The Power of Walking

I was amazed when I saw a woman walking on the street. I felt youthful and lively when I saw the confident figure walking with the neck upright, the shoulders straight, the buttocks lifted in a posture that seemed to be lifted, and the bright smile on the face, without bending the arms.

Proper walking is not only beneficial to your health, but also leaves a good impression on others. A brisk and exciting walk increases the vitality of the body, gives elasticity to the skin, and develops muscles in each part of the body evenly, creating a balanced body.

Preventing heart disease and improving cerebral blood flow, it is good for your mental health and completely relieves mental stress, allowing you to stay in good condition at all times. If you walk with your head down and drag your feet, you may experience symptoms of depression or fatigue, so you should pay attention to your steps even when walking.

According to a report from Harvard University, people who regularly walk 1.5 miles every day have a significantly lower incidence of heart disease and lower blood cholesterol content than people who exercise irregularly and vigorously.

Walking can prevent joint aging. Joints in the human body contain joint fluid, which supplies nutrients to joint cells and collects waste products according to the movement of the joints. If you do not exercise for a long time, the joint fluid is not properly supplied with nutrients, causing joint cells to easily degenerate, causing the surface to become rough and weak, causing joint fatigue and pain. The so-called ‘theatre syndrome’, in which your legs feel stiff when you stand up after sitting for an hour or two, such as at a meeting, doing office work, or watching a movie, is caused by weakened joints.

Walking 10,000 steps a day can prevent obesity. At one time, ‘the walking exercise of 10,000 steps a day’ was very popular because 10,000 steps were required to burn excess calories. However, walking 10,000 steps in daily life is not easy.

When I measured it while wearing a pedometer, it turned out that even if I move around on a busy day, I only take 4,000 to 5,000 steps at most. In the case of golf, which is said to require the most walking, it takes over 10,000 steps to cover all 18 holes. It takes 6 hours for food to reach the rectum for people who walk, while it takes 12 to 24 hours for people who sit.

If a 154-pound adult male walks for one hour at a normal pace, he burns 360 to 420 calories. If you eat three regular meals a day and walk for an hour a day, you can lose about 0.8 pounds in one week.

When you first start walking, it is best to repeat an appropriate distance for about 10 days and then gradually increase it. The location is flat, preferably in harmony with nature, and is more effective if it is rich in historical resources or has a rich emotional atmosphere. Forest bathing is a great way to relax and exercise while revitalizing your mind and body.

Among the easter customs, taking a bath in a forest of trees or taking a bath in the wind and basking in the sun were considered good for health. This is like forest bathing in the West and is an example of the wisdom of our ancestors. Clothing should be comfortable and suitable for absorbing sweat, and shoes should fit your feet well and not be a burden even if you wear them for a long time.

When you start walking for the first time, your legs may start to feel stiff after a short period of walking, and you may experience fatigue throughout your body. In this case, if you apply acupressure to the ST 36 (Zu San Li – Leg Three Mile) acupuncture points under the shin and knee of the legs for 5-10 minutes, the fatigue of not only the legs but also the whole body will go away.

This acupoint is known as the elixir of life, and if you apply acupressure, acupuncture, or moxibustion here, you can treat gastrointestinal disease. There is also an anecdote that during World War II, during the forced march of the Japanese Kwantung Army, soldiers relieved fatigue by giving each other acupressure here.

It is good to relieve leg fatigue quickly. Dissolve a handful of salt in warm water and soak your feet. When resting, lie down with your legs slightly elevated. Healthy legs are the basis for a strong body.

Busy modern lives! Let’s get away from everyday life and do some walking exercise while listening to the

vivid music of nature. As civilization develops, people become weaker. I try not to drive even close distances and do difficult work. But walking is the first sport invented by humans. It is the best exercise to relieve stress and strengthen your body and mind while breathing clean air.

Photo from Unsplash by Arek Adeoye