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Walking
is Powerful Medicine
Visit
Runner's World Online
We inspire and enable people to improve their
lives and the world around them Whether
you're just starting a walking program or you're already a regular walker, your
health likely played a role in your decision to get fit. Maybe you want to lose
a few pounds or protect your heart from disease or keep your bones strong and
your joints limber. Walking can do all this and more.
But when we
talk about walking for health, we must look beyond the physical benefits. After
all, health is a rich fabric spun from physical, mental, emotional, and
spiritual threads. If one of these threads becomes frayed for any reason, it
can weaken the entire fabric. What you eat, how much you sleep, how you handle
your personal and professional relationships, how you view the world and your
place in it -- all of these things influence whether or not you feel vital and
strong. They also have a real impact on your body.
The same can be
said of walking. It supports health in every sense -- physically, mentally,
emotionally, and spiritually. It enriches and balances your life. And it just
plain makes you feel good. No wonder the Greek physician Hippocrates deemed
walking to be "man's best medicine."
Boosting Immunity, One Step at a Time
To get
a complete picture of how walking supports good health, you must start at the
cellular level. A daily walk keeps certain cells -- your immune cells -- tuned
up for action, ready to whip viruses and battle bacteria. In fact, some experts
believe that walking may be one of your best weapons for fighting off infection
and disease and getting on the road to recovery fast.
Strong
statement? Maybe. But a number of studies have shown that a moderate walk not
only relieves the stress that may trigger or aggravate an illness but also
stimulates your immune system, your body's main defense against disease. In one
such study, a 45-minute walk (about 3 miles) increased the activity of certain
immune cells by about 57 percent. The cells' activity level returned to normal
about 3 hours after the walk.
Now researchers don't know for sure
whether walking can make you heal faster, but some studies suggest that people
who walk consistently develop fewer illnesses than people who are sedentary.
The fact that walking is a moderate activity may be key to its immune-enhancing
effects. Indeed, other studies show that long bouts of intense exercise -- like
an hour of pavement-pounding, heavy-breathing running -- can actually suppress
your immune system and make you more susceptible to infection.
This
brings up a question that I often hear from fellow walkers: When you're under
the weather, should you continue your walking program or take off a few days
until you feel better? One expert recommends this rule of thumb: If you have a
headache or runny nose, or if you're sneezing, you're okay to walk as long as
your temperature is normal. In cases of fever, sore throat, or coughing, you
should rest until your symptoms subside.
Even if you feel well enough
to continue walking, skip the marathons, races, and fun walks for the time
being -- unless you have your doctor's okay to participate.
Gaining Ground Against Cancer
If walking has
a beneficial effect on the immune system, then might it have some protective
effect against any type of cancer? The research so far seems promising.
In one study, laboratory rats were given a chemical that induces breast
cancer. Half of the rats were put in cages that allowed them free access to an
exercise wheel. The rats could run on the wheel any time they got the urge, and
they did so frequently. Compared with the rats that didn't have a wheel, those
that did developed one-third fewer cases of breast cancer. What's more, their
tumors appeared much later.
Exercise in general keeps cropping up as
a factor in cancer prevention and treatment. Scientists don't yet understand
how exercise might deter tumors, but they do know that people who work out
regularly seem to get cancer less often than those who don't.
For
instance, three separate population studies found that men with physically
demanding jobs, such as carpenters, plumbers, gardeners, and mail carriers, are
less prone to colon cancer than men who sit all day. In another study, Harvard
University researchers determined that men who engage in about an hour of
vigorous activity every day reduce their risk of prostate cancer by 47 to 88
percent. And researchers at the University of Iowa Cancer Center in Iowa City
found that women over age 65, a group that accounts for 50 percent of all
breast cancer cases, are less likely to get the disease if they exercise
moderately. In fact, the more active these women are, the lower their chances
of being diagnosed with breast cancer.
While no one can say for
certain that walking every day protects against all kinds of cancer, enough
evidence has been uncovered to persuade the American Cancer Society to
recommend regular exercise as one possible way to reduce your risk. And if you
or someone you know is receiving treatment for cancer, walking may be the
ticket to a steady recovery and the speedy return of strength and energy.
For example, walking may counteract the fatigue and weakness that are
associated with high-dose chemotherapy. Traditionally, patients have been told
to rest to recuperate from chemo. But extended bed rest leads to loss of muscle
strength and cardiovascular fitness, which only worsens fatigue and weakness --
so much so that they can linger for years after treatment. So a team of German
researchers tried a different approach: They encouraged patients to exercise
regularly after completing chemotherapy. People had not only more energy but
also a more positive attitude toward recovery.
The benefits of
exercise for cancer patients are psychological as well as physical. One study
of women being treated for breast cancer showed that their levels of depression
and anxiety dropped dramatically after 10 weeks of regular exercise -- 30 to 40
minutes, 4 days a week. This finding is especially encouraging because breast
cancer survivors face a significant risk of depression and anxiety.
What Else Can Walking Do for You?
To
be sure, scientists have only begun to scratch the surface in understanding the
benefits of exercise -- not only for fighting cancer and boosting immunity but
also for enhancing all aspects of human health. Interestingly, most studies of
exercise use walking as the activity of choice. And they have revealed some
extraordinary information about what this most fundamental of workouts can do.
- It supports weight loss and weight
maintenance.
- It reduces the risk of heart disease and
stroke.
- It fends off diabetes by improving the
body's ability to use insulin.
- It eases the pain and stiffness of
arthritis.
- It keeps bones strong, which prevents
osteoporosis.
- In women, it relieves premenstrual and
menopausal discomforts.
- It improves sleep.
- It builds strength, flexibility, and
stamina.
- It enhances mental function.
- It counteracts anger, depression, and
anxiety.
As you can see, you have a lot to gain
just from lacing up a pair of walking shoes and putting one foot in front of
the other. |
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