Health
Small steps, big benefits
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-11-18 11:16
Climbing stairs daily helps to lower the risk of suffering a stroke, according to the German Stroke Foundation. It notes that getting too little exercise and being overweight were among the risk factors for a stroke.
Regular exercise and a balanced diet could prevent half of the strokes in Germany, the foundation says, pointing out that cardiovascular problems such as stroke were the third-most frequent cause of early retirement in the country.
The foundation says that getting more exercise was simply a matter of making small changes in one's daily routine, for example by riding a bicycle to work instead of driving a car or taking public transportation. In inclement weather, office workers who choose to drive rather than ride to work could park further away from the office and walk the rest of the way.
According to the foundation, working up a sweat or exercising for 30 minutes at a time is not necessary since every physical activity lasting longer than 10 minutes is beneficial.
