Want to build your health span and live longer? There's one simple thing you can do that may be more effective than almost anything else — and most of us overlook it completely: Walking.

Sounds too simple to be true? That may be, but the research evidence behind it is one of the most extensive in longevity research. Consider just this small sampling of studies:

• Just 11 minutes of brisk walking a day can lower your risk of premature death by nearly 25 percent, along with meaningful drops in heart disease and cancer risk.
• Walk three to four miles daily, and your odds of a heart attack or stroke fall by 40 to 50 percent compared to walking just one mile.
• Reach 7,000 steps a day, and you may be up to 70 percent less likely to die prematurely than someone who falls short.
• Even small increases in walking speed have been shown to meaningfully boost physical function — proof that it's never too late to start moving a little faster.
• And the payoff reaches your brain, too: people who walk significantly faster than their peers as they age show markedly lower rates of cognitive decline and healthier brain structure.