Walking into Wellness: The Health Benefits of Green Neighborhoods
In today’s fast-paced world, maintaining cardiovascular health is more important than ever. While diet and genetics play a large role in determining our cardiovascular health, incorporating walking into your daily lifestyle and living in a relatively walkable and green space significantly encourages good habits and a healthy heart.
Walking, one of the most simple and effective ways to stay active, can be surprisingly beneficial in all aspects of life. As a low-impact, equipment-free, and cost-free exercise, walking can be done almost anywhere and is especially beneficial for beginners, individuals who are overweight, and older adults. Actively incorporating walking into your life is great as it reduces the amount of stress put on joints, is suitable for those working to recover from injuries, and can be a great bonding activity to do with a loved one.
In recent studies, a deep correlation between urban environments with high walkability scores and those with higher levels of cardiovascular health revealed that the urban environment you live in, as well as how green it is, could very well affect your life habits and therefore heart health. This makes intuitive sense, as those who live in areas with plentiful parks, good sidewalks, and beautiful scenery are much more inclined to not only spend more time outdoors but also choose walking over driving for some of their destinations. Emerging trends in urban design make use of green spaces and walkability to promote healthier lifestyles and cardiovascular health. Not only does the addition of a greener space make macroscopic impacts, improving air quality and aesthetics, but it can make microscopic impacts too, targeting the health of its residents right down to their walking habits.
Walking, one of the most simple and effective ways to stay active, can be surprisingly beneficial in all aspects of life. As a low-impact, equipment-free, and cost-free exercise, walking can be done almost anywhere and is especially beneficial for beginners, individuals who are overweight, and older adults. Actively incorporating walking into your life is great as it reduces the amount of stress put on joints, is suitable for those working to recover from injuries, and can be a great bonding activity to do with a loved one.
In recent studies, a deep correlation between urban environments with high walkability scores and those with higher levels of cardiovascular health revealed that the urban environment you live in, as well as how green it is, could very well affect your life habits and therefore heart health. This makes intuitive sense, as those who live in areas with plentiful parks, good sidewalks, and beautiful scenery are much more inclined to not only spend more time outdoors but also choose walking over driving for some of their destinations. Emerging trends in urban design make use of green spaces and walkability to promote healthier lifestyles and cardiovascular health. Not only does the addition of a greener space make macroscopic impacts, improving air quality and aesthetics, but it can make microscopic impacts too, targeting the health of its residents right down to their walking habits.
An outdoor lifestyle, combined with green spaces and physical activities like walking, plays a crucial role in promoting cardiovascular health and overall well-being
Image Source: Anastasia Shuraeva
There are many simple ways to incorporate walking into your daily life that can be easier than you think. When going about your usual routine, try opting for the stairs instead of the elevator whenever possible or park a little farther than usual when arriving at your destination. On weekends or less hectic days, plan regular walks around the neighborhood or local park with a loved one, an excellent way to increase heart health both physically and emotionally in the long run! After meals, it can be a good practice to take small walks to aid in digestion if you have the opportunity. Lastly, if you want to take a more active approach to monitoring your daily health, try setting up daily or weekly goals for yourself and tracking your steps and heart health using your phone or smartwatch.
You don’t need to be a fitness expert to reap the benefits of walking. Unlike expensive gym memberships or high-intensity workouts, walking is free, accessible, and the easiest form of exercise out there. Just by choosing to consider the few extra steps, whether it’s to walk to your next nearby destination, or when choosing where to live in the next period of your life, you are already on your way to improving your heart health. In the long run, embracing a greener landscape and taking the extra steps can contribute towards a healthier and happier heart.
You don’t need to be a fitness expert to reap the benefits of walking. Unlike expensive gym memberships or high-intensity workouts, walking is free, accessible, and the easiest form of exercise out there. Just by choosing to consider the few extra steps, whether it’s to walk to your next nearby destination, or when choosing where to live in the next period of your life, you are already on your way to improving your heart health. In the long run, embracing a greener landscape and taking the extra steps can contribute towards a healthier and happier heart.
Featured Image Source: Tirachard Kumtanom
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