Walking is a widespread activity, and has become more popular over the last years. It is by far one of the simplest and most-effective form of exercise that has tremendous health benefits. Walking is easy to stick to, and you don’t need much gear other than a pair of good walking shoes and a rain jacket, and maybe a step-tracker which may help you stay motivated.
Walking has been essential to our evolution and survival.
Anthropologists estimate that our ancestors began to walk on two legs about 6 million years ago. Walking upright developed over a slow process of adaptation. Walking allowed our ancestors to move across landscapes with great efficiency. They were able to gather and carry food at the same time because of free mobile hands. It was the primary mode of moving goods and conducting trade over land. Walking upright also allowed for detecting potential predators and danger more easily. Walking has been an important part of our human evolution and our survival. Furthermore, we first colonized the planet by walking in small migratory groups – so walking was social. An African proverb reflects this reality: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
The conveniences of modern life led to a sedentary lifestyle.
Let’s fast forward to our time today. The emergence of industrialization, automobiles, electricity, urbanization – not to mention the use of digital technology and social media transformed our lives. Think of a person working from home at a computer who orders his groceries and dinners in, spends most of his leisure time interacting on social media, watching movies or playing video games. As much as this sounds like an extreme example, it has become ‘normal’ not to walk and move much during the day for many people. We live in a sedentary culture and it comes with many conveniences that make us walk and move very little. For instance, we don’t walk to markets for our food. Most people don’t pull their own carrots in the garden, and they don’t even cook their own meals. Walking and other forms of movement are not essential for our survival anymore. Besides, we have engineered an environment that doesn’t encourage movement and social interaction. In European cities, you can still find wide sidewalks and open squares for gathering; old cities are walkable. In North America and Canada however, we mostly live in car-centric cities with little or no paths for pedestrians (or bicycles).
We are designed to move.
We still carry almost the same genes than our ancestors. Our DNA has not changed that much in the last hundreds of years. To be in a healthy body means, we need to move our muscles and bones. Walking and any kind of movement affect every system of our body: breathing, heart function, hormones, digestion or nervous system. Our body functions as a whole, and our body systems work together like an orchestra. Regular movement supports all systems and makes the entire the body run smoothly. It is safe to say, movement is essential to the survival of our species.
A sedentary lifestyle makes us sick.
On the other hand, physical inactivity is closely associated with various chronic health conditions such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. (A second important factor is poor diet.) Lack of movement also contributes to a shortened lifespan and a lower quality of life. A sedentary lifestyle is now identified by the WHO (World Health Organization) as an independent risk factor to causing chronic disease and the fourth biggest cause of premature death globally.
Walking is a simple and effective way to support our health.
In order to keep our bodies healthy, we need to get back to moving. Walking is one of the best options. As Hippocrates, the physician of Ancient Greece and father of medicine, said “Walking is man’s best medicine.” He observed the health benefits of walking 450 years BC which is now verified by modern science. In fact, walking is one of the most scientifically researched human activities. A daily brisk walk can help you live a healthier life and prevent various chronic health conditions. Walking transforms stress and has wide-ranging health benefits including improved cardio-vascular health, better weight regulation, boosted immunity, better sleep, improved gut health and better bone strength. Science suggest that regular walking may even reverse ageing. Furthermore, walking affects our mental well-being. It can increase creativity and problem solving, lift our mood and protect us from depression. Walking in Nature reaps up the benefits as it significantly reduces stress levels and has a calming effect on the nervous system.
Trouble walking? Trouble getting started?
Reflexology and Alexander Technique (AT) help improve hip or knee pain, backache, or foot issues. They are also both known to connect better to oneself and one’s needs. I have seen many people change over the years as they recover from physical issues and get more motivated for an active and healthy lifestyle! AT helps you to increase body awareness, release unnecessary tension, create more ease in your body and get a spring in your step! Give it a try!
For any questions, please contact me heike@balanceartsstudio.com | 778.245.1750
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More on the benefits of walking:
Improved cardio-vascular health: Walking briskly increases your heart rate, improves circulation, lowers blood pressure and improve the health of your arteries. Arterial stiffness is a critical predictor for cardiovascular disease and stroke, and fortunately, walking helps to promote arterial flexibility. Research shows that people who walk fewer than 5,000 steps have stiffer arteries than those who take 7,500 steps a day.
Better weight regulation: Walking regulates the effect of weight-promoting genes. Havard scientist found out in a study that in participants who walked briskly for about an hour a day, the effects of those genes were cut in half: Regular walking helps to maintain a healthy weight. Increase your number of steps and gradually quicken your pace. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk to work and get up from your desk often.
Boosted Immunity: Walking is ideal to boost your immune system. Several studies have shown that walking at a brisk pace can increase the white blood cells in your blood which are your body's natural defense against germs and diseases. One study of thousand adults found that those who walked 30 minutes five times a week reported 43 % fewer sick days compared to those who were sedentary.
Improved gut health: Walking is good for your digestion as it helps to regulate your gut microbiome and optimizes metabolism. People who walk regularly have more regular bowel movements and are less likely to experience gas and bloating as compared to those who don’t. The rhythmic natural flow of your steps gently encourages a more harmonious peristaltic action of your digestive tract.
Better bone strength: Walking is a weight-bearing exercise, because they use the force of our muscles and gravity to put pressure on our bones. You can prevent bone loss with regular exercise such as walking. If you have osteoporosis or fragile bones, regular brisk walking can help to keep your bones strong and reduce the risk of a fracture in the future.
Improved emotional well-being: Walking regularly can help ease symptoms related to chronic mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. Studies show that even a small amount of movement can add up to support better mental health. However, walking 7,500 steps a day seems to be a critical number in regards to seriously reducing symptoms of depression.
Reversed ageing: Walking has an impact on our brains and affects learning, memory and cognition. Walking can also slow and even reverse the functional ageing of the brain. Recent studies show that walking increases blood flow through the brain and mobilizes plastic changes in the brain (neuroplasticity), strengthening it in ways similar to how muscles are strengthened.
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