“Walking is man’s best medicine.” -Hippocrates
Walking is one of the best exercises there is; it’s low impact, can be done anywhere and it’s health benefits are immeasurable. Walking reduces the chances of cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, anxiety and depression, helps increase life expectancy and bone health and lowers the bad low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and raises the good high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.
Walking is one of our body’s most natural forms of movement, not to mention the best one for our environment and I love it!
I live for our daily walks. They get us out of the house and hopefully (eventually) back into my pre-pregnancy jeans! I’m also hoping that by taking these walks, I am instilling in you, the importance of daily exercise.
We don’t go very far; 3-4 miles around our neighborhood, along the beach, or at an outdoor mall and it doesn’t take very long; we are never gone more than an hour and a half. Now that you can sit up (sort of) I think it’s one of your favorite things to do too because you love to gaze at the trees, plants, flowers, cars, people, pets, occasional dolphin (!) and surfers we see along our route. You recently discovered your hands and feet and enjoy watching the shadows your limbs make too. Sometimes you use the time to take a nap, while I breathe deeply and clear my head in silence or gab away on the phone connecting with friends, checking in with your dad or updating your grandma on your latest and greatest.
According to my parenting books, the average human child achieves independent walking ability around 11 months old. I wonder when you will take your first steps?
The best is yet to be.
