锻炼：走路好还是跑步好

Which is better, walking or running?Misha Yurchenko (ユルチェンコ ミーシャ), Japan-based writer, entrepreneur, and avocado-eaterResearch has found that walking directly affects the brain’s blood supply. Now, this isn’t news: we all know that exercise increases our blood-pressure/heart rate meaning that our entire body reaps the benefits of increased circulation.What’s worth noting about this study is it shows that the effect that walking has on the brain is more direct. Specifically, the impact of one’s foot on the ground sends specific pressure waves rippling through the body?6?6—?6?6this acts on specific arteries by increasing the blood supply sent to the brain (which, naturally, improves brain function and cell growth in many ways).Surprisingly, this benefit is specific to walking?6?6—?6?6although running creates a higher pressure impact, it does not have this same effect. There seems to be a mechanism related to the number of average heartbeats/minute and how syncing our steps close to that rhythm can “optimize brain perfusion, function, and overall sense of wellbeing during exercise.”“There is an optimizing rhythm between brain blood flow and ambulating. Stride rates and their foot impacts are within the range of our normal heart rates (about 120/minute) when we are briskly moving along.”Finally, 40 minutes of walking 3 times per week had benefits above other exercise forms (stretching, yoga, resistance training) and walking was shown to increase the size of the hippocampus, the brain’s center for memory.Edits: There still remains to be a lot of research done on walking and the studies I mentioned above have not been replicated. Ultimately what we know about cardiovascular exercise shows that running is better for you if you’re looking at lowering blood pressure as well as overall longevity. That said, if you’re too lazy to run, don’t be scared to get on your feet — it’s still pretty good for you :)