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I used to ride the bus to school along the coast of my hometown in Qingdao, China. I was always inspired to see the nearly century old grandmas and grandpas strolling for miles along the beach every morning. Goals! That's when I caught on that the deceptively simple act of walking must have underestimated benefits to our overall health. And it doesn't take much fact-checking to back up this hypothesis...
A study of 90 urban areas proved the direct correlation with people's happiness, and their access to walking in nature.
The risk of dementia was lowered by 51% by walking 5 miles a day. Vitamin D helps to regulate NGF (nerve growth factor), which maintains neuron production and protection.
Depression can be decreased by 26% with just 15 minutes of activity each day.
There is a reason why at the end of a day at the beach you feel so happy and tired. Basking in sunlight and keeping active enhances our production of serotonin, which is the body's feel-good hormone. The body's stress response to sunlight hitting it's skin is to produce serotonin. Did you know that serotonin is also stored during the day as the precursor to the production of the sleep hormone, melatonin? Sun shining through your eyes signals your pineal gland to stop the production of melatonin. This means that melatonin will resume production sooner when the sun goes down, and tell your body that it is time to sleep earlier. For this reason, it's beneficial to spend 15 to 30 minute intervals taking in the direct light without your sunglasses--your brain can tell the difference! Another benefit of sunlight is that the absorption causes cholesterol in the skin to produce vitamin D. 40% of Americans are deficient in vitamin D, which is incredibly unfortunate because it boosts the immune system, decreases inflammation, and helps us regulate our nervous system. Vitamin D is also necessary for synthesizing calcium, which is essential for maintaining bone, muscle and nerve health. These are merely the benefits of sitting back and basking in the sun!
Movement is essential for maintaining homeostasis! Our body's lymphatic and circulatory system are pumped along by the simple act of moving. This is particularly important for the lymphatic system--which removes toxins and impurities from the body-- because this system does not have a master organ conducting its movement. Additionally, the lymphatic system is our immunity against illness. Movement prompts the generation of cellular armies that fight inflammation and germs, including T cells and white blood cells. Two other major body systems that are strengthened by regularly walking, are the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. In 2023, the CDC ranks heart disease as the leading cause of death! Daily strengthening the heart and lungs will ward off common diseases like hypertension, high blood pressure, strokes, high cholesterol, asthma, and pneumonia. Just like driving a car is necessary for maintaining a healthy battery life, human homeostasis requires movement!
Moving your body releases both physical and emotional tension. The endorphins produced from movement actually inhibit the production of stress hormones--cortisol and adrenaline. Walking can relieve physical pain as well by releases dopamine. Dopamine can bind to the reward receptor of your brain and block the nociceptors from receiving pain signals. Another effect of dopamine is that it makes you want to repeat the activity, like craving to take a walk again tomorrow morning. So, I encourage you to take a walk tomorrow morning--a mindful walk. Mindfulness does not mean that you have to sit alone in a room with no stimuli, rather it means you are fully focused in the moment. Be fully present as you check in with your mind, body and emotions. Illuminate each of your senses as you absorb the environment around you. Focus on a set intention for your walk, repeat an uplifting mantra, or list the things you are grateful for. The mind-body connection is powerful, so use all of this new knowledge to visualize each step strengthening your entire being!
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