This time of year is one of my favorites; I love the fact that everything is coming alive again and that the days are longer, which means we can spend more time outside doing the things we love. Recently, I have gotten myself back into the habit of exercising regularly; that hibernation feeling of winter has finally left and it feels as though there is more time in the day to get up and get moving! This is a typical cycle for me; I tend to get a little more sedentary through out the winter, but when spring arrives, watch out! I’m ready to get back outside and get moving! I have found over the years that I am not alone in this cycle; in fact this is pretty normal. Why is that?
After reading many different books and articles about health and wellness, it makes sense that we, as humans, get in cycles such as these. The simple fact is that we are following the cycles of the seasons, just like all animals in nature do. This even dates way way back to the days of cavemen. Yes, I am bringing cavemen (and cavewomen) into this conversation! Without going into tons of detail and writing a book instead of a blog, the simple reason is that genetically, we are not all that different from the cavemen that roamed our earth centuries ago. The differences lay in the way we live our lives; how we eat, our sleep patterns, and whether we are moving our bodies our not.
You see, our bodies are made to move, it’s movement that helps keep our joints and muscles healthy. The simple act of walking has huge health benefits; it keeps the joints of our body moving, which helps pumps nutrients into them; it keeps our muscles working which keeps them strong and from wasting away; it keeps our lungs working, our heart pumping better, etc, etc. Back in the cavemen days, they walked an average of 8-9 miles a day while hunting or moving their homes. Is it a coincidence that back in those days they didn’t suffer from arthritis, joint pain, muscle pains, obesity, heart disease, etc, etc? I don’t think so, and many researchers don’t think so either.
Now, I’m not saying that you need to go out and walk 9 miles a day while hunting your food to be healthy!
What I am saying though, is that everyone needs to get up off the couch or recliner and add some type of physical movement into their days. The simplest thing to do is adding a walk into your days; you’ll be amazed at how a simple 30 minute walk can change how you feel and even your mood! I have recently started working out a few times a week at a CrossFit gym (some call is crazy fitness!) and the trainers there say the best thing to do on a regular basis is start your day with a 30 minute walk; not only are you keeping your body moving, but you can also burn a little fat this way and lean out some! This time of year is also great for jogging; if you are someone who is getting back into jogging, or if you haven’t ever been a jogger but are looking to get into it, Dr Graham is doing a “Couch Potato to 5K” training program up in the Meredith location; the workshop is on Wednesday May 11th at 6:15 if you want to attend. My personal favorite this time of year is hiking! I love the meandering trails through the woods, the different challenges in walking up a mountain and the rewarding views at the top! There will be a “Learn to Hike” workshop on Wednesday May 11th at 6:15pm at our Pembroke office, and I will also be sharing some of my experiences of through-hiking the Appalachian Trail. If you want to go on a hike with us, Sunday May 22nd Crossroads is doing a family hike up Mount Major. We want everyone to see how easy it is to get up and get moving in some way this spring; so call us to reserve a seat at one of the workshops and to come hiking with us!!
You see, our bodies are made to move, it’s movement that helps keep our joints and muscles healthy. The simple act of walking has huge health benefits; it keeps the joints of our body moving, which helps pumps nutrients into them; it keeps our muscles working which keeps them strong and from wasting away; it keeps our lungs working, our heart pumping better, etc, etc. Back in the cavemen days, they walked an average of 8-9 miles a day while hunting or moving their homes. Is it a coincidence that back in those days they didn’t suffer from arthritis, joint pain, muscle pains, obesity, heart disease, etc, etc? I don’t think so, and many researchers don’t think so either.
Now, I’m not saying that you need to go out and walk 9 miles a day while hunting your food to be healthy!
What I am saying though, is that everyone needs to get up off the couch or recliner and add some type of physical movement into their days. The simplest thing to do is adding a walk into your days; you’ll be amazed at how a simple 30 minute walk can change how you feel and even your mood! I have recently started working out a few times a week at a CrossFit gym (some call is crazy fitness!) and the trainers there say the best thing to do on a regular basis is start your day with a 30 minute walk; not only are you keeping your body moving, but you can also burn a little fat this way and lean out some! This time of year is also great for jogging; if you are someone who is getting back into jogging, or if you haven’t ever been a jogger but are looking to get into it, Dr Graham is doing a “Couch Potato to 5K” training program up in the Meredith location; the workshop is on Wednesday May 11th at 6:15 if you want to attend. My personal favorite this time of year is hiking! I love the meandering trails through the woods, the different challenges in walking up a mountain and the rewarding views at the top! There will be a “Learn to Hike” workshop on Wednesday May 11th at 6:15pm at our Pembroke office, and I will also be sharing some of my experiences of through-hiking the Appalachian Trail. If you want to go on a hike with us, Sunday May 22nd Crossroads is doing a family hike up Mount Major. We want everyone to see how easy it is to get up and get moving in some way this spring; so call us to reserve a seat at one of the workshops and to come hiking with us!!
In Health-Dr Jennifer