Take a Walk
Take a Walk
You Don’t Have to Run Marathons to Stay Healthy
Physical activity is essential for healthy living. But you don’t have to run marathons or do other high-intensity activities to stay healthy. Walking is an excellent aerobic exercise with a host of benefits. And it’s low-impact and accessible, so it’s a great option for many people. The right walking routine can keep your mind sharp and your body healthy. From a better mood to more energy, you’ll find plenty of reasons to keep walking.
Walking offers rewards with every step. Hippocrates proclaimed that “walking is man’s best medicine.” The good doctor also knew that walking provided more than mere physical benefits when he suggested that “if you are in a bad mood, go for a walk. If you are still in a bad mood, go for another walk.” He was alluding to what so many who came after would attest, that walking not only nourishes the body but it also soothes the mind while it burns off tension and makes our troubles recede into a more manageable perspective. Walking has a way of lifting your spirits because it’s manageable and yet each step is earned and real.
It’s when I walk that I feel the most creative; it’s where I come up with so many of my ideas for articles. And I am not alone in this process. J.K. Rowling observed that there is “nothing like a nighttime stroll to give you ideas.” Even the resolutely pessimistic Friedrich Nietzsche stated that “all truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.”
Creativity and improving cognitive function are just a few of the many benefits walking provides. This approachable exercise that can help you maintain a healthy weight, boost energy, and enhance your sleep.
If you want to be more active in order to boost your heart health, walking is a great place to start since it has been proven to lower blood pressure, control your blood sugar, and reduce your risk of heart disease. And since walking is a low-impact exercise that’s easy on the joints, it can be a good option for people with arthritis, fibromyalgia, and other conditions that affect musculoskeletal health. It may even relieve aches and pains associated with these conditions.
With springtime offering more daylight and warmer temps, you can’t help but see how many folks who are already outside strolling the streets of their neighborhood sidewalks or hiking the local trails hoping to boost their fitness, sense of community and mental health. The benefits of walking are as endless as the miles there are to roam. So, what a perfect season to lace up, get outside, and take a walk!
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Kim Duke is a certified personal trainer and owner of Core Performance Fitness and Training, located at 55 Bristol Lane, Ellicottville, NY. Kim resides in Ellicottville where she raised her two sons, Zach and Nik. For more information about her studio, visit her Facebook (Core Performance Health and Fitness), Instagram (@cptcoreperformance) go to www.coreperformancefitness.com or call her directly at 716-698-1198.
