The more you walk, the greater the benefits. A major study, published this past March in JAMA, found that the more steps participants over age 40 took, the lower their mortality risk from all causes. When you become fit later in life, you cut the risk of having a potentially deadly stroke in half.

Researchers have found that regular aerobic exercise appears to increase the size of your hippocampus, the region of the brain responsible for memory. A University of Maryland study of people ages 55 to 85, for instance, showed that a single session of exercise increased activation in the brain circuits associated with memory.

Walking can help you stick to your diet. In a study published in the journal Appetite, stressed-out office workers ate only half as much chocolate as they normally did, after taking a break for a 15-minute walk.

Moderate walking is good for your eyes. Exercise is believed to decrease your risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. All of these symptoms can contribute to cataracts. Cardio can lower the intraocular pressure (the pressure in your eyes), which can cause distortions in the retina, lens, and cornea which affect your vision. Activity increases the blood flow to the optic nerve in the retina.

Taking a mindful walk is good for calming your mind and fighting off depression. Use your senses to concentrate on what is going on around you. Listen to the birds singing or the leaves rustling. Feel the warm sunshine on your skin and fill your lungs with fresh air. Let your worries go and create a new perspective.