I have been a walker all of my life. I used to walk to school, walk to town, walk to work, and walk for pleasure. I was never an athlete, never a jogger, never an exercise fanatic, but I have enjoyed walking since I was young. If I can attribute my reasonably good health as an octogenarian to any single reason, my lifetime of walking has to be it.
Much of my decision to walk was because there was no other good alternative. I never owned a bike so my options were limited. Later, especially when I travelled, I loved to explore on foot. Bus tours are great and flying is convenient, but there is no substitute for wandering colourful back streets, climbing castle ramparts or strolling along a beach on foot. Little did I realize the many benefits that are attributed to walking.
An internet search revealed all of the following benefits of walking: it doesn't cost anything, you can walk anytime, it promotes weight loss,
it reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, increases life span, can provide for socializing opportunities, can reduce the risk of heart problems, decreases the risk of obesity, can reduce sugar cravings, improves immunity, reduces the risk of breast cancer, can reduce anxiety and depression, can alleviate arthritis pain, will help lower blood pressure, can assist digestion and finally walking will help improve sleeping patterns. Maybe the biggest benefit of walking is that you don't even need to think of any of the above perks and you will still be granted them. It's a no brainer!
As I grow older there are days when my daily social calendar or list of jobs are both empty and I find myself at a loss of what to do. Whenever I get that feeling, I stop and put on my shoes, and go for a walk out our back door into Edworthy Park. Going for a walk is my default setting when I don't know what to do with myself. Can you think of a better option?
The expression that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, could easily be replaced with my personal favourite, a regular walk each day also keeps the doctor away! (or perhaps at bay!)
OK, Ken... Can you remember your 5 favourite walks? Someone got me started talking about Istanbul today and I described the walk from Sultanahmet, across the Golden Horn Bridge, up the Tunel, up Istiklal Cadessi, down the hill to Dolmabache Palace and along to Ortakoy.
ReplyDeleteBut the walk from Ortakoy to Bebek is more scenic.
I had a favourite walk in Moscow... from Red Square through the Tretyakov area out to Oktyabraskaya Ploschad.
Mind you, the walk around the Rhododendron Forests in Nepal was quite a lot of fun, despite it nearly killing me from exhaustion.
Favourite walk? To home after school in the winter when I was in primary school.