A No-Cost Miracle Medicine

by Jan Cullinane

What if I told you that there is a proven, ancient “medicine” with more than a dozen positive health benefits that is simple, enjoyable, and free; that most people are candidates for this medicine; and, you don’t swallow, inject, or inhale it? If this was the leading story for a news report, people would be clamoring for it. What is it you ask? It’s walking. And as little as 12 to 15 minutes a day can confer these benefits. Wherever you decide to live, be sure it’s conducive to walking.

Let’s see what this miraculous drug can do:

Boost Creativity: A Stanford University study found that creativity increased by 60% in those walking—either indoors or outdoors, for five to 16 minutes, compared to those sitting (for the creativity test, the subjects had to come up with alternative uses for an object). Happily, the increased creativity persisted for a time even after the walk. It’s not so surprising that Steve Jobs, founder of Apple, was famous for holding meetings while walking.

Live Longer: A brisk walk is better than a slow amble, but any kind of walking is better than none. For women (Brigham and Women’s Hospital did the research and used women as subjects), 7,500 steps per day conferred life-extending benefits. For men and women, Harvard Health suggests a minimum of four miles or around 8,000 steps for both sexes to prolong life.

Lift Your Mood: As little as 12 minutes of hoofing it was found to lift peoples’ spirits, according to a study from Iowa State University. For an added boost, walk outside. Those who enjoyed nature as they enjoyed their walk had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol in their bodies than those who walked inside or on a treadmill. Enjoy nature while lowering your stress levels.

Stronger Bones: Half of adults in the United States aged 50 or older are at risk for breaking a bone. Women produce less estrogen and men produce less testosterone, so their bodies don’t retain as much of the calcium and phosphate that provide strength to our bones as we age. Weight-bearing exercises such as walking, running, or dancing slows this mineral loss and may create more bone by prodding our bone-building cells (osteoblasts) to make more bone cells.

Help Banish Lower Back Pain/Joint

Pain: Walking can help alleviate chronic lower back pain. While it seems counterintuitive, walking helps by strengthening your lower spine muscles and increasing blood flow to them as well. And, walking protects your hips and knees by lubricating the joints and strengthening the surrounding muscles.

Sleep More Soundly: Walking elevates your core body temperature, and, as a result, you feel more awake. As your body temperature slowly falls after a walk, it can induce sleepiness. A study in Sleep Health found that subjects who took more steps on a particular day than usual generally reported better sleep quality that evening.

Better Brains: Walking increases the flow of blood to your brain and lessens the stiffness of the carotid arteries. Slow walking is better than not walking, but ramping up the stride a notch or two is better for brain health.

Prevent Metabolic Syndrome: According to the Mayo Clinic, metabolic syndrome “is a cluster of conditions that occur together, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke, and type-2 diabetes.” This syndrome includes high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, and abdominal obesity. Even low levels of walking decrease the chances of metabolic syndrome. Lace up those sneakers!

Healthier Eyes: Exercise, including walking, lowers the chances of macular degeneration, glaucoma, and cataracts. Eye diseases can be linked to metabolic syndrome (above), so another reason to keep on truckin’.

Help Prevent Women’s Cancers: Brisk walking lowers levels of hormones that increase the risks for endometrial cancer and breast cancer.

Tamp Down Weight-Gaining Genes: Harvard researchers found that an hour of brisk walking tamped down the effect of 32 genes that play a role in weight gain by more than 50%.

Fewer Sick Days: Those who walk regularly take fewer sick days. Perhaps it’s the walking that makes them healthier, or perhaps because they are healthier, they walk.

Save $$$: Don’t like driving to the gym or working out? Save money by not purchasing a gym membership, not to mention better health that can save you lots of money down the road.

Deepen Relationships: Use your walking time, removed from the distractions of everyday life, to enrich relationships with your children/grandchildren, spouses, and friends.

Is there a best time to walk? As with many things, the best time to do something that is good for you is the time when you’ll actually do it! Aside from that, there have been a few studies that show walking in the morning with an empty stomach is the best time to burn fat; an afternoon walk can help you feel more energized for the rest of the day; and a walk in the evening can tamp down ghrelin, the hungerstimulating hormone, which may prevent lateevening refrigerator raids. Hippocrates said, “Walking is the best medicine.” After all these years, turns out he’s still right!

Jan Cullinane is an award-winning retirement author, speaker, and consultant. Her current book is The Single Woman’s Guide to Retirement (AARP/Wiley).