The next time you have a medical check-up, don't be surprised if your doctor hands you a prescription to walk. Yes, this simple activity that you've been doing since you were about a year old is now being touted (along with other forms of regular physical activity) as the closest thing we have to a wonder drug, in the words of Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Judging from the research, its a well-earned reputation. Walking can have a bigger impact on disease risk and various health conditions than just about any other remedy that's readily available to you. Whats more, its free and has practically no negative side effects. Walking for 2.5 hours a week that's just 21 minutes a day can cut your risk of heart disease by 30%. In addition, this do-anywhere, no-equipment-required activity has also been shown to reduce the risk of diabetes and cancer, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and keep you mentally sharp. In fact, according to some estimates, walking regularly could save Americans over $100 billion a year in health care costs. Even a quick one-minute jaunt pays off . A University of Utah study in 2014 found that for every minute of brisk walking that women did throughout the day, they lowered their risk of obesity by 5%. No more I don't have time excuses! Start walking, and you'll be helping to make your community stronger, too. Social scientists have found that as more people take to the streets, neighborhood crime rates fall and the local economy improves. Its also a wonderful way to meet new people and connect with neighbors. Take a walk with your children after dinner. It can promote better communication, reduce behavior problems, and improve academic performance. Walking can even help your mood. A number of studies have found that its as effective as drugs for decreasing depression. It can help relieve everyday stresses, too. Tension starts to ease as the road stretches out in front of you. Mood-elevating endorphin levels increase. Many people and that walking helps clear the mind, too, you may even and the solution to a problem that's been bugging you. So don't wait for your next doctors appointment to get inspired. Put on your shoes, step out the door, and rediscover the joys of walking.

Walking for Health

Health, Fitness & Dieting

Michele Stanten

MD Lauren E. Elson

Exercise & Fitness

Harvard Health Publications

Yoga is more than just a workout. It's actually a combination of four components: postures (like tree pose), breathing practices, deep relaxation, and meditation that can transform your health on many different levels. To show you how easy yoga can be and how you can reap the many health benefits, Harvard Medical School experts created An Introduction to Yoga.

An Introduction to Yoga: Improve your strength, balance, flexibility, and well-being

Lauren E. Elson MD

Sat Bir Singh Khalsa PhD

Harvard Health Publishing

The numbers are shocking. Just two out of 10 American adults meet recommended levels of physical activity. Nearly three out of 10 Americans ages 6 and older admit they aren't active at all, despite reams of research proving that exercise is a powerful preventive, and sometimes an antidote, for disability and illness. This Special Health Report, Workout Workbook: 9 complete workouts to help you get fit and healthy, features nine excellent workouts that will challenge your body and spirit in a variety of ways while warding off boredom.

Workout Workbook: 9 complete workouts to help you get fit and healthy

One of the best ways to stay fit and healthy as you age is by doing strength and power training exercises. You may know that starting in our thirties, we all begin to lose muscle mass. This loss actually contributes to achy joints, increased risk of injury, and the middle-age spread we all dread. What s more, the older we get, the faster muscle mass disappears. That means that eventually, simple tasks like getting out of a chair and climbing stairs can become more difficult. Strength training can help you build muscle, make you strong, increase your endurance and make everyday activities easier. By combining strength and power training exercises you ll not only get stronger, you ll build speed and improve your reaction time. That s critical as you age, because it can help prevent falls. Plus get 2 Special Bonus Sections at no extra cost: Plyometrics Power Moves and Stretching Exercises.

Strength and Power Training for All Ages: 4 complete workouts to tone up, slim down, and get fit

Elizabeth Pegg Frates MD

Gentle core exercises are specially designed for people who aren't up to tackling regular core exercises, perhaps because they are out of shape or possibly due to an injury or health problem. This Special Health Report, Gentle Core Exercises: Start toning your abs, building your back muscles, and reclaiming core fitness today, will show you how to build your core with workouts that are gentle and rewarding. You'll be introduced to more than three dozen exercises designed to strengthen core muscles, increase flexibility and stability, improve balance, and tone your silhouette.

Gentle Core Exercises: Start toning your abs, building your back muscles, and reclaiming core fitness today

Discover how you can prevent falls by improving your balance and mobility. Better Balance: Simple exercises to improve stability and prevent falls gives you step-by-step instructions for easy, effective workouts that will improve posture, increase muscle strength and speed, sharpen reflexes, expand flexibility, and firm your core. You'll also get tips for fall-proofing your home.

Better Balance: Simple exercises to improve stability and prevent falls

PHD.

Suzanne Salamon

Brad Manor

Stretching is an excellent thing you can do for your health. These simple, yet effective moves can help you limber up for sports, improve your balance and prevent falls, increase your flexibility, and even help relieve arthritis, back, and knee pain. Whether you're an armchair athlete or a sports enthusiast, this Special Health Report, Stretching: 35 exercises to improve flexibility and reduce pain, from the experts at Harvard Medical School will show you how to create effective stretching routines that meet your needs and ability.

Stretching: 35 stretches to improve flexibility and reduce pain

Lauren E. Elson

This Special Health Report will help you find the perfect cardio routine whether you are just beginning, need to freshen up a routine, or are ready to take your cardio workouts to the next level. For beginners or people with conditions that limit their mobility, there are three options to start with: a Basic Cardio, Beginner's Walking, and a Pool Workout. If you're looking to add some variety to an existing cardio routine, try our Cardio Dance or Kickboxing Workout. If you've been doing cardio exercise and want to challenge yourself, try our Interval Walking Workout or Step Workout. When you're ready to move on, a Special Section will help you design your own program. No matter what form of cardio you do, you'll be healthier.

Cardio Exercise: 7 workouts to boost energy, fight disease, and help you live longer

Is joint pain holding you back? Perhaps an achy ankle or sore knee is making it difficult to enjoy a run through your favorite park or even taking a short walk. Or maybe a throbbing hip or shoulder prevents you from whacking a golf ball or performing simple tasks like carrying a bag of groceries. The exercises in this report, The Joint Pain Relief Workout: Healing exercises for your shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles, can help relieve ankle, knee, hip, or shoulder pain, and help you become more active again, which can help you stay independent long into your later years.

The Joint Pain Relief Workout: Healing exercises for your shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles

All of us probably know some areas where we could boost our health and happiness perhaps by exercising more, eating healthier, learning stress management techniques, or nipping a bad habit in the bud, but making a change can be daunting. It doesn't have to be, though. This Special Health Report, Simple Changes, Big Rewards: A practical, easy guide for healthy, happy living, will show you how to incorporate simple changes into your life that can reap big rewards.

Simple Changes, Big Rewards: A practical, easy guide for healthy, happy living

Francesca Coltrera

Howard E. LeWine MD

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Books by Michele Stanten