SPRING IS THE PERFECT TIME TO “JUST START WALKING” SAY NEW ZEALAND
CHIROPRACTORS
The longer days and
warmer weather are a perfect combination to take up regular exercise and even
just walking more has a host of healthy benefits according to the New Zealand
Chiropractors’ Association (NZCA).
Chiropractor and NZCA
spokesperson Dr Hayden Thomas explains: ‘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. And it’s something nearly everyone can
do to increase their fitness and wellbeing.
As part of the Just Start Walking
initiative from the World Federation of Chiropractic, a global non-profit
organisation, we’re encouraging New Zealanders to think about making more
journeys on foot.’
`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.1,2
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.3 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.’
The Just Start Walking programme is for
everyone but the NZCA recommends getting a spinal check-up with your family
chiropractor prior to starting any new exercise regime. An NZCA chiropractor
will evaluate your spine for joint dysfunction and analyse your posture for
imbalances, two conditions which may predispose you to walking related
injuries.
Some Tips on How to Get Started
● Visit your local NZCA
chiropractor for a spinal system check up
● Commit to a nine week
walking programme
● Start slowly – set
achievable targets to prevent injury and to motivate you
● Find a friend or work
colleague to walk with
● Wear supportive
footwear which is designed for walking
● Warm up with gentle
stretching exercises at the start and end of your walk
● Drink plenty of water
and have regular breaks and healthy snacks
● Mix it up – walking
different routes, at different speeds with different inclines
● Log your
goals/achievements on the ‘Personal Activity Calendar’
● Enjoy your walking!
Just Start Walking is an initiative from the World Federation of Chiropractic, a global
non-profit association which was recognised by the World Health Organisation
(WHO) as a non-governmental organisation in January 1997. For more information
and to download Your Personal Activity Calendar go to Just
Start Walking New Zealand - NZCA
Dr Thomas points out:
‘Chiropractors specialise in helping people achieve proper movement and spinal
function but also recognise the importance of supplying your body with the
right ingredients so it can express itself at its optimum. Vitamin D, the
sunshine vitamin, is an essential part of many body processes and the evidence
is that majority of people in our modern world are severely deficient. Just
walking outside in nature a little more would go a long way to countering this
issue and many other problems of our modern lifestyle and environment.’
References:
1) Restaino RM, Holwerda SW, Credeur DP, Fadel PJ, Padilla J. Impact of
prolonged sitting on lower and upper limb micro- and macrovascular dilator
function. Experimental Physiology 2015;100(7):829-38.
2) http://www.sca-chiropractic.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=77&Itemid=79
3) http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs385/en/
Ends
Further Information:
Dr Hayden Thomas,
Chiropractor 027 299 9939 or hayden@chiropractic.org.nz Peter Boyes 027 554
0500 or peter@boyespr.co.nz
