ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) — Wednesday, April 5th, was the fifteenth year of National Walking Day. The American Heart Association’s call to action is to get people moving and highlight the importance of physical activity and good cardiovascular health.
In addition to National Walking Day, the American Heart Association will also have its annual Lynchburg Heart Walk on April 15th at the Riverfront Park in downtown Lynchburg.
They encourage people to lace up their sneakers and get moving! They recommend people take at least 30 minutes out of their day to get up and walk.
According to the American Heart Association, statistics show walking is one of the cheapest and easiest things people can do to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, which are the nation’s number one and number five killers. They also say that people stick to walking plans more than any other type of physical activity.
Elizabeth Vail, the Development Director for the American Heart Association, encourages people to pack their sneakers so they can walk during their lunch hour or after work. She says if you are starting an exercise program, they encourage you to start small and continue to build more daily exercise.
“One thing the American Heart Association has found is that one in four adult Americans is sitting more than eight hours a day, and that is having adverse health effects on your mental and physical health,” said Vail.
She adds that spring is a great time to start exercising with friends and family. Being social with people can have positive benefits on your health as well.
“For every one hour of vigorous exercise, you can gain two hours of life expectancy,” said Vail.
They also encourage people to stand, stretch, or dance, whatever gets their bodies moving.
To learn more about how to donate to WFXR’s Heart Walk Team, click here.
