Our good friends at TravelSmart, the group within TransLink that helps Metro Vancouverites make better travel choices by offering tips and tools on cycling, walking, carpooling and taking transit across Metro Vancouver, have some great knowledge to share with all of us. Here are 11 reasons walking rocks and makes life better!

1. Develop the memory of an elephant: Studies have shown, particularly for senior citizens, that walking improves memory skills as well as concentration and abstract reasoning.

2. Mr. Einstein, I presume: Walking improves concentration and abstract reasoning and increased cognitive functioning.

3. Reduce risk of stroke: cut that by 57% just by walking 20 minutes a day.

4. Get heart healthy: a study of women showed that those who walked three hours or more per week reduced risk of a coronary event by 35%

5. Getting in shape: walking helps to keep you fit and supplies you with some wonderful endorphins

6. Feeling good: a recent study found that after 12 weeks, the further a woman walked, the better she feels about her appearance.

7. C’mon get happy: Just 30 minutes, three to five times per week for 12 weeks reduced symptoms of depression by 47%.

8. Lowered risk of diabetes: reduce risk of type 2 diabetes in high-risk individuals.

9. Lowered risk of cancer: 30 minutes daily reduce risk of colon cancer by up to 50%, as well as decreasing lung, breast and prostate cancers.

10. Nice bones: postmenopausal women who walk about a mile a day have better whole-bone density.

11. Live long and walk: 30 minutes of walking a day adds 1.3 healthy years.

What did you think of this story?

---