In fact, you can get your blood pumping and your heart beating, plus clear the cobwebs out of your brain, by taking brisk 30-minute, or longer one-hour, hikes through a park. According to the American Hiking Society, consider these benefits:
• Losing weight. Hiking is an excellent way to win the battle of the bulge. In 2001, the U.S. Surgeon General recommended that communities create walking trails, among other things to encourage physical activity and battle growing obesity.
When hiking a comfortable two miles an hour, a person weighing 150 pounds will burn 240 calories in one hour.
• Thwarting heart disease. More than 40 studies by the federal government’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that you can reduce your chances of heart problems significantly by exercising. Hiking also can help you decrease cholesterol levels, a common cause of heart disease, and raise HDL “good” cholesterol, which helps flush “bad” cholesterol out of your arteries.
• Decreasing high blood pressure. Regular exercise can lower your blood pressure by an average of 10 points – and the same research shows the activity doesn’t have to be overly strenuous to get good results. For instance, people in one study walked, rode a bike, jogged or performed a combination of each, for 30 minutes, four times a week.
• Boosting your mental health. Getting out in the bright sunshine and hiking in beautiful surroundings may be just the ticket if you’re depressed, stressed or just upset over some events in your life. What’s more, walking causes the release of calming brain chemicals called endorphins, which are natural tranquilizers.
Also, walking releases adrenaline, produced by the body to cope with real or perceived danger. If the adrenaline isn’t released from the body, it accumulates, causing muscle tension and feelings of anxiety, health experts say.
• Slowing the aging process. Research shows that what we once accepted as a natural part of growing older, a decline in physical activity and strength, does not have to accompany aging. In fact, the American Journal of Public Health reported that middle-aged men who exercised regularly and moderately lost only 13 percent of their aerobic power, compared to 41 percent of the men who didn’t.
• Preventing osteoporosis. Hiking and walking help reverse the negative effects of osteoporosis by increasing the bone density and slowing the rate of calcium loss, thus strengthening the bones and decreasing their susceptibility to break.
• Improving the quality of air we breathe. Think of all the air pollution that comes from the vehicles we drive. Then think about all of the lung disease, respiratory tract infections, asthma and other conditions pollution causes. Walking can replace short-distance motor-vehicle trips, which are the least fuel-efficient and generate the most pollution per mile traveled.
A family that walks two miles a day instead of driving will, in one year, prevent 730 pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.
• Preventing or controlling diabetes. For people with Type I, or “insulin-dependent,” diabetes, walking and hiking can reduce the amount of insulin they need. Folks with Type 2 diabetes—the most common form of the disease—can actually reverse the course of the diabetes through diet, exercise and weight loss.
• Improving arthritis. Many people’s response to arthritis pain is to stop or decrease use of their joints, but lack of movement can actually compound the problem. Once properly diagnosed and treated, most people with arthritis can benefit from regular exercise. Recent research suggests that walking may be the best exercise because of the way the activity strengthens muscles, especially in the legs.
• Relieving back pain. Walking allows you to work out without subjecting your back to the repeated impact produced by jogging or aerobic dance, and puts less strain on the lower spine. But talk to a doctor first to make sure your back problems aren’t aggravated by walking.
• Building healthy habits for life. Each time you get outside and walk, as long as you stay within your capabilities, you will come home feeling better than you did when you left. Your body will feel better, your head clearer, your stress decreased. In fact, you’ll feel so good when you get home that you’ll want to go hiking again, which may lead you to eat more healthy foods – and continue the habits throughout your life.
Nubella News, a division of Marketing Technology Solutions, Inc., offers content intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We encourage our readers to seek prompt medical care for health issues and consult their physicians before starting a new diet, fitness regimen, or medical treatment.
We know that regular exercise can improve our overall health and possibly lengthen our life, and keeping active doesn’t have to involve long, painful, boring workouts.
