Walking for better health

Intense physical exercise is not the only way to better health. Studies show that walking several times a week can lower the risk of many diseases. They include heart disease, stroke, diabetes, bone loss, arthritis and depression. Walking also can help you lose weight.

Fast walking is good for the heart. It lowers the blood pressure. It raises the amount of good cholesterol in the blood. Researchers say walking can sharply reduce the risk of suffering a heart attack.

Studies have also shown that walking for thirty minutes a day can delay and possibly prevent the development of type two diabetes. People who are overweight have an especially high risk to develop this disease.

Walking strengthens the muscles and builds up the bones that they are attached to. Studies show that women who walked and took calcium decreased their risk of developing osteoporosis, or thinning of the bones. Walking can also help ease the pain of arthritis in areas where bones are joined. This is because walking strengthens the muscles around the bones.

Walking several times a week is a good way to control weight and lose extra body fat. Studies show it can also help ease the sad feelings of depression.

Experts say walking is one of the safest ways to exercise. There is a low risk of injuries. So it is good for people who are starting an exercise program for the first time and for older people.

A walking program is easy to start. You should wear loose clothes and good shoes. There are shoes that are designed especially for lots of walking.

Stretching is an important part of any exercise program. It helps prevent in­jury and muscle pain. You should stretch the muscles in your legs, arms and back before and after you walk.

How fast should you walk? For the best effect, doctors say you should walk fast enough to cause you to breathe hard. Yet you should still be able to talk. Let your arms move freely while you walk.

There are no rules to starting a walking program. You might walk short dis­tances. Or you might walk up hills to strengthen your leg muscles. Health experts say you can gain the most from a walking program if you walk at about five kilometers an hour for thirty minutes a day. You should do this about five times a week.

Lawan Davis

VOA Special English Health Report, 12/08/2007

Vocabulary notes

studies – исследования

stroke – удар, инсульт

diabetes ["daIq'bi:ti:z] диабет

bone loss – потеря костной ткани

arthritis [Q:'TraItIs] артрит

blood pressure ['preSq] кровяное давление

cholesterol [kq'lestqrPl] холестерин

muscle ['mAsl] мускул, мышца

build up – укреплять, наращивать

attached to [q'txCt] прикрепленный (к)

calcium ['kxlsIqm] кальций, препараты кальция

osteoporosis ["OstIqupq'rqusIs] остеопороз

stretching – разминка, растяжка

Analyze the following words

physical lower depression

pressure development possibly

overweight strengthen thinning

feeling decrease researcher

Find the English equivalents

Интенсивная физическая нагрузка; не единственный способ улуч­­шить состояние здоровья; исследования показывают; снижать риск; снижать вес, худеть; полезный для сердца; снижать артериальное давление; повышать количество; сердечный приступ; резко снижать риск; предотвращать развитие, сдерживать развитие; укреплять мышцы; принимать препараты кальция; облегчать боль; следить за весом; риск получения травмы; сво­бодная одежда; специально предназначенный, созданный для чего-л.; предотвращать травмы; мышечная боль; для получения лучшего результата; тяжело дышать; свободно двигаться; укреплять мышцы ног; пять раз в неделю.

Comprehension questions

1. What else besides intense physical exercise is considered to be the way to better health?

2. Why is walking thought to be so good for health?

3. The risk of what diseases can walking lower?

4. Why is walking so good for the heart?

5. What other diseases can walking delay or prevent?

6. What people are especially at risk of developing diabetes?

7. What and why can walking ease?

8. Why is walking one of the safest ways to exercise?

9. Who is walking particularly good for?

10. What makes walking program so easy to start?

11. Why is stretching so important?

12. How should you walk to get the best results?

13. What advice does the author give to those people who want to start a walking program?

14. How much should you walk?

15. What, in your opinion, makes walking so popular?

***

ACTIVE VOCABULARY

absence ['xbs(q)ns] отсутствие

architec­ture ['Q:kItekCq] архитектура, архитектурный стиль

avoid [q'vOId] избегать, уклоняться

by chance – случайно

constantly ['kPnst(q)ntlI] постоянно, часто, то и дело

damage ['dxmIG] наносить вред, портить

demand [dI'mQ:nd] требовать

diffi­culty ['dIfIk(q)ltI] трудность, препятствие, затруднение

dweller ['dwelq] житель, обитатель

escape [Is'keIp] избежать (опасности), спастись, избавиться

experience [Iks'pIqrIqns] испытывать

explain [Iks'pleIn] объяснять, толковать

eyesight ['aIsaIt] зрение

harmful ['hQ:mful] вредный, па­губный, губительный

multi­tude ['mAltItju:d] мно­жество, большое число, масса

not by accident ['xksId(q)nt] не случайно

obvious ['Pbviqs] очевидный, явный, ясный

point of view – точка зрения

prefer [prI'fq:] предпочитать

relatively ['relqtIvlI] относи­тель­но

relevant ['relIvqnt] уместный, от­но­сящийся к делу

rely on [rI'laI] полагаться на, дове­рять, быть уверенным в

spoil – портить

sup­press [sq'pres] пресекать, сдерживать, подавлять

tension ['tenS(q)n] напряжение, напряженное состояние

true [tru:] истинный, настоящий, подлинный

visual ['vIzjuql] зрительный, ви­димый, оптический

Practise aloud

absence damage chance obvious tension

angle escape prefer rely sup­press

multi­tude theoretical architectural regime vampire

eyesight relatively unsightly visual surface

aesthetics architec­ture accident dynamic homogeneous