Step Up Your Health! 10 Tips to Improve Your Mind, Body and Soul

Walking is something we all master before we even hit our first birthday!

Your trusty feet get you where you want to go and have the ability to improve your health in so many ways. Walking will help you lose weight, lower blood pressure, reduce stress and more. Take one step forward for your overall health and get out there. Only 30 minutes each day will make a world of difference for your body, mind and soul.

Take a peek at these fantastic benefits.

When you take a stroll outside, your brain is stimulated in a number of ways as it makes sense of the people, sounds and sights of the world around you. Walking in nature will help keep your brain sharp.

Your bones and muscles need to keep moving so they stay youthful and limber. Too much time on the sofa will make them brittle and creaky, and you’ll find it harder and harder to do everyday activities as they stiffen up.

A daily walk will flood your brain and nervous system with the relaxing power of endorphins. Things you thought were too tough when you left the house suddenly seem manageable.

For your body to feel the optimum effects of your walk, you need to get into a “fitness stride” — lift your head up while keeping your neck, shoulders and back relaxed. Swing your arms freely with a slight bend at the elbows.

If you add 30 minutes a day of walking to your routine, you’re going to lose TWO POUNDS each month without changing your eating habits or doing anything else! The easy activity will also help manage cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and other chronic conditions.

The more you hoof around town or in the country, your balance and coordination will get better because you’ll have to navigate over small obstacles like curbs, rocks and even other people.

Going on a half-hour walk each day will stimulate the circulation and nervous systems in your brain and encourage better memory and cognitive function.

Make sure you wear shoes with proper arch support, a firm and solid heel and thick flexible soles to cushion your feet and absorb shock. Also, depending on the weather, wear appropriate clothing that’s loose and will let you move easily without freezing or burning up.

Researchers who have studied walkers have discovered that even walking for three hours a week is associated with an 11 percent reduced risk of premature death compared to couch potatoes. So what are you waiting for? Get off that couch, lace up your sneakers and get going today!

If you take a ten-minute walk outside work on your break or lunch hour, be sure to invite others along with you. It’s a great way to make some new buddies while you all get physically and mentally fit! If you take part in a group saunter, you’ll meet all kinds of new friends as it becomes a daily treat everyone will look forward to.