| Come Walk with the Doc Over less than a century ago we began abandoning one of our most basic human needs in favor of quicker and faster. Today we see the consequences and understand that walking is an important part of good health and happiness. Expect to hear more in the news as research continues to connect the science behind walking and health. Already the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends 30 minutes of physical activity a day for adults. While perhaps not the perfect exercise for everyone, walking leads the list of great ways to get started. The pleasure walking can bring is highlighted in “Happy”, a music video, by singer Pharrell Williams. The video is a celebration of life on foot with people strutting, stepping, striding and sashaying. Watch it. Don’t be surprised if you begin to imagine yourself doing a few cartwheels and jumping jacks. Last time I checked, the video had been viewed more than 800 million times. Walking is as much about our mental health as our physical well being. In studies, a brisk 30-minute walk three times a week was just as effective as antidepressant medication in relieving the symptoms of depression. Plan to join me on Saturday for a fun activity that’s a step toward better health. Nancy Neighbors, MD Huntsville, Alabama Did you know? • Walking one mile a day burns 100 calories. You could lose ten pounds in a year without changing your eating habits • By adding 2,000 more steps a day to your regular activities, you may never gain another pound. • In general, you need a minimum of 6,000 steps a day to improve your health, and 10,000 to lose weight • And, walking helps with over 100 health issues • Walking increases the blood flow to the brain. A 1999 study of people over 60 found that walking 45 minutes a day at a 16-minute mile pace increased their thinking skills. • A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine last year showed that older women who walked regularly were less likely to develop memory loss and other declines in mental function than women who were less active. Those who walked 18 miles or more per week fared best. In a study of Amish adults it was found that men take an average of 18,425 steps a day and women take 14,196. Compare that to about 4,000 steps for the average American adult and it is easy to see why only 4% of Amish adults are overweight, versus 31% of the general population • Transportation surveys show that about 40% of all car trips are less than 2 miles in length. For many that’s a lost exercise opportunity that could have become a 10-minute bike ride or a health building 40- minute walk. As a bonus, avoiding just 10 miles of driving every week would eliminate 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year. |