Imprinted in the mind of the average Maltese we find the belief that the function of walking is to get from A to B in the shortest possible time and with the least expenditure of energy. Very few seem to think much of the value of walking as a pastime, as a means of admiring the environment and to rekindle our communion with nature, so charging our spiritual batteries.
From a health point of view, walking has been touted as being a good investment of our spare time, helpful not only to burn superfluous calories, but also to give some strength to sagging muscles.
A recent publication from Harvard University, Walking for Health, has advanced another ‘five surprising benefits of walking’, benefits few of us have actually appreciated.
In the first instance, they refer to extensive recent research involving 12,000 people, which says that walking for an hour a day can reduce by half the effect of obesity-promoting genes. These are genes we all possess and that were once useful when food was scarce, but in the state of abundance in which we now live have become a burden to us, resulting in widespread obesity.
Secondly, even a short, brisk 15-minute walk can curb our craving for chocolate and other sugary snacks thus reducing the calorie load in our daily diet. It is difficult to imagine why this should be so, but perhaps walking by itself helps to take our mind off food.
Walking five or six miles a week can actually prevent arthritis in hip and knee joints
Perhaps more surprising is the finding reported from the American Cancer Society that women who walked seven or more hours per week had a reduced risk of developing breast cancer, even in overweight women or those on supplemental hormones, factors known to increase the risk of developing breast cancer.
It is well to note that breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in Malta and that the prevalence of this condition among Maltese women is one of the highest in the world.
Equally surprising is the finding that walking five or six miles a week can actually prevent arthritis in hip and knee joints and reduces pain in patients with arthritis. This is thought to be due to increased muscle strength and support in people who exercise regularly.
Finally, walking for at least 20 minutes a day reduces the risk of colds and flu by boosting the immune function. Studies have shown that those who did such exercises had almost half the number of sick days compared to those who did not exercise or exercised only once a week. Moreover, they were sick for a shorter period of time.
The question is: can we really afford not to indulge in that early morning walk before work, or indeed at any time during the day? It is essential to develop a routine and devote a specific time of day, every day, to exercise. You do not even have to drive to the nearest park or out into the country: just round the block is adequate.
A brisk walk requires no preparation, no special gear, no subscription to gyms, nothing except the willpower to live a healthier life.