Healthy living: Walking good for mental and physical health, say experts

Exercise can increase concentration span as well as sharpen memory

ISLAMABAD: While we all know that an half-an-hour walk in an area surrounded by greenery, such as a park or a trail, can do wonders for our overall physical health, experts now believe that it can also be particularly beneficial for the brain and heart.

Scientific studies suggest that walking, as well as other physical exercises, can help reduce the risk of debilitating diseases such as diabetes and cancer. Moreover, specialists have believe that walking has several psychological benefits as well since exercise can increase our concentration span as well as sharpen our memory.

Medical specialists are of the view that even a short, brisk walk - no more than 12 minutes long - in a green area can increase happiness, internal enthusiasm, attentiveness and self-confidence as compared with the same time spent sitting.

Additionally, medical experts observed that people in communities with abundant green space were more likely to be physically healthier.

Medical practitioner Dr Saima Razak stated that walking helps reduce depression and boosts self-esteem apart from improving overall physical health. Moreover, medical experts believe deep breathing exercises during the walk can aid some of the systems of the body which are negatively impacted by stress. Furthermore, these exercises have the additional benefit of reducing blood pressure and may even be able to change the expression of genes.

According to psychiatrists, a daily walk for at least 30 minutes prompts the body to release hormones called ‘endorphins’ which reduce the perception of pain, generally lift our mood, leading us to feel happier after the exercise and even be a source of comfort for those suffering from mild forms of depression. The release of endorphins is good for our overall well- being, as it can help prevent stress-related illnesses, as well as keep other physical ailments at a distance.

According to scientific studies, the consumption of a certain volume of oxygen by the body is essential for the regular functioning of its parts because the higher the volume of oxygen consumed by the body, the healthier it functions.

A highly oxidative organ, such as the heart, has a high demand for oxygen and therefore has a relatively high oxygen consumption. Similarly, the brain consumes about 25 per cent of a person's oxygen intake.

While confirming its benefits, consultant physician and chest specialist Dr Zaheer Ahmed cautioned that heart patients should only go for a walk after first consulting their doctors.

Furthermore, Dr Ahmed highlighted symptoms of heart disease which included excessive fatigue after even a little walking, rapid heart-beat after climbing a flight of stairs, congestion in the chest or chest pain after a brisk walk.

He advised that anybody having the above-mentioned symptoms should immediately consult a doctor. Moreover, he stressed that in order to prevent heart disease, one should strictly follow a healthy diet inclusive of vegetables, fruits and fruit juices. He further added that red meat should be strictly avoided; white meat and fish would be the preferable choice in this case. The use of salt and oil should be minimal.

Three golden rules to stay away from diseases as advised by medical experts were a regular walk, regular consumption of fruits and vegetables and a balanced diet.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 9^th, 2018.