How many steps should you walk in a day for better Health.

How many steps should you walk in a day: Is 10,000 the right number? What is best for you?

Walk your way to health, they say. What must you know about this activity before taking it up? All your queries about minimum steps and duration answered here.

Long ago, when I was working on a story about the allegedly inhuman treatment meted out to poultry hens who are cooped up in cages and reportedly fed arsenic and hormone-laced grains, something seemingly innocuous caught my attention. The social welfare activist who was animatedly speaking for the caged birds said that the layer and broiler hens were held in such a small space that their step mechanism was impossible and they suffered huge health setbacks due to that.

It amazed me that walking or taking a few steps – such a modest form of exercise – could be such a huge determinant of health for that tiny bird or animal. Imagine what benefits it may hold for bipeds like the man who has a body designed for walking. 

I later learnt that all animals that are endowed with the ability to walk or run, gain numerous health benefits due to the simple exercise of walking.

No wonder then that health experts have been urging us to mark at least 10,000 steps in a day so as to ensure good health.

Benefits of walking:

Walking requires no training and is simple.  With some preparation and a few precautions, it is a splendid aerobic exercise that sets you on the path to fitness and health. No expensive equipment required; it is a very flexible routine that most people can fit onto their day. 

According to the Mayo Clinic, walking for regular activity can help reduce your risk of these common health problems:

•    Heart disease
•    Obesity
•    Diabetes
•    High blood pressure
•    Depression

How much time should you walk?

The US Department of Health and Human Services recommends 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity exercises, such as brisk walking, says the Mayo Clinic expert. No need to plunge into the 150-minute intensive routine, start where you are and gradually increase your activity week by week, it says.
Aim for 30 minutes of exercise five days a week. Or take up 10 minutes of exercise several times a day, advises the Mayo website.
According to a Harvard newsletter, to stay well, one should walk for 30 to 45 minutes nearly every day. Do it all at once or in chunks as short as five to 10 minutes, is advised by this expert too.
Aim for a brisk pace of three to four miles an hour, and aim for two to four miles a day. 
Get a reliable and inexpensive pedometer to keep track of your distance and buckle it to your belt. Some pedometers just keep track of your steps, while others have bells and whistles such as timers, clocks, alarms, and bells — or at least chimes that ring out little tunes. 

A pedometer can help you keep track and can motivate you to take extra steps whenever you can, advises the Harvard Medical News piece. 

How many steps should you walk? 

If you have an average stride length, count 2,000 steps as about a mile of walking. In a report that included findings from multiple well-done studies, researchers found that walking reduced the risk of cardiovascular events by 31% cut the risk of dying by 32%. These benefits were equally robust in men and women. Protection was evident even at distances of just 5½ miles per week and at a pace as casual as about 2 miles per hour. 
This is where your count of 10,000 steps a day comes from. 
The people who walked longer distances walked at a faster pace, or both enjoyed the greatest protection. So, it makes sense to go beyond the 10,000 steps to the number that you can comfortably manage. Your doctor should be able to judge this the best and advise you accordingly.

How fast must you walk? 

80 steps a minute indicates a leisurely pace; 100 steps a minute, a moderate to brisk pace; and 120 steps a minute, a fast pace. Even without counting, you'll do well simply by reminding yourself to walk briskly.
We all hear that sitting is the next smoking and sitting at our desk all day, we are inviting ill-health. Therefore, a moderate-intensity exercise like walking can help prevent the problems that can occur from sitting too much during the day.