Circulation and Walking
Walking results in rhythmic contraction and relaxation of muscles as well as rhythmic pressure changes in body cavities. This results in improved circulation of blood, lymph and even synovial fluid (the lubricating fluid made in joints). Because much of your immune system travels through your body via blood and lymphatic fluids, improving your circulation through daily walking can improve immune function, as well as your metabolism and general health.
Mobilization of Internal Organs
As you walk, pressure changes in body cavities due to rhythmic skeletal motion and contractions of muscles. The diaphragm is your primary breathing muscle and contracts rhythmically with the abdominal muscles to aid respiration, as well as to stabilize the body. The result of diaphragmatic contraction is a massage for your internal organs. The increased respiratory demand that occurs from muscle actions during walking keeps the internal organs mobile and healthy.
An example of an internal organ dysfunction that often responds well to walking is constipation. When people become sedentary, they lose the natural visceral mobilization provided by functional exercise. Couple this loss of needed activity with the dietary habits of modern man, and constipation, along with numerous other problems, is the likely result! In fact, today, it is common for people to report to hospital emergency rooms with terrible back and sciatic pain, only to be told that they are constipated and given a laxative, which frequently alleviates the back or sciatic pain. Consider that in the U.S., laxatives are the third best selling drug store item. Most of these people would look and feel much better by simply walking as little as two miles a day and drinking an ounce of water for each kg of body weight on a daily basis!
The P-M-E-S Connection
The human being is a unique organism in that we are physical (P), mental (M), emotional (E) and spiritual (S) beings. With only a little self-observation, you will quickly realize that any time your physical being is sluggish or functioning suboptimally, your mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being also suffers. Most of you would be surprised at the improved mental clarity and the emotional and spiritual well-being that results from walking only a couple miles a day.
Time to Get Walking!
Now that you know that walking can aid in improving all aspects of your well-being, it is time to get moving! Stop driving around a parking lot for 10 minutes just to get a spot next to the front door! Park at the opposite end of the parking lot and walk! Stop taking elevators and escalators, and start taking the stairs! If you need more vitality in your life, climbing a few stairs whenever possible will be a big step (literally) in the right direction. Also, if you ever have the opportunity to go for a walk or a hike in nature, you will be reaping even more benefit from the uneven terrain and chance to breathe fresh air, not to mention the benefits to your Physical, Mental, Emotional and Spiritual well-being!
Internationally acclaimed speaker & consultant Paul Chek MMS, NMT, HHP draws upon over nineteen years of experience in corrective and high performance exercise kinesiology. Author of over 60 videos and 4 books, plus numerous correspondence courses and seminars, he has also created four certification programs for advanced professional development. In 1999 Paul founded the C.H.E.K Institute in San Diego, California as a focal point for the education of elite fitness and healthcare professionals worldwide. He has been a consultant to the Los Angeles Chiropractic College, Johnson & Johnson, the Chicago Bulls, the Denver Nuggets, Australia's Canberra Raiders and the US Air Force Academy, to name a few.
© Paul Chek 2001 Reprinted with permission from the C.H.E.K. Institute.
