7-Day Walking Plan to Reduce Inflammation According to Experts

Regular walking has amazing health benefits, including reducing inflammation. Here is a 7-day walking plan to reduce inflammation shared by an industry expert .

The health benefits of walking are universal. From lowering blood sugar levels to reducing back pain to even extending life, walking has many health benefits. This article will focus on chronic inflammation, a condition that affects many individuals. In fact, the World Health Organization has listed chronic inflammatory diseases as one of the leading causes of death globally.

You can reduce inflammation by lacing up your sneakers and going for a walk. Here’s a seven-day walking plan to reduce inflammation, shared by top personal trainers who explain how walking can help and how much you need to walk for best results.

7 Day Anti-Inflammation Walking Plan

Experts agree that the ultimate goal is to walk your way up to at least 150 minutes a week. And consistency is key to achieving this goal. It’s much better to walk for 10 minutes three to four times a week than to overdo it with one hard hour-long walk and then skip the rest of the week.

Remember, you can also break up your walking into shorter periods throughout the day. For example, you could walk for 15 minutes in the morning and another 15 minutes in the evening instead of aiming for one 30-minute walk.

As you feel more confident and better at walking, you can gradually increase the length of each walk by adding five minutes each day. You can also challenge yourself by walking up some inclines or increasing the incline on the treadmill to make it steeper. Another way to make things more interesting is to do interval walking: alternate between five minutes of brisk walking and five minutes at a slower pace, then repeat.

For anyone new to walking for exercise, here is an example of a seven-day inflammation-reducing walking plan:

• Monday: 15 minute walk
• Tuesday: Rest
• Wednesday: 20 minute walk
• Thursday: Rest
• Friday: 15 minute walk
• Saturday: Rest
• Sunday: 20 minute walk

How does walking help reduce inflammation?

Walking not only helps you get your daily step count in, but it also improves blood flow and circulation throughout your body. “ When more oxygen and nutrients are delivered to working tissues, this helps repair tissue and reduces damage caused by inflammation ,” says Elizabeth Shaw, MS, RDN, CPT, a registered dietitian and certified personal trainer.

For people with metabolic conditions like diabetes and high cholesterol, walking helps reduce inflammation by using up excess resources, like blood sugar. Elevated blood sugar can increase inflammation, but regular walking can help counteract this.

A 12-week study of obese postmenopausal women found that those who followed a consistent walking plan not only significantly reduced markers of inflammation, but also lost weight and body fat percentage, further demonstrating that walking helps reduce inflammation and supports the rest of the body.

And if you're looking to improve your mood, walking can also make you smile because the activity releases endorphins that can make you more sensitive to positive emotions, making you feel happier.