Incredible medicine for aging well: Walking!

Another great health benefit of daily walks is that it helps your body to build collateral arteries if your own get blocked. Collateral arteries, unlike the arteries we were born with, do not get plaque in them, and they can supply our bodies with all the blood and oxygen needed. Each one of those steps you were talking about build veins from the feet that push up your legs and supply blood to the heart. Major benefit of walking. It can also put us back in touch with nature and allow us to take the time to relax with and notice the natural beauty of the areas surrounding us and the skies above us.

Regular walking and other aerobic exercises also creates a dense network of blood vessels throughout the body. What this means is oxygen saturation to all parts of the body. Aerobic exercise has profound medicinal properties, both seen and unseen. I know this to be true as I have walked thousands of miles over may years. The first thing you might notice when you walk an hour a day is that sleep is of better quality.

Might I suggest the book that started the aerobics revolution? It is titled "Aerobics" by Dr. Kenneth Cooper, the 1968 version, which I believe can be read online for free. Or you can buy a used book cheap. This book is life changing in very easy to understand language. This magnificent book changed the world. In fact in diverse countries throughout the world engaging in the simple but highly effective aerobics program Dr. Cooper developed is called "Coopering".

shiver, I agree 100% with everything you said! Yes....more people need to start walking! They'll be glad they did!

Hi Cindisue,
Those that can walk don't realize how blessed they are to be able to do so, and all the abundant offerings Mother Nature surprises one with along the way brings additional blessings each day. We only have to look around to see them, and they are ever-changing, so how can we be bored while walking?

Hi Sharon, I never take walking for granted! And yes... love all the nature and wildlife out there as well! You can't beat it! I recently had a total left hip replacement, which turned out fantastic.... but for 10 months before that, I had severe pain with walking somedays..... so went into a depression not being able to do what I love. . Luckily for me, I had a great surgeon and the surgery went very well.....with a short recovery time! And I'm walking again and really really loving it! So yes, I'm very blessed to be able to walk and be out there in nature. ❤

Yes, walking is the miracle of life. As a young person, we take it for granted but as an older person, we need to take advantage of this important activity. I have a number of spine issues limiting my outdoor walking. However, I discovered warm water pool walking ten years ago. At first I joined a pool class for arthritis exercise, graduated to an aerobics water class, and five years later have joined a park district that offers a warm water wellness pool where I walk and exercise 3 times weekly for one hour each visit. Due to my severe allergies, I can’t walk in nature, but enjoy walking in stores that have carts to help me walk for an hour each day. Many times, I do both the pool and store walking in the same day. I’m 78 years old and feel great after walking. Enjoy exploring walking opportunities available to you!

Well said CRN. I have some allergies that challenge my efforts to enjoy the out-of-doors, especially Spring and Fall, but I do forget when writing things down that some have many more allergy issues then I do.
Thanks for telling everyone about the alternatives that do work for the challenges that you face. That's what I come to this site for is to find what has worked for others with similar issues or circumstances.

We are a small town. No pool or community resource available here. And beyond that, I am on peritoneal dialysis and cannot spend time in a pool like you do.

So glad you have found a method for you! I like perusing stores when a shopping is needed, using a cart to help stabilize me. But whenever my energy permits, and weather cooperates, a walk outside refuels me like nothing else can.
Ginger

We certainly all need to do whatever is possible for our own situation. During covid, I walked at least one mile a day in my condo - not the hallways which don’t have any windows, but within my own unit. Moving any obstructions that might slow me down was necessary but it worked for me.

Are you kidding that’s a huge win for you. Thank you for sharing this. I am not walking nearly enough. My issue is spinal stenosis however, I’m being plain lazy… It’s good for me even if it is only 30 min. Shame on me for not making an honest effort!