You probably never really think about how much you walk. After all, it’s something you do every day. But taking some extra steps can boost your health in surprising ways.

What could be easier than putting one foot in front of the other? Walking isn’t just a way to get around, it’s the simplest form of exercise we can do – and it offers some amazing benefits.

Walking strengthens almost every major organ in the body, promotes bone density, boosts the immune system and can lower heart disease risk. But that’s not all. Here are five more ways walking can boost your health. Walking…

1 … lowers your diabetes risk
Taking a quick 15-minute walk after each meal can help control blood sugar. In fact, these mini-walks are shown to be more effective than one 45-minute stroll.

2 … wards off breast cancer
Some studies show that walking an hour a day can help postmenopausal women lower their risk for breast cancer by up to 14 percent.

3 … keeps weight in check
Harvard researchers found that women who walk an hour each day can keep their weight stable.

4 … trains your brain
Studies show that taking an outside stroll can improve your recall. Walking regularly has also been shown to increase the size of your hippocampus, the part of the brain that houses memory functions.

5 … curbs chocolate cravings
One study showed that a 15-minute walk helps women reduce cravings for chocolate. More than chocolate, another study found that putting one foot in front of the other helped participants break other bad habits like smoking.

While most of the above studies used different amounts of walking, there’s one simple guideline you can follow. To achieve the health benefits of a walking program, walk for 30 minutes, five times per week.

If you’re new to exercise, start small. For instance, walk for 10 minutes and then retrace your route. Too easy? Add five minutes the next day. Keep adding five minutes every week until you reach your desired walking time.