Want To Add 12 Healthy Years To Your Life?

A study was done at Cambridge University with 22,000 people ages 49 to 79 to see if the aging process could be slowed down and if they could see a significant improvement in their health in just 6 short weeks...alTHOUGH the program went on for about 12 years, total. 

They FOUND that those who stopped smoking and ate healthy and walked for at least 20-30 minutes, 5 days a week, actually DID improve their health to the point that the doctors were just sure most added about 12 healthy years of living to their life.

This same study was also done in the UK and they had the same results.  They called their program in the UK, "Small Changes-Big Difference!"

Our local television station, WPSD TV6 has started a new 10,000 step program.  This is at least the 2nd time for this program, sponsored by WPSD and our local Massac Memorial Hospital and when they first did it 10 years ago, many businesses signed on and their employees followed the program.  I was at Hobby Lobby at that time, and many of our employees signed up..including me. 

They came from Massac Memorial and weighed and measured us and gave us pedometers and what we found, at least at Hobby Lobby...was that most folks barely get in 2,000 steps a day...but for some reason, I was averaging 18,000 a day...hahaha  Neither they...nor I, could understand why this was.  So I got BILLY a pedometer and we logged HIS steps and he TOO...walked about 18,000 steps a day...SO they said for it to benefit me/us...WE would need to add another 5,000 steps or so.  :-/ 

Now why in the world we averaged 18,000 steps and most people average 2,000 is beYOND...ME!

But we're both very active and walk very fast and we don't do a lot of sitting until about 7pm...

Walking 10,000 steps is the same as walking 5 miles.  But at least part of that walking needs to be brisk walking that raises your heart rate and causes just a little deeper and faster breathing. 

Studies have shown that if we start walking in our 50's and 60's and walk at least 5 days a week for 20-30 minutes at a fairly brisk pace, we are 35% less likely to die in the next 8 years...unless of course, we are run over while out walking.  :-0 

IF we are already suffering from diabetes or heart disease or high blood pressure and if we are a smoker...we are 45% less likely....Now listen folks...that's pretty doggone good reason to start walking. 

Walking not only helps us to stay healthy longer and live longer, it increases our mental clarity..and boy could I use THAT...and we just have more stamina in general and we sleep better and wake up more refreshed.

In doing research for this blog, I found that if folks that are normally sedentary...would just get up and walk for 2 minutes...every 20 minutes...at a brisk pace...it would keep their sugar from dropping and help to control their appetite...

Dr Oz did a segment a few years ago on walking and he talked his sister into taking part.  In the beginning, she was so unhealthy and about 80 pounds over weight...so in the beginning she could only walk about 3 minutes....but she at first did 3 minutes 2 or 3 times a day...and she worked up from there....and in the end, she was walking 30 minutes a day ..5 days a week...had lost the weight she needed to lose and was feeling like a new person.....now THAT is motivation!

Just a few basic changes in our diet and then adding walking...will show you dramatic improvements in just 6 weeks.

By a sedentary lifestyle, we are raising our risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease by over 100%! Sitting also slows down the metabolism...so even if we're sitting there, eating healthy and trying to lose weight...our metabolism is almost in a coma...if we stay sedentary...even while making diet changes...

All the experts say...we WILL see significant improvement in our health and fitness in just 6 weeks, if we walk just 30 minutes a day...5 days a week...AND if you don't like DOING these things....do them Monday Thru Friday and consider them 'part of your job'....then just be reasonable on the weekend and don't gorge...

If we want to get healthy...we just have to stop making excuses...focus on eating healthier and getting in some walking outdoors or on the treadmill daily...we have to keep our program simple so we will DO it...and we have to be flexible....if Wednesday doesn't work out one week to walk for 20-30 minutes....forget it on Wednesday and do it on Saturday.

NOW...having studied and then reported all of THIS..this morning...I am so SO motivated to get on that treadmill..but my back started giving me a fit again yesterday just hours after trying to return to my normal routine...and I'm having a horrible time just doing my blog...and I was up most of the night......

WPSD just started a new 10,000 step program yesterday and I was feeling GOOD when we heard about it the night before and I asked the old geezer if he'd do it with me and he said, "Well I 'guess" :-) but now I'm back to not being able to get up and down again.....for goodness sakes...what is my PROBLEM???

Good luck to YOU all...and I hope you'll start walking today and eating healthier...Those 5 to 12 additional years you could be adding on to your life could hold a lot of fun and giggles and warm hugs....I know I'D sure like to have them.....

Peace and love from the canyon....I love you all gobs and thanks so much...for stopping by...This has been a bird's eye view of the world of the katydid and until next time....you are loved…