Can you walk your way to better health? Is taking your dog for a walk every day good for your health?
Walking for Heart Health
According to an article in NPR,even moderate-intensity walking can be as effective as running in terms of reducing one’s risk for high blood pressure, heart disease and type 2 diabetes. So many people think exercise has to be going to the gym, jogging, participating in a sport like basketball. All these are great activities but going for a walk also has health benefits. The American Heart Association notes, “walking is one of the simplest ways to get active and stay active”. The organization recommends 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise like walking. But it doesn’t have to be done all at once. No time for a long walk, then “even 10-minute activity sessions can be added up over the week”.
The President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition has some suggestions for adding more steps to your day
- Walk and Talk with a friend – instead of instant messaging or a phone call to keep up with friends, go for a walk together. My daughter has a friend that she walks with each week to catch up and to get in a good walk.
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| Walk With A Friend |
- Park Far Away – my car is always parked far from the entrance. A former student stopped me recently and asked me, “Guess where I parked?” I looked puzzled and he said, “Far away from the door. You taught us to park far away.”
- Walk At Your Kid’s Sporting Event – As your son or daughter is playing soccer, baseball, walk up and down the field and get some steps in.
- Get Off the Bus or Subway Early – Walk the last few blocks to your destination
- Take a Walk Break Instead of a Coffee Break – take a few minutes to walk outside – take your coffee or bottled water with you.
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| Take a Walk Break |
- Walk the Golf Course Instead Of Using A Cart – walk instead of ride.
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| Walk the Golf Course |
Take your dog for a walk to improve your health
Have a dog? Taking that dog for a walk not only can improve your dog’s health but also your physical and mental health.
- Older adults who take their dog for a walk every day, walk about 22 minutes more a day than those who don’t take a dog on a daily outing. According to a study done in Scotland. And those who were walking a dog, usually kept a pretty good pace and walked briskly. This helped get their heart rate up.
- Boosting Your Mental Health – according to Psychology Today, being outdoors, especially in parks or on trails, can boost your mood. According to Linda Andrews, “..by taking your dog for a walk, you may be boosting your own health and happiness.”
- Walking Your Dog Gets You Outside: You get more fresh air and sun. Along with sun comes vitamin D. So many Americans are low in “D”. If more Americans took their dogs for a walk every day, they would get more vitamin D in their day.
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| Ziggy enjoying the sun |
Now that cooler weather is here, it is a great time to go for a walk. And if you have a dog, the whole family can take the dog for a walk each day.
Sources: NPR,American Heart Association, President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, 22 minutes, Psychology Today Image Source: Walking
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