Learn How Walking Mindfully Can Improve Your Health

depressionDr. Michelle Kmiec – Walking, like breathing is something we do every day and is easy to take for granted. That is until something happens that hinders this ability. And that is what happened to me.

When I became sick with the symptoms of multiple sclerosis, walking indeed became a challenge. Going from a person who could easily jog up a mountain to one who could barely walk 50 feet was not only physically draining, but mentally as well. Continue reading

The Amazing Power Of Walking

Ben Hirshberg – Sometimes the best solutions are the most simple. This appears to be the case with walking, arguably the simplest form of exercise. Walking is gentle on the body and takes no special equipment to perform, making it also a very accessible way to exercise. There has been quite a bit of research done on the effectiveness of walking and the results are staggering.

Decreased pain and disability

Walking appears to make the body stronger and more resilient in addition to being therapeutic. When people suffering from knee arthritis walked for only three hours a week, their pain and disability went down by nearly half. Walking for only four hours per week decreased the risk of hip fracture in post-menopausal women by over 40 percent.

Walking and mental health

Though physical activity and mental health are not always put in the same breath, walking also appears to have a significant impact on our happiness levels. In one study, nearly a third of the depressed patients reported feeling better after only a small dose of walking. When that small dose was increased, the number of depressed patients who were feeling better jumped to about half. Similarly, walking has been shown to reduce anxiety in about half of all patients who implement it into their routine.

Decreased illness and disease

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