi from the Ohio River to Jackson, Mississippi, is at or below the low-water threshold, according data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and US Geological Survey.
The same stretch of the river experienced record-low water levels last year in October, which brought major impacts on farming communities and barge traffic during the critical harvest period, where staple Midwestern crops including soybeans, corn and wheat are transported down the river.
“We’ve been teetering on drought, extreme drought since last fall,” said Colin Wellenkamp, the executive director of the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative, a network that includes mayors and experts along the Mississippi River.
“We get a little reprieve, and then it’s warm and dry,” Wellenkamp told CNN. “We really haven’t ever totally climbed out of the drought from last fall for the whole river yet.”
Exceptional drought – the worst category – has spread across parts of Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. This year has so far been the hottest on record for Louisiana and Mississippi, according to recent figures from NOAA dating through August.
Extreme drought is present in several states across the Midwest, including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Missouri, according to the US Drought Monitor.
“Those four states have really been significantly impacted by drought since last winter, it’s just ongoing,” Wellenkamp said.
Tower Rock accessible again – with a catch
A rock formation in the Mississippi River normally only reachable by boat is accessible by foot for the second year in a row due to the drought and low water levels, gauge data shows and officials with the Missouri Department of Conservation told CNN, but work on a pipeline is impeding road access to the formation.
Tower Rock juts out of the Mississippi River in Perry County, south of St. Louis and around 25 miles north of Cape Girardeau. When water levels drop below 1.5 feet at a nearby river gauge, enough of the underlying ground is exposed for people to walk to the formation.
Water levels at the gauge were near zero as of September 20, with no improvement forecast in the near term.
This rare occurrence happened last October amid another severe drought, causing tourists to flock to the site.
People were able to walk to Tower Rock, normally only accessible by boat, on October 19 2022, in Perry County, Missouri. – Jeff Roberson/AP
“Previous to last year, it was probably only accessible once or twice in the last decade,” Steve Schell, a natural history biologist at the Missouri Department of Conservation, told CNN.
Unfortunately for potential tourists, road access to the site is impeded by construction work on a pipeline, officials with the Missouri Department of Conservation told CNN. They urged people to schedule a visit at a later date, but said they were unaware when the work would be completed.
None of the officials CNN spoke to had been to the site since it became accessible by foot, both because of the lack of road access and because of low water levels which made it hard to access by boat.
“Part of the consequences of low water, is there are not a lot of places you can put a boat in on the river anymore,” Schell said. “All of those places are dry, and the only place they have right now is south of Cape Girardeau. Tower rock is, off the top of my head, 20 or 30 miles from the only available boat ramp.
Salty ocean water threatens drinking water
As water levels drop, the threat of saltwater intrusion is growing in Louisiana as ocean water pushes north into drinking water systems, unimpeded by the Mississippi’s normally mighty flow rate.
Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency for Plaquemines Parish in July as saltwater began to impact drinking water systems there, and the US Army Corps of Engineers built a 1,500-foot-wide underwater levee south of New Orleans to prevent it from pushing even farther north.
Last week, Plaquemines Parish President W. Keith Hinkley said at a news conference that clean water was being distributed to around 2,000 residents who were impacted by the saltwater intrusion. The Army Corps also announced plans at the same news conference to make the levee larger.
“Based off the current forecast, and if no action is taken, you could potentially see the saltwater wedge all the way up to the French Quarter,” Cullen Jones, commander of the Army Corps’ New Orleans District office, said at a news conference on Friday.
Colonel Cullen Jones, commander and district engineer for New Orleans District US Army Corps of Engineers, meets with the media to talk about the low river concerns in the Mississippi River on September 15. – Chris Granger/The Advocate/AP
But as the Army Corps is building up the riverbed in Louisiana, it has been dredging other portions of the river to keep traffic flowing – albeit at a slower pace than normal. The treacherously low river has been impeding hundreds of barges and vessels from passing through — and it is also causing the cost of transporting some of the harvest to soar.
“They have to light load barges in order to get them to float, so it’s more trips,” Wellenkamp said. “And so you’re not putting as much product into one barge. The barge will move on, and it’s gotta go back again — all of this eats up a lot of fuel and eats up a lot of time.”
There are also signs that drought and low water levels get worse in the Upper Midwest as El Nino strengthens in the Pacific Ocean, said Jonathan T. Overpeck, dean of the school for environment and sustainability at the University of Michigan. But this year’s conditions were not caused by the natural climate phenomenon, he said.
“This is heat that has already been trapped in the system due to climate change,” Overpeck told CNN.
Unless officials invest in efficient climate adaptation projects to protect communities, he said, it will be an increasingly challenging problem as the planet warms.
“These conditions will only become more frequent, if we don’t phase out fossil fuels,” Overpeck said. “It’s cooking the planet and we’re seeing the impacts unfold in the Mississippi River right now.”
DeSantis: Humans are ‘safer than ever’ from effects of climate change
Kelly Garrity – September 20, 2023
Bryon Houlgrave/AP Photo
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Wednesday that humans are “safer than ever” from the effects of climate change, less than a month after a hurricane pounded Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas.
The use of the phrase “climate change” increased between 2018 and 2020, DeSantis said during a campaign speech rolling out his energy policy in Midland, Texas. Despite reports from the World Meteorological Organization showing that climate change impacts continued to worsen during that time, DeSantis attributed the term’s jump in use to “ideology.”
“This is driven by ideology. It’s not driven by reality,” DeSantis said. “In reality, human beings are safer than ever from climate disasters. The death rate for climate disasters has declined by 98 percent over the last hundred years, and the No. 1 reason for that is people that have had access to reliable electricity, have power.”
While the number of weather-related natural disasters caused by climate change has increased, related deaths have fallen over the last 50 years, according to the World Meteorological Organization. Experts attribute the decline to better forecasting and better infrastructure for dealing with extreme weather.
DeSantis’ remarks come less than a year after Hurricane Ian — the second-deadliest storm the continental U.S. has seen in decades, after Hurricane Katrina — devastated his home state, leaving more than 100 people dead and destroying homes and businesses.
Last month, Florida grappled with the fallout from another storm, Hurricane Idalia, which pummeled the state and left more than 245,000 customers without electricity as trees snapped by strong winds brought down power lines. Four people died in the hurricane.
The World Health Organization said climate change is “the biggest health threat facing humanity” and is expected to cause “approximately 250 000 additional deaths per year, from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea and heat stress” between 2030 and 2050 from lack of “clean air, safe drinking water, sufficient food and secure shelter.”
DeSantis wants to rollback climate measures as he embraces ‘drill, baby, drill’ mentality
Zac Anderson, Sarasota Herald-Tribune – September 20, 2023
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis attends a live taping of Hannity at Fox News Channel Studios on September 13, 2023 in New York City. DeSantis unveiled his energy policy platform on Wednesday during an event in Texas. The plan emphasizes the development of new fossil fuel resources.
Gov. Ron DeSantis dismissed fears about climate change plunging the planet into crisis Wednesday during an event in Texas where he rolled out an energy policy platform focused on developing new sources of fossil fuels.
Once hailed by environmental advocates for his green initiatives as governor, DeSantis positioned himself Wednesday as an ardent critic of efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by transitioning to renewable energy sources and electric vehicles.
“We’ve seen a concerted effort to ramp up the fear when it comes to things like global warming and climate change,” DeSantis said.
Noting that phrases like “climate crisis” and “climate emergency” have grown in use, DeSantis said: “This is driven by ideology, it’s not driven by reality. In reality, human beings are safer than ever from climate disasters.”
The comments are among DeSantis’ most aggressive and extensive in pushing back against climate change concerns, which are especially pertinent in his home state of Florida where sea level rise and stronger hurricanes fed by warming waters are a major worry for climate scientists.
President Joe Biden raised concerns about climate change making natural disasters worse after Hurricane Idalia – which rapidly intensified in the warm Gulf of Mexico waters – smashed into Florida, prompting a rebuttal from DeSantis. The governor’s energy plan is an extended rebuttal to Biden’s energy and climate policies.
DeSantis wants to end subsidies for electric vehicles and pull the United States out of the Paris Climate Accord. He would withdraw from the Global Methane Pledge and any commitments to move toward net zero emissions, and also wants to remove the words “climate change” from some federal planning documents.
“We will also replace the phrase climate change with energy dominance in natural security and foreign policy guidance,” DeSantis said.
The governor delivered his remarks in front of an oil rig in West Texas, a major oil and gas drilling region. He promised speedy permitting of new oil and gas permits, saying his goal is to get gasoline prices down to $2 a gallon.
“We’re going to unleash our energy sector,” DeSantis said, adding: “We will green light oil and gas drilling extraction… I will demand faster approvals than any president in history. If bureaucrats are slowing down projects then those bureaucrats will lose their jobs.”
DeSantis first ran for governor in 2018 on an environmental protection platform as Florida faced a series of devastating algae blooms. Shortly after taking office he issued an executive order focused mostly on water quality initiatives, but it also incorporated efforts to help Florida prepare for climate impacts, raising hopes among environmental advocates that he would provide leadership on the issue.
DeSantis established a new state office to deal with sea level rise led by the state’s first chief resiliency officer, and pushed to fund climate mitigation efforts. His first budget proposal called for funding to address “the challenges of sea level rise, intensified storm events, and localized flooding.”
Leading environmental activists hoped DeSantis would go beyond preparing Florida for the impacts of climate change and take strong actions to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, which are released by burning fossil fuels and create a greenhouse effect when they accumulate in the atmosphere, warming the planet.
DeSantis touted Florida’s heavy reliance on natural gas as an energy source Wednesday, noting it produces lower emissions than coal. But environmental activists have been disappointed by the state’s energy policies and have pushed for emissions-free sources.
DeSantis questioned the dependability of some energy sources.
“We will not rely on unproven technologies that lead to blackouts… we need reliable energy in this country,” he said, adding: “When disaster strikes, when you need to get people’s electricity back on I can’t rely on windmills, I need oil and gas to get the job done.”
Ron DeSantis unveils energy platform, aims to “stop inflation and achieve $2 gas in 2025”
Katie Akin, Des Moines Register – September 20, 2023
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis unveiled an energy platform Wednesday that emphasizes American fuel production and dismisses concerns about climate change.
DeSantis announced a six-point energy plan during a campaign visit to Texas on Wednesday. The plan centers on increasing domestic production of oil and gas, while repealing or withdrawing from initiatives meant to lower carbon emissions and curb the effects of climate change.
“As president, I will fight to ensure our energy is abundant, affordable, and American,” DeSantis told the Des Moines Register in a statement. “That means protecting all liquid fuels, including biofuels, from harmful government regulation and preventing California from setting America’s environmental standards. Under my administration, we will get back to commonsense energy policies that help Iowa farmers and families, starting with eliminating mandates for electric vehicles and ending our energy sector’s reliance on China.”
DeSantis said prioritizing “American energy dominance” will “stop inflation and achieve $2 gas in 2025.”
What does Ron DeSantis have planned for Iowa biofuels?
In a Wednesday news release, DeSantis pledged to protect biofuels from “harmful government regulation” and to eliminate surtaxes on liquid fuels.
However, his policy announcement did not include details about the renewable fuel standard, a goal set by the Environmental Protection Agency to mix a certain amount of renewable fuels — like ethanol — into gasoline and diesel.
While serving in Congress, DeSantis co-sponsored a bill that would eliminate the renewable fuel standard.
A column published in the Register earlier this month offers more insight into DeSantis’ plan for biofuels. DeSantis wrote that he will work with Gov. Kim Reynolds to support the year-round sale of E15, and he would introduce higher ethanol blends, like E30, to consumers.
How would Ron DeSantis address climate change?
DeSantis calls for American energy dominance to take priority over “climate change ideology.”
He would repeal President Joe Biden’s incentives for Americans to buy electric vehicles and Biden-era rule to protect thousands of small waterways. DeSantis said he would also withdraw from the Paris Climate Accords, the Global Methane Pledge and all “Net Zero” commitments.
During the first GOP presidential debate, candidates were asked to raise their hands if they believe human activities are warming the planet. DeSantis bristled at the question, telling the moderators “We’re not school children” and launching into a criticism of the media.
When pressed on the question, DeSantis said, “No, no, no — I didn’t raise a hand.”
USA Today reporter Zac Anderson contributed reporting.
How one arid city is attempting to grow 15 soccer fields of crops in the desert: ‘The world’s most food self-sufficient city’
Wes Stenzel – September 19, 2023
Saudi Arabia has enlisted Dutch greenhouse company Van Der Hoeven to synthesize a climate that will “make the desert bloom,” according to Al Arabiya News, with the goal of building “the world’s most food self-sufficient city.”
What is Saudi Arabia’s synthetic climate project?
Saudi Arabia is building Neom, a brand-new city, in the desert on the coast of the Red Sea. In order to supply food for Neom, the kingdom is paying Van Der Hoeven $120 million to create a synthetic oasis about the size of 15 soccer fields, which will allow crops to be grown in an area that ordinarily cannot sustain much life.
The greenhouses are intended to yield over 300,000 tons of produce in the next eight to 10 years.
The project is expected to begin operating its first site in August 2024 and will be using vertical farming, artificial intelligence, solar and seawater-driven cooling systems, advanced water filtration, and numerous other technologies to bolster Neom’s agricultural capabilities.
“We will scale up to hundreds of hectares with different types of greenhouses,” said Juan Carlos Motamayor, the CEO of Neom Food.
Why is this project important?
Expanding countries’ agriculture infrastructure via synthetic means, like greenhouses, will be an essential part of adapting to our planet’s overheating.
As ecosystems change with rising temperatures, so will their capabilities to grow particular kinds of food, as many fruit, vegetable, and grain plants can only survive in a fairly narrow window of average temperatures.
As such, hotter regions may be unable to grow staple crops that they used to be able to produce to feed their populations, which means they will have to turn to alternative synthetic methods like greenhouses.
By developing and improving technologies and systems that make agriculture possible in difficult climates, we better prepare our societies for rising temperatures.
Greenhouse farming is already an important part of our agricultural systems. In the United States, greenhouse vegetable production made $3 billion in 2021, according to Extrapolate. Tomatoes make up the majority of greenhouse veggies grown in the U.S., but cucumbers, bell peppers, lettuce, and herbs are also commonly grown in greenhouses.
“We are building a synthetic climate where outdoor growing is difficult, with a goal for plants to yield produce year-round,” said Michiel Schoenmaeckers, the CEO of Van Der Hoeven.
“There is no other place in the world that is trying to develop at the scale we want to develop and implement agriculture for arid conditions,” said Motamayor.
Proper treatment for hypertension could avert 76 million deaths globally by 2050, WHO says
Amanda Musa, CNN – September 19, 2023
Adobe Stock
The dangerous effects of high blood pressure are highlighted in a new report by the World Health Organization that identifies the condition as one of the world’s leading risk factors for death and disability.
Published Tuesday, WHO’s first report on the global impact of high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, offers recommendations on ways to combat the “silent killer.”
Hypertension, categorized as a blood pressure reading of 140/90 mmHg or higher, affects 1 in 3 adults worldwide, according to the report. It commonly leads to a number of other health problems including stroke, heart attack, heart failure and kidney damage.
“Hypertension can be controlled effectively with simple, low-cost medication regimens, and yet only about one in five people with hypertension have controlled it,” Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO director-general, said in a news release.
High-performing countries like Canada and South Korea have delivered comprehensive national hypertension treatment programs, according to WHO, and both nations have surpassed the 50% mark for blood pressure control in adults with hypertension.
An increase in the number of people effectively treated for hypertension to levels observed in high-performing countries could prevent 76 million deaths between 2023 and 2050, the WHO says.
These preventative measures include eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding alcohol and tobacco, and exercising regularly, the report says. These strategies should be implemented in specific settings like schools and in the workplace to further promote healthier lifestyle choices, it says.
Another tactic is lowering daily sodium intake.
“Most heart attacks and strokes in the world today can be prevented with affordable, safe, accessible medicines and other interventions, such as sodium reduction,” said Michael Bloomberg, former New York mayor and the WHO global ambassador for noncommunicable diseases and injuries.
Recommended sodium intake varies from country to country, but WHO recommends less than 2,000 milligrams a day. The estimated global average salt intake is more than twice that: 10.8 grams per day, the organization says.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends an intake of less than 2,300 mg of sodium a day. On average, Americans consume more than 3,400 mg of sodium daily.
In 2013, all 194 WHO member countries committed to reducing sodium intake 30% by 2025, but a report released this year showed that only 5% had implemented comprehensive sodium-reduction policies.
The United States scored 3 out of 4 in the report for having at least one mandatory sodium policy and a declaration of sodium on pre-packaged food.
Hypertension is prevalent in the US, affecting about 32% of people ages 30 to 79.
As many as 1.2 million US deaths could be averted by 2040 if the condition is effectively controlled, the report estimates. But in order for the nation to achieve a 50% control rate, 693,000 more people with hypertension would need to be effectively treated.
Every hour, more than 1,000 people die from strokes and heart attacks, according to Dr. Tom Frieden, president and CEO of the organization Resolve to Save Lives and former director of the CDC. “Most of these deaths are caused by high blood pressure, and most could have been prevented.”
WHO also noted that hypertension and its complications result in “enormous” costs worldwide for patients, health care systems and national economies.
“Good hypertension care is affordable, within reach, and strengthens primary health care,” Frieden added. “The challenge now is to go from ‘within reach’ to ‘reached.’ This will require commitment of governments around the world.”
Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the span of years by which 76 million deaths could be prevented with hypertension treatment.
Stepping toward lower blood sugar: The benefits of walking
Emma Pitts – September 18, 2023
Walking could be the key to your digestive health. | Adobe Stock
After a big meal, the last thing you might want to do is exercise. The good news is something as simple as a short walk can benefit your health and lower blood sugar levels, according to a study published in the journal Sports Medicine.
This doesn’t mean Olympic speed walking. It simply means walking as little as five minutes to get the blood flowing, the study said.
The study delved into whether standing was effective as well, and though it had more benefits than simply sitting, walking showed greater health benefits in lowering blood sugar.
“Intermittent standing breaks throughout the day and after meals reduced glucose on average by 9.51% compared to prolonged sitting. However, intermittent light-intensity walking throughout the day saw a greater reduction of glucose by an average of 17.01% compared to prolonged sitting,” study co-author Aidan Buffey told CNN.
Adding that, “This suggests that breaking prolonged sitting with standing and light-walking breaks throughout the day is beneficial for glucose levels.”
Benefits of walking
There is a plethora of health benefits that come with taking a stroll around the park, the Mayo Clinic said, emphasizing that exercising does not have to be a vigorous activity for you to see benefits.
Health benefits that come with walking, according to the Mayo Clinic, include:
Maintain a healthy body.
Prevent or manage high blood pressure and heart disease.
Blood pressure is the pace at which blood moves throughout your arteries. If blood pressure is high, your heart is working harder to pump the blood through your body, per Catholic Health.
According to Eating Well, “After you eat, your blood sugar increases, and the pancreas secretes a hormone called insulin. … This hormone signals the body to soak up glucose, lowering blood sugar along the way.”
Walking helps kickstart your body’s blood flow and helps send glucose from outside the muscle cell to the inside, fitness nutritionist Michele Canon told Eating Well.
How to get started
It is important that you monitor your blood sugar levels more often when just starting to workout, especially if it’s been a while since being active, per the American Diabetes Association.
Repetition will allow improvement. “Start slowly and walk for just a few minutes the first time. The more you walk, the easier it will get, and you’ll be able to add intensity by increasing your time, pace, or distance,” the American Diabetes Association added.
Easy ways to incorporate walking into your day could include the following:
Avoid driving to walkable destinations.
Get a friend to walk with and hold each other accountable.
Invest in a treadmill or march in place.
Listen to a podcast or interactive app to encourage you.
