As the price of gasoline continues to rise, more and more households throughout the USA are finding they are unable to afford to drive to and from work each day. With this being said, many people are searching for ways to get around spending their hard earned money on gasoline and there are several ways you can do this. Although not everyone is in walking distance from their place of work, this is by far the number one solution for this gas crisis.

There have been no reports that any time in the future these gasoline prices are going to begin to drop back down to affordable prices. By choosing to walk instead of drive you are making the right choice on many different levels. First of course, driving is becoming far too expensive for most people today and you are making the choice to save your money and use it towards more important aspects of your life. Secondly, you are doing your part for the environment and thirdly you are enhancing your health all at the same time.

Often time’s people under estimate the power of walking but there are many studies that prove what walking can do for your health and it makes a simple 30 minute walk more than worth it. For example, let’s start with a study found in the Archives of Internal Medicine published in January 2008. This study found that walking can actually slow the aging process. Their study found a high variation between the cells found in those who love to exercise and those who would rather spend their spare time on the couch watching TV. The active people involved in this study showed cells that were far slower when it came to the changes associated with aging. The cells within these patients were actually the same as the sedentary people who were 10 years younger.

With so many people today looking to defy the signs of aging, why not turn to a solution much simpler and safer than cosmetic surgery? All you have to do is take a nice brisk walk at least 30 minutes a day. Now on a more serious note, let’s take a look at a study that shows the benefits of walking in relation to avoiding a death by heart disease. This study was published in a 2005 issue of Diabetes Care and shows in depth information that everyone needs to be aware of when they choose to do more driving instead of more walking.

Walking 30 minutes a day is all that is needed to begin reducing your risk of heart disease. Although you may find that your cholesterol is still high and you are not losing the pounds you want, it is still beneficial for your heart. The study focused on moderately active people with Type 2 Diabetes. These people were shown to reduce their risk of heart disease by 39%. On the other hand those who were considered to be more intensely active were found to reduce their risk by a higher 48%. These percentages are significant! This study clearly shows that no matter what your current weight or body mass is you can still take advantage of the benefits of simple physical activity for your heart if not for your weight.

This study quotes the use of “moderate” activity. With this being said it is important that we take the time to define exactly what is considered to be moderate. In this study they considered moderate exercise to be:

• 4 hours of walking, biking or any form of cardio throughout the week
  
  
• Walking for 30 minutes a day as part of your commute to work each day
  
  
• 3 hours or more of intense physical activity throughout the week

There are many different choices for you when it comes to utilizing the power of walking to improve your health and most importantly your heart. One last study, which is important to share with you here, shows a connection between walking and longevity.

The New England Journal of Medicine reports what they found within their heart study of 8,000 men from Honolulu. This study ran over a 12-year period and during this time they found that walking only 2 miles a day was enough to cut your risk of death in half. On the other hand those who did not meet the 2 mile a day standard were found to be more than 2 ½ times more likely to die of cancer than the others in the study. The men in this study were at least 60 years of age or older and in good health when the study began. This is a study that many people can relate to. There is no doubt that death provides a certain sense of fear for almost everyone today and if you can take action to cut your risk of cancer and death in half, why not do it?

The high gasoline prices today are providing everyone in North America the perfect opportunity to begin testing the powers of walking. In the past it was found to be too inconvenient to walk places but today many people have found that they no longer have a choice. The studies that have been listed here are only a few compared to the dozens that have been conducted over the years with successful results pointing towards walking benefits. Even if your place of work is too far away you can still choose to walk to public transit of some kind and then walk to work as you get closer. These are all options to help you save money in gasoline and improve your health at the same time.

Remember that when we are talking about walking, this does not mean you have to “power walk” in order to see results. A simple brisk and enjoyable walk is all it takes to prevent the signs of aging, cut your risk of cancer related death in half and reduce your risk of heart disease. We have spent so many years utilizing the conveniences of automobiles that we have not even realized what health benefits we were completely eliminating from our lives. This is why I'm happy to see that the gasoline prices are continuing to rise. I want to see more people walking places, getting back to nature and promoting their own health!

The next time you consider filling your vehicle up with gas think not only of the money you are spending but the reason you refuse to walk to your destinations. You will more than likely find that there is no real reason why you should not walk. This should be a realization to force you out of your car and onto your feet!