Often, we engage in multiple activities during the day that we often forget about exercising and our health. This in turn leads to multiple health conditions later in life. As the saying goes, “prevention is better than cure “, hence the need to adapt to healthier and more productive lifestyle.
A very important stage in man's evolution is when he could stand upright. This is the joy of parents, seeing their kids take their first steps. The evolution led to brain developments and man has challenged and pushed themselves to the limit. We have witnessed marathons, walk races, and charity walks that have stretched over continents.
Walking is a low-impact exercise, low cost, and one of the most effective forms of exercise. It can easily be done for longer durations and is highly recommended by health professionals. Walking accommodates people with ankle, back, and knee-related issues where high-impact exercise such as running would aggravate the situation.
It offers numerous health benefits: improving your cardiac health through improved blood circulation, reducing body fat, strengthening the bones and joints, improving mental health through alleviating depression and fatigue, improving the mood, the posture. The list is endless.
Challenges to partake to make walking worthwhile:
Set goals of the steps to take every day. A pedometer is a useful tool that would tell you of the steps covered and whether you’ve achieved your goal. This would motivate you to increase the steps daily.
Waking a dog would not only improve your health but that of the dog, it will force you to leave your comfort zone and would be a good companion for the walk.
Children enjoy nature and socializing with others, fostering a good environment where they can grow healthy. Through nature walks. They would get to learn more about the world around them.
Some Important safety points:
In case of any health concerns, always consult a doctor before undertaking any exercise.
Ensure people you trust know where you are going and the path you will take there.
Always have emergency contact numbers.
Walking is a "free sport", and I would encourage everyone to participate.