Walk..................................................Don't run.

School Sports day indoors!

Those unforgettable shouts from across the corridor in that horrible school, and all l was doing was running to the toilet to save the school cleaners some time and money, but alas it seems those educational masters of doom and gloom may have been on to something if a recent report is anything to go by.




New research that brings together 40 years of studies into the benefits of exercise and health reveals that it only takes 30 minutes a day of exercise to cut your risk of many illnesses, including, hypertension, obesity, depression, osteoporosis and potentially many forms of Cancer, as Dr Rachel Thompson, deputy head of science for the World Cancer Research Fund, points out-

"There is now very strong evidence that being physically active can reduce risk of cancer. For example, we estimate that about 12 per cent of bowel cancer cases in the UK could be prevented through people being more active. "The evidence also shows that physical activity also probably reduces risk of breast cancer and cancer of the womb lining."

It may be that a simple, brisk daily walk around your local park, beach, country path, hilltop lookout could do the trick just as good as taking up running like Usain Bolt or Paula Radcliffe, or simply just me legging it to the toilet during Geography class at secondary school!



The Report taken from the International Journal of Clinical Practice, found being fit, active and healthy ranks alongside not smoking in our personal choices to reduce the risk of illness and disease and stay healthy.

Make use of whats around you

5 days a week of 30 minute walk's around the Royal parks of London (You can't beat Greenwich or Regents park in my eyes), the Malvern hills or South Downs, the South West Costal path, along Hadrians wall or up and down the Glens of Scotland, the benefits are universal to men and woman of all age groups, and importantly in regards cancer, physical activity after diagnosis can aid recovery and improve survival chances.







The author of the study, Physiotherapist Leslie Afford from the school of physiotherapy at the University of East Anglia, England, pointed out that living a healthy, long life and avoiding the pitfalls of ill health and disease were a complex mix of factors because of the individual nature of human beings, but pointed out that-

"Individuals have an element of control over some of these factors, including obesity, diet, smoking and physical activity."

Best foot forward

He went on to highlight that it's not always easy to make many lifestyle changes all at once, but 

"they can still gain health benefits from increasing the amount of regular exercise they take."

Luckily for all of us, the report points out that it's never too late to start those brisk walks, that cycle on one of the country's many cycle routes or putting yourself forward as the UK's next Ironman or Triathlete, older people will also see the benefits of regular activity or exercise.

So many Parks....let's use them.

And though exercise and activity may not necessarily affect weight loss unless accompanied by dietary control, exercise and activity will have many other beneficial affects, one of those which could be to lift mood, anxiety and depression in someone normally inactive, providing them the catalyst to make wider changes that will look at food intake and diet that could help with weight loss...........opting out of that vicious Circle, instead,  being a nice circle to jump into!

I say, if you can Jog, swim, cycle or gym 3 times a week, or on the other side, a good walk 5 times a week, which for some may just mean giving up public transport (a lot easier when the Unions go on strike in London leaving you stranded with no option but to walk), or getting of the bus a couple of stops early, or making use of a canal tow path or cycle path or riverside walk.

Keep going on strike.....less obesity!

I gave up the Gym nearly 5 years ago, and as long as you make cleverer more informed choices in regards your food intake, finding what you as an individual needs (and what you don't need most of the time), being aware of Blood Sugar Balance/Control and controlling the amount we eat, the portion sizes, which we in the West are not used to, well, ever since the 1940's, then it maybe a lot easier to find exercise and activity which we as an individual enjoy and benefit from instead of believing an unused Gym membership is the answer......it is for some, but not the many.

So get out of the house and find that activity that's right for you....and if you get fired because your late for work....either blame the unions....or Health reports like this!