Walking your way to good health
No doubt you are thinking that the days, weeks and months are currently merging into one now we are currently in lockdown, so you may well not realise that May is actually ‘National Walking Month’. What good is a national walking month, I hear you cry, when we are currently rather restricted in where we can go and walk?!
Although this is
true, it is also true that, now more than ever, we should keep moving and
walking, even if just in our gardens, round the block or up the stairs. Walking
is one of the best forms of exercise and is generally easy for most people to
do. Even better, it’s totally free, no expensive membership required. Just 30 minutes walking every day can increase
cardiovascular fitness, reduce excess body fat, and strengthen bones and
muscles, all of which are vital at any age. Although it is difficult and
restricted right now to get out and about as we are used to doing, we still
need to try and make the best of a bad situation and one way of doing this is
by ensuring we try and maintain not just our physical health, but our mental
health too and walking is great for both.
Much
research over the years has proven time and time again that walking in all
different environments, whether rural or urban, can improve mental wellness for
most people, but especially those who already do suffer with mental health
problems. One large report done in the USA in 2018 concluded that walking is
associated with improved mental health as well as neurological health including
lower incidence of depression, reduced risk of dementia, improved sleep quality
as well as lower anxiety levels, the latter being something we could probably
all do with right now!
For
those of you who live in the countryside or with plenty of greenery around you,
or even just the greenery of your garden, this is likely to have an added
benefit with studies showing that walking in green spaces is even better for
mental health. So, if safe to do so during this time of isolation, making the
most of these green open spaces is an excellent way of keeping well during this
difficult period.
Motivational
levels amongst many people can be struggle at the best of times, add
coronavirus and lockdown into the mix and that’s a real recipe for motivation
levels to plummet. Walking is a good way of trying to increase your motivation
levels and this will work best if you set yourself realistic goals, set a
target and/or set yourself a specific challenge. For example you could set
yourself a specific number of steps you want to achieve on your walk and aim
for that (if you don’t have a step
counter there are many step counter apps you can download on your phone), you
could think of a journey you have always wanted to do or a mountain you have
always wanted to climb and walk the distance of that route, whether it be up
the stairs, round the garden or up the driveway. Make the goal personal to you,
and you are more likely to see it through to the end.
If
moving more and walking is something a little bit alien to you, your body may
initially resent you for forcing it to do more work, but worry not as certain
foods can help keep you a little more supple if you decide to partake in
National Walking month. One such food is olives and olive oil. Both these
contain oleocanthal, a powerful antioxidant that prevents the production of
pro-inflammatory enzymes in the body and therefore reduces inflammation. In
fact, Oleocanthal has a very similar action to the prescribed drugs called
NSAIDs (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), which are used widely in the
treatment of arthritis. Research has
shown that just three and half teaspoons of olive oil is roughly the equivalent
to a 200mg Ibuprofen tablet, but with this amount of olive oil equating to 400
calories, it’s not advisable to be consuming large amounts unless you plan to
do a LOT more walking!!
Oily fish is
perhaps one of the best anti-inflammatory foods available, with its healthy
content of Omega 3 fatty acids. The reason why Omega-3 fatty acids are
so fantastic at reducing inflammation is because they help inhibit the
inflammatory response on a cellular level, and thus can help stop inflammation
developing. It has been shown to reduce joint swelling and reduce pain levels,
especially in those people with arthritis. Oily fish includes salmon, herring,
mackerel, anchovies and sardines and you should aim to consume 2 portions a
week. Why not add salmon to a risotto, anchovies to your pizza or simply
sardines on toast, all of which will healthily boost your omega 3 fatty acid
levels and help keep your joints healthy whilst walking.
We know the physical act of walking helps improve bone strength
and also improves the endurance and strength of muscles too, both of which
become increasingly important as we age. It’s also therefore important to
ensure we boost bone and muscle health even more by consuming foods high in
calcium and vitamin D, such as dairy products or fortified dairy alternatives.
If you
want to try and boost your walking power and perhaps put on a bit of a spurt,
then consider adding beetroot to your menu. Beetroot and
beetroot juice, have been shown in many studies to help boost sport performance
and help in your exercise recovery. Why is this? The simplified explanation is
that beetroots contain nitric oxide, which causes the body’s blood vessels to
widen and dilate, resulting in increased blood flow through the body. Increased
blood flow, means increased oxygen to muscles and tissues, which of course is
in high demand during exercise, including walking. The dilating effect that
beetroots have on blood vessels is also the reason why beetroot has been shown
to lower blood pressure, so it can be very helpful for those suffering
hypertension too. Walking itself is an excellent gentle form of exercise anyway
and has been show in itself to be very helpful for reducing blood pressure over
time. If you add beetroot to the mix too you will be power walking before you
know it.
With many people not able to work at the
moment and perhaps struggling to find things to fill their time while at home,
why not use National Walking Month as a focus and starting point to improve
your health and wellbeing. If you are looking for further motivation, I think
perhaps one of the greatest inspirations of very recent times, who helps
epitomise just what can be done in terms of walking in this period of lockdown
and uncertainty, is Captain Tom Moore who spent much of April walking lengths
of his garden, to raise millions of pounds for the NHS. An achievement at any
age, but especially at almost 100. If that doesn’t inspire you to get walking
then not much will, so dig out those walking shoes and start walking yourself
well.
RESOURCES:
·
The restorative benefits of
walking in urban and rural settings in adults with good and poor mental health,
2011. Health and Place
·
The
mental and physical health outcomes of green exercise, 2005. International
Journal of Environmental Health Research
·
Psychological
Benefits of Walking: Moderation by Company and Outdoor Environment, 2011.
Applied Psychology: An International Review