Incredible medicine for aging well: Walking!

Posted by robertwills @robertwills, Dec 3, 2024

I want to share something that I have practiced almost daily for many years and the difference it has made is astounding. It's simply walking for 1 hour a day! It is truly an incredible medicine. The benefits: for me have been

1. Relaxation
2. Better, deep sleep
3. Breaks up the day
4. Turns negative thoughts to positive
5. Balances appetite - I eat well, not to excess (like on days I don't walk) and gravitate to healthier foods for some reason
6. Perfect vitals like blood pressure. No health issues
7. Great muscle tome all over
8. Much more stamina
9. Look far younger than my age
10. Get fresh air
11. Sense of adventure
12. With the right shoes each foot strike feels wonderful
13. Just plain fun!
14. Potential to meet new people with the same mindset, if that's your thing]
15. Normal BMI (body mass index). Mine is about 21
16. No cost to get started but I recommend good walking shoes when you finally "get it". Good shoes add a whole other dimension
17. Many internal benefits that you are totally unaware of, such increased blood volume, more efficient oxygen transport, more pliable blood vessels. Keeps you healthy!

So there you are. I hope this encourages someone to at least try it out. Then when you get "into it" you can search for good walking shoes. Excellent ones can be found online for anywhere from $50 to $150. Stick with the major brands and only buy shoes made for walking. I will recommend the Brooks Omni Walker, as a start. Also excellent, the famous Brooks Addiction Walker. They got that name right!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Aging Well Support Group.

Scott R L | @scottrl | 5 days ago

In reply to @melc65 "Are you kidding that’s a huge win for you. Thank you for sharing this. I am..." + (show)

Thank you.
Maybe you'll find more inspiration on my YouTube channel about my recovery journey:
https://m.youtube.com/@srlucado/videos
Keep trying!

robertwills | @robertwills | 5 days ago

I didn't walk today due to ice! I felt surprisingly good. Maybe it's the fact I am giving myself a rest, which I believe is the other essential component to optimal aerobic conditioning. Not that I always take rest days when needed, mind you. Beware, walking can be very addictive. That's probably why they call the famous Brooks walking shoe the "Brooks Addiction Walker".

alive | @alive | 5 days ago

When I was recovering from AML and stem cell transplant, I walked around my house. I was living in Michigan at that time and it was in the middle of winter. I made sure that I had a good path between my furniture to comfortably walk for an hour or so. I listened to music or recorded books to keep me going. Of course, I would have loved to walk outdoors but the weather wasn’t permitting me, plus I was very unsteady on my feet then. That’s how I discovered that I can walk anywhere.

I now live in Arizona and love walking outside year round. But there are days when I am behind on reaching my goal for the day, so I walk while I heat my food in the microwave or when I brush my teeth. Every little bit counts!

Last year my average daily steps were at 8,287. This is the second year that I reached my daily goal. My app is now reminding me to keep up with my past accomplishments. Happy New Year and happy walking!

isadora2021 | @isadora2021 | 4 days ago

Love this post and all the comments.

Growing up I didn’t ever just go for a walk. I ran, a lot, as part of playing sport. I was still extremely fit in my 40’s during my career and never walked - I chose my run and had to complete it without stopping. Walking was a fail. I had to choose my route wisely!!

Then I got stage 4 cancer in my 50’s and everything changed. I had no energy to run. I had to walk. Yet I still needed a purpose - including walking to the shops for milk the longest most scenic route.

I now have 2 Labradoodle puppies who need daily walks. We love exploring far and wide together.

Walking has been wonderful, both during treatment and afterwards for all the reasons noted. I am also now part of the dog community in my neighbourhood I hadn’t thought about that benefit and that’s special too 🐾

Happy walking, howevee you do it! 😊♥️