Surprising Walking Benefits REVEALED

By Dr. Scott Olson, ND Posted March 30, 2023

We live in a fast-paced society. And we’re expected to keep the pedal to the metal at work and fill the little leisure time we allow ourselves with as many activities as possible…

We demand a 24/7 news cycle, instant updates on our phones, and lightning-fast internet speeds…

In a culture where most people judge their worth by how much they get done, it’s easy to see how taking a walk would be considered a waste of time.

But NOTHING could be further from the truth.

There’s a TON of evidence that walking is good for your health, mind, and creativity.

Walking is a natural way to reduce stress, improve sleep, lift your mood, boost digestion, lower blood sugar, and burn some extra calories.

An hour-long walk in nature literally reduces activity in brain regions involved with stress processing.

You can learn a lot about yourself when out for a stroll. Walking alone, I pay more attention to what’s happening inside AND around me than when I’m in a car, separated from the outside world.

In fact, I believe walking is just as good as therapy in many ways. And there’s research to back that up.

In a meta-analysis, researchers found that walking had a “favorable effect on body awareness, fear, anxiety, and mood.” And a recent study focusing on older adults revealed that moderate to vigorous leisure walking can improve mental health and health perceptions.

But walking with someone else has BIG benefits too. You learn a lot about yourself and your walking partner when you head out for a stroll together. It’s a terrific relationship builder.

When folks ask how my wife and I have stayed married for so long (31 years), I always say it’s because we go on walks together. It allows us to check in with each other, talk about life, and decompress.

And we enjoy sharing our delight over the little things we encounter along the way, like a bird in a tree, a small flower peeking through the sidewalk, or catching up with a neighbor we haven’t seen in a while.

So, lace up those shoes and head out alone OR with a good friend. Your mental and physical health will improve. And you’ll find a lot of wonderful things out there!

P.S. Walking can descrease your risk of early death by up to 67 percent! Find out exactly how long your strolls need to be to get this incredible life-extending benefit RIGHT HERE. (It’s not NEARLY as much as you might imagine.)

Sources:

“A Systematic Scoping Review of the Conceptualization of Long-Distance Walking and Its Relation to Mental Health.” Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Jul 21;18(15):7741. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18157741. PMID: 34360035; PMCID: PMC8345809.

“A Study of Leisure Walking Intensity Levels on Mental Health and Health Perception of Older Adults.” Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine. 2021;7. doi:10.1177/2333721421999316

Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND

Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.

View More By Dr. Scott Olson, ND