If you are looking for a reason to start living a more active life, how about this:

Something as simple as a daily walk can reduce your risk of stroke by almost 50%!

This was the conclusion of a study presented at the recent 2008 conference of the American Stroke Association, which is a division of the American Heart Association.

The results of this study, the first to show an independent association between exercise and reduction in stroke, shows once again that activity is a key component to a long, healthy life. The results of the study can be summed up in this one section of the report:

“The overall stroke risk dropped substantially at the moderate CRF level, with the protective effect persisting nearly unchanged through higher fitness levels. That corresponds to 30 minutes or more of brisk walking, or an equivalent aerobic activity, five days a week.”

There you go. Proof that you don’t have to be an Olympic athlete in order to benefit from exercise. All it takes is a brisk walk each day.