Save your your blood pressure, your heart and your sanity

As a species, humans were incredibly active thousands of years ago, became relatively active hundreds of years ago, and have now become almost completely inactive. Cars are the enemy of exercise in general, and of walking in particular. Mental health charity MIND has even found that walking produces better mental health -increased self-esteem and lower levels of depression.

Cars make you ill

Driving is stressful. Every time you get in your car instead of going on foot or by bike, you are raising your level of unhealthiness. More and more studies show a relationship between cars and ill health. And if you think traffic jams are bad for you, you're right.  A study published in 2004 showed that the increased stress of time spent in traffic results in a tripling of heart attack risk. (Peters et al). Not to mention road rage, or the anxiety of parking panic. So what are you waiting for? Give up your car, start walking, and start getting fit.
 

Source: Annette Peters, Stephanie von Klot, Margit Heier, Ines Trentinaglia, Allmut Hörmann, H. Erich Wichmann, and Hannelore Löwel. Exposure to traffic and the onset of myocardial infarction. New England Journal of Medicine 351 (17): 1721-30. 2004

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