Are walking and cancer risk related?
Everyone knows that the goal for your daily step count should be 10,000 steps, right??? But wait, where did that number come from? And was it based on science or myth? It turns out that the 10,000 step goal originated in Japan in the 1960s, and was based more on Japanese culture and values rather than on any science. I kept that number as a step goal for many years without any reason other than it "felt right." But now we have some solid science that suggests the number may have real value for your health! Let's start by talking about what leads to health declines in old age. Chronic low-level inflammation, sometimes called "inflammaging," leads to decreased immunity, muscle loss, brain declines, risk of heart disease, and many cancers. What leads to that chronic inflammation? Poor food choices is a big factor (more about that in separate posts), and at least as important is the lack of physical activity. So, a person with a diet of high...