One of my health goals this year is to walk every day. Walking is the simplest thing to do, and it can be done anywhere. You can even track your progress with an app. I use the health app on my iPhone which automatically counts my steps:
I walk at least 20-30 minutes and try to hit 5,000 steps daily. Hopefully, in six months, I will increase my step count to 10,000 steps a day.
Studies show that we need to move and walk more.
Rene Onque wrote about the benefits of walking, “Maintaining a certain frequency, taking a specified number of steps, and keeping up with a particular pace can all be helpful in lowering your risk of dementia, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and even premature death.”
She cited that for every 2,000 steps, the risk of heart disease, cancer, and premature death decreases by 10%. A 25% lower risk for those who walk about 3,800 steps daily. A little under 10,000 steps a day (9,800) can drop the risk of dementia by 50%.
Do wear the right gear, like comfortable rubber shoes. Start slow and with a simple goal, like a 10-minute walk during lunch break or when you get home from work, and once it becomes a habit, increase your time to a 15-minute walk.
Here are Mayo Clinic’s five tips for walking with good posture and purposeful movement:
1. Your head is up. You’re looking forward, not at the ground.
2. Your neck, shoulders, and back are relaxed, not stiffly upright.
3. You’re swinging your arms freely with a slight bend in your elbows. A little pumping with your arms is OK.
4. Your stomach muscles are slightly tightened, and your back is straight, not arched forward or backward.
5. You’re walking smoothly, rolling your foot from heel to toe.
I usually combine my walking with metta bhavana to become like a walking meditation. ‘Metta’ means positive energy and kindness toward others. The meditation uses repeated phrases:May I be filled with loving-kindness, May I be well, May I be peaceful and at ease, May I be happy.
What healthy habits and goals are you cultivating this year? What self-care practices are you hoping to create as you do them?
In loving service,
Rosan
