Walking briskly has been recommended as an excellent exercise for the heart. Now researchers have evidence that it also benefits the brain. Investigators have followed almost 40,000 female health professionals in the Women’s Health Study for over a decade. They found that women who walked regularly were less likely to suffer a stroke.
Walking fast, about four miles an hour, lowered the risk of a stroke caused by a blood clot by 25 percent. It also reduced the likelihood of a bleeding stroke by 68 percent. Women who walked at least two hours a week reduced their risk of any stroke by 30 percent. The conclusion is that vigorous, regular walking can have important health benefits.
[Stroke, April 26, 2010]
