Minute by Minute Exercise

By Dr. Reginald B. Cherry, M.D., Christian Post Contributor Wednesday, August 11, 2010

You don't need to engage in long, strenuous, uncomfortable exercise sessions to reap health rewards. Studies have shown that even small amounts of brisk activity can keep you healthy.

Exercising regularly can lower your risk of suffering from many ailments, while boosting positive responses in the body (read more at The Many Benefits of Exercise). But many people are afraid to start an exercise program in the mistaken belief that they need to join a gym, play a sport, or devote large amounts of time to "working out" to see any health results.

While most guidelines recommend 30-45 minutes of moderate activity – including walking, dancing, swimming, biking, tennis, gardening – most days of the week for maximum benefit (see Be Active Your Way for Better Health for more details), even finding just minutes a day to walk can have a huge impact.

Here's the amount you need daily to lower your risk of disease:
• 7 minutes of climbing stairs – reduces heart disease risk 62%
• 17 minutes of walking – reduces colon cancer risk 31%, depressive symptoms 41%
• 18 minutes of walking – reduces coronary heart disease risk 36%
• 21 minutes of walking – reduces stroke risk 43%
• 30 minutes of walking – reduces type 2 diabetes risk 30%

So even if you start with 7 minutes a day of stair climbing, or 17 minutes of walking – with a goal of working up to 30 minutes a day of an activity you enjoy – you can put yourself on the pathway to a longer, healthier life.