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Walking to Health
Monday, March 21st, 2011 At 5:28 am
Gyms offer many benefits, but you don’t need one to get fit. If you lack access to a gym, or the time to visit one, you can still get in shape by exercising at home. And when it comes to home exercise, top on the list is walking.
A 20-year study of 72,000 females showed that brisk walking for just three hours per week was associated with a 30 to 40 percent lower risk of heart disease. The study also linked walking to risk reductions for breast cancer and type 2 diabetes. Another study of more than 11,000 men showed that brisk walking for an hour a day, five days a week, can cut the risk of stroke in half. Other studies indicate that a daily brisk walk can help:
- relieve arthritis and back pain
- strengthen muscles, bones and joints
- prevent colon cancer
- improve or prevent constipation
- lengthen your lifespan
- improve your sleep
- elevate your mood
- reduce anxiety and stress
- prevent depression
- prevent hip fractures
To get the most out of walking, it’s best to follow a steady routine. If you’re a beginner, start by walking 10 minutes at a time, gradually moving up to at least 45 minutes. Lengthen the time of your walks before boosting your speed or incline. Ultimately, you should strive to walk at least 30 minutes per day, 5 or more days per week. While walking, don’t slouch your shoulders, lean forward from the waist or allow your back to sway. To increase the intensity, concentrate on taking faster steps, not longer ones – your stride will lengthen naturally as you pick up speed. Hold your elbows at a right angle so your arms can swing more quickly. Your hands should trace an arc from alongside your waist on the back swing to no higher than chest height in the front. Consciously push off from your toes, generating as much boost as possible with each step. You should be able to maintain a conversation during your walks. If you’re breathing too lightly, increase your pace. If you can’t catch your breath, slow down. By staying in this zone, you’ll burn the maximum amount of body fat while minimizing muscle loss. If you hope to lose a huge amount of weight or build massive muscles, walking alone won’t suffice. But if you want to boost your fitness level, it’s a great option. Finally, keep these tips in mind:
- Stretch before and after your walk to reduce the chances of injury
- Wear comfortable shoes
- Bring water so you can stay hydrated
Dr. William Booker 
Nonprofit Finds A Fun Way to Fight Childhood Obesity
Thursday, November 4th, 2010 At 6:26 am
Girls On The Run, has now become an international organization training 8 to 10 year old girls to run a 5k in a 10 week program while teaching them about good self esteem and life skills through fun activities. Created by Molly Barker in 1996, Girls On The Run has grown from a group of thirteen girls to tens of thousands of girls in 150 cities across the US and went international in 2000.
At the first sound of elementary school girls running 3.1 miles, one might say, “That doesn’t sound like much fun? Why would they want to do that?” But Girls On The Run manages to disguise the running with games and activities that also teach the girls important life skills. The girls learn about positive thinking, good self esteem, and healthy self image as well as saying no to drugs and alcohol, how to deal with bullies, and the harm of gossiping. They learn of other ways to deal with stress, when some would choose to turn to food. The girls also learn about giving back to their community by organizing and performing a community project.
“This is my second season coaching Girls On The Run and it’s so rewarding. Watching all of these girls grow and excel is amazing and the best volunteer work I could ever do. It’s priceless,” says Beth Mills. To find out more about Girls On The Run, please visit www.girlsontherunofnova.org
Message From Dr. Booker: I Would Like You to Meet Amanda
Tuesday, January 12th, 2010 At 11:33 am
Sometimes it is just better to be lucky than good. And I have to say, meeting Amanda was a very lucky day for me.
Please take the time to read about a very special teenage girl who I am excited to introduce to you. Amanda is the 15-year old daughter of a very good friend of mine, and she has decided to accept a personal challenge to herself, and change her life for the better. Allow me to share the first email that Amanda sent to me just a few days ago:
# # #
Hello, I’m Amanda. I’m 15 years old. I’m 230 pounds or so. I made a new years resolution to be a vegetarian ((BUT, i want to wait after my diet that you prescribe is over, so don’t worry
). I love a lot of music but one of the things that has been one of my latest interests is Bob Marley.
I have Acanthosis Nigricans. Acanthosis Nigricans is a skin condition that is related to obesity and diabetes type two. All of these conditions have one thing in common: they’re chronic. My skin condition is located on my neck, sometimes my face, underarms, around the breasts, the arm areas, my stomach area, backside and more.
I’ve been living with this since I was in 4th grade and enough is enough. I wanna say that not only will I be helping myself, but I would be letting parents and other children living with this condition know there is hope and that you can do something about the condition as well as your health. I know the difficulty of having this condition all over my body. It’s not always easy for me. All we need is the love and the love and effort from yourself. You believe in yourself, that’s the key. I haven’t really believed in myself much until now. I’m ready to show ya’ll what I got
Also, I would be glad to document my progress such as blog, pictures, videos so others can see what’s going on.
Thank you,
Amanda
# # #
After discussing Amanda’s case in great detail with her mother, we all decided that her story was simply too important to remain a secret. Amanda decided she wanted to document her entire weight loss journey, partly so she would have a personal record of her successes and achievements, but also so she could help educate other parents and teenagers to the risks and challenges of childhood obesity. The path Amanda has chosen is not an easy one, but she understands her efforts will result in a lifetime of rewards.
I am excited for Amanda and I am humbly honored that she has chosen us to work with her. Furthermore, I hope you will share this experience with her, and invite others, especially those who may be facing similar challenges, to follow along with Amanda through her photos, videos and blog posts. Maybe some of you might even feel inspired to leave a comment here on this blog post to let Amanda know that she is not alone on this journey.
I think 2010 is going to be a very exciting year!
Dr. Booker
Get Busy Living Or Get Busy Dying!
