Reading this makes me feel good! I love to walk and try to walk every morning for at least an hour. Now, I just need to pick up the pace. Read on to find out why…..

Stop a Stroke with This Many Walks – Health Tip – RealAge

How many walks do you need to take this week to make a big dent in your stroke risk? Just a handful of 30-minute hikes could have a major impact.

In a study, women who walked at least 2 hours a week — think 30-minute walk, four times — were 30 percent less likely to suffer a stroke compared with nonwalkers.

Pace Counts, Too
In the 12-year study, walking pace also played a role in preventing strokes. It paid to focus on more than just a leisurely stroll. In fact, being able to cover 1 mile in 20 minutes was ideal. Women who averaged this pace had a 37 percent lower risk of stroke compared with the nonwalkers. (Do even more for your heart by cutting this much salt from your diet.)

Step by Step
Walking regularly at a moderate pace can lower blood pressure, reduce plaque buildup and inflammation in your arteries, help your blood vessels function better, and improve your blood lipid profile and insulin sensitivity — all of which help keep your stroke risk low. How fortunate that walking also happens to be one of the easiest exercises around!

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