Keep it brisk to lengthen life, study suggests

Keep it brisk to lengthen life, study suggests


The fast walkers of the world apparently have a leg up on the tortoises among us.

Physicians have long known that one of the best tools to good health doesn’t involve fancy schmancy exercise equipment or a pile of dietary supplements in the medicine cabinet.

Humans are like electronic gizmos with the batteries included. We’re born with two of the best instruments for keeping healthy — our legs.

Walking helps us live longer and keeps us free of mobility disability. Now a British study concludes that walking at a fast pace pumps up our longevity like hot air in a balloon.

Scientists examined the genetic data of more than 400,000 middle-aged people in the UK Biobank and paired that with information on participants’ walking habits. They found that people who walked more briskly had longer telomeres. That’s a good thing.

A word on telomeres. Chromosomes are the long DNA molecules that carry our genetic material. Telomeres are their caps. They protect the chromosome like the cap at the end of a shoelace. Shortened telomeres might impede cell division. That is thought to speed aging.

Telomeres are a good marker of our biological age.

Here’s the jaw-dropper. Researchers estimate speedier walking over a lifetime might extend life expectancy by as much as 16 years.

But it’s never too late to start kicking the legs into a higher gear. Previous research has shown that even 10 minutes of sprightly walking a day can extend life. So, putting extra zip into your step on the way to the bathroom or bus stop or while walking the dog around the block is a boost to well-being, to say nothing of the dog’s.

So, hop to it and beat a path to a healthier life.

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