The longer days and warmer weather are a perfect combination to take up regular exercise, and even just walking more has a host of health benefits.

Walking benefits all aspects of your health - from increasing your levels of vitamin D, improving the efficiency of heart and lung function, reducing circulating stress hormones, assisting spinal function, and helping with weight-loss. Best of all, it’s something nearly everyone can do to increase their fitness and wellbeing.

We know that for every 20 minutes you spend sitting, it takes your spine about 30 minutes of standing or 5 minutes of walking to recover. Walking regularly will also help improve your immune system, blood and lymph circulation, enhance mood and energy levels, and help maintain good levels of bone density.

What’s more, there’s no gym membership fee to pay, you can do it with friends, and you can walk anywhere, at any time.

Some Tips on How to Get Started

●         Try and walk or work up to walking at least 20-30 minutes a day

●         Start slowly – set achievable targets to prevent injury and to motivate yourself

●         Find a friend or work colleague to walk with

●         Wear footwear with as small a heal-lift as possible (Ideally Flat, called “Zero-Drop”)

●         Warm-up with some dynamic movements like leg swings and lunges, then cool down with gentle stretching exercises at the end of your walk

●         Drink plenty of water, have regular breaks and healthy snacks

●         Mix it up – walking different routes, at different speeds with different inclines and terrains

●         Log your goals/achievements on the ‘Personal Activity Calendar’

●         Enjoy your walking!

Walking is for everyone, but it is important to have a body that is working properly. If your car has a shift or bends in its internal framework would you take it on a long trip?

Of course not, doing so could develop into some problems later, your tyres might wear unevenly or the car might rattle and shake. In a similar way, when the structure of your spine is shifted away from what would be considered normal, what we call a Structural Shift, then over time you might start noticing some common Secondary Conditions; loss of mobility, loss of strength or stamina even pain in the back, hips or legs.

Walking is great for you, but it is even better when your body is working optimally, you might find you enjoy the walk more, able to go a little faster, able to go further or not feel as run down and sore as you usually do.

Dr. Ryno Tope is a Doctor of Chiropractic, a member of the New Zealand Chiropractic Association, and owner of Structural Chiropractic in Hastings, Hawke’s Bay. Dr. Tope focuses on an area of chiropractic called Structural Correction and has been in practice for 6 years. You can reach Dr. Tope at drryno@structuralchiro.co.nz or 06•651•1004. You can also follow the Structural Chiropractic Facebook page (www.facebook.com/StructuralChiropracticHB).