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Loading...Walking Your Way to a Healthier Mind, Body, and Soul
- Ann Pietrangelo
- April 5, 2010
- 1:05 pm
- 476 comments
You can walk the dog, walk with the kids, or just take a stroll by yourself. However you do it, walking is good for the mind, body, and soul, and here’s why:
- Walking helps you manage your weight, lowering your risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
- It is a gentle, low-impact exercise and easy on the joints.
- Walking improves circulation; increases your energy level; improves sleep, mood, and sense of well-being.
- It is free. You don’t need a health club membership or special equipment. A good pair of walking shoes will do the trick.
- Walking with family, friends, or neighbors can be a social outlet.
- You don’t have to go anywhere in particular, although that’s certainly efficient; it is more about the journey.
- It is a good way to calm and declutter your mind. It will get you out of the house and into the great outdoors, where you can let your thoughts roam freely. (Turn off that cell phone!)
It is common knowledge that exercise is important to human beings, but most of us either can’t manage to squeeze it in to our busy day or invent excuses not to do so. I’m no exception. I am often sidelined by symptoms of multiple sclerosis and am much too slow to take advantage of the rebound.
If you have physical symptoms that make a long walk impossible or inadvisable, perhaps you can substitute with a stroll around your own backyard. Experts say that 30 minutes of exercise a day is ideal, but if you can’t, how about a five-minute walk? If it is not enough to get the physical benefits of a full workout, you’ll still feel better about yourself for putting in the effort, and you might be able to gradually lengthen your walks and quicken your pace.
When the weather isn’t cooperating and I feel the need to get moving, I’ve got my ace in the hole — WiiFit Plus. Full disclosure here… I am not affiliated in any way with WiiFit and stand to gain nothing by mentioning the product. Nevertheless, it has proven to be an effective tool in my fitness plan.
The WiiFit includes some simple games of balance and low-impact movement. My favorite is the island bicycling game. It is called bicycling, but walking in place is how you create the movement. Some days, it is almost impossible to get a handle on MS symptoms. How far can you walk before your legs stop cooperating? That unknown can stop you from heading out on the walk in the first place. Not so with the WiiFit; you can plunge right in and quit whenever the time is right. I find that 30 minutes go by very quickly, with the same physical and mind clearing benefits of walking outdoors.
Walk. Walk somewhere. Walk nowhere. Be creative. If you are physically able, you owe it to yourself to use those marvelous legs to walk your way to a healthier body, mind, and spirit… one step at a time.
Read more: Blogs, Conditions, Fitness, General Health, Health, Living with MS, Mental Wellness, Multiple Sclerosis, Natural Remedies, exercise, walking, WiiFit Plus
Ann Pietrangelo
Ann Pietrangelo is the author of No More Secs! Living, Laughing & Loving Despite Multiple Sclerosis. She is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors and a regular contributor to Care2 Healthy & Green Living and Care2 Causes. Follow on Twitter @AnnPietrangelo
Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may
not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.
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Interesting, Ioana B mentions that she is sure that bugs are not on this world for us to eat them an…
476 comments
+ add your ownI brought a WiFit for that very reason, I have some major health issues and althought I love going walking, there are many times I found although a low impact on your joints when your joints are swollen and your finding it hard due to a heart problem, going out walking can be difficult, but you can go on the wii and you do what you can, at least exercising as little or as much and being at home to rest gives you other options.
Best of all, it does not cost anything to go on a delightful walk especially when Spring is in the air and one can walk by the river or go to a rural area and have a scenic walk in a lovely forested area.
Tx. Walking sounds good.
Good reminder. Thank you.
Best way to clear your mind and mood.
thanks, dogs really help and you meet nice people on the way
Thanks for sharing.
Not that it stands for much, but I can say from personal experience that this is completely right! I'm a student hoping to get into writing in the future, and whenever I'm stuck there's absolutely nothing better for me than going for a walk. Sunny weather is better, but even in the freezing cold or the rain is good for me. Just anything where you can get out, not feel shut in or constrained, and just clear your head for a bit. The only bad part is that by the end of the walk I've often forgot all the ideas I had when I was out! Taking notes while on the move is quite hard :)
i have noticed that since i have been thinking about being healthier i always remind myself that daily walking is very important. it helps for mind and your body. i love walks in fresh air in woods near my home, it just clears my mind from bad thoughts....
Weight loss and walking go hand in hand. For some people, it's more enjoyable. They prefer doing it because anyway, they still lose weight walking.
So why run?
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