From National Geographic - Mobility is key to staying healthy and independent as you age. We asked experts to weigh in on how to do it right—and when to start thinking about it. 

Walking might seem simple. But it’s not, explains epidemiologist Peggy Cawthon, science director of the California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute. It’s an amazingly complex behavior that continues to baffle researchers, especially ones trying to understand how to improve our lives as we age.

“For reasons we don’t understand, the speed you walk is related to your risk of dying,” she says. Folks who can keep up the pace are likely to stick around longer. And they’re likely to live better. Lack of mobility is one of the top reasons that seniors lose independence, according to the National Institute on Aging, and it’s also closely linked to cognitive decline.

Read the full article online at: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/premium/article/mobility-walking-health-exercise-technique