Health Matters with TSET: Benefits of Walking

When trying to make healthier choices, it can be easier to take things one step at a time.

Walking improves your physical and mental health and can even help prevent some diseases.

In today's Health Matters with TSET, Amy Slanchik breaks down the benefits of walking.

Benefits With No Bounds

The first step before a walk, is a good stretch.

Then, this Fleet Feet walking group gets right to it, as they zip through neighborhoods at a quick pace.

"From doing this training program, I have lost close to 80 pounds,” Hannah Gonzales said.

Gonzales started with the group in 2017.

Now she's a volunteer coach, and said she consistently walks about 12,000 steps a day.

"It's actually a lot easier than you think,” she said. "Eventually your stamina gets more, and more and more and your pace will start building up."

Aside from weight loss, research has shown walking can help improve your mood, your sleep and boost your immunity.

Experts say it can also help prevent diabetes and some cancers, lower blood pressure, improve heart and bone health, and slow cognitive decline.

Cardiologist Dr. Frank Gaffney said level two training, like brisk walking, is the secret sauce to longevity.

"If you're exercising and you can still call cadence or talk while you're doing it, that's level two training and that's -- all those ladies walking in my neighborhood chatting away, that's level two training, they're exactly right,” Gaffney said.

A Sense of Community

People who walk with a friend or group said another benefit is having a sense of community.

"It's family. Fleet Feet is family,” LeAnne Winkleman said.

Winkleman said joining a Fleet Feet walking group is the best thing that's happened to her since moving to Oklahoma seven years ago.

LEANNE: “Last year with some of my Fleet Feet friends, we did five half marathons in five days, in five states.”

AMY: “Oh my gosh, and you walked all of them?”

LEANNE: "Yes, yes."

“It is the people. It is the people,” Gonzales said. “We're all here for each other. We all support each other."

Reduce the Risk of Dementia

And those conversations with friends could be life changing. 

Dr. Gaffney said walking can help reduce the risk of dementia, and talking while walking could boost those benefits. 

"Talking is a very complicated process, so all that neuron synapse work it's doing for you to…answer a question, field a question. That's complicated stuff. And increased blood flow is the thing that improves or prevents development of dementia. It's all about blood flow," Dr. Gaffney said.

The Alzheimer’s Association promotes these 10 healthy habits for your brain: alz.org/healthyhabits. The association said research has shown that up to 40% of dementia cases could be delayed or prevented by targeting modifiable risk factors like these healthy habits. Research suggests that combining multiple healthy factors may be the most impactful.

Walking Groups in Oklahoma

Below are a list of some walking groups in Tulsa and OKC.

TULSA:

Tulsa Walking Club 

Fleet Feet

Tulsa Galloway Training Program 

OKC:

Move Your Scissortail Walking Club

OKC Wandergruppe Walking Club

YMCA Walking Club

More info from TSET:

https://shapeyourfutureok.com/new-healthy-habit-a-daily-walk/

https://shapeyourfutureok.com/10-ways-make-family-walk-fun/