Yay Well: Walking Your Way to Improved Health & Wellbeing

As the weather warms up, it’s a wonderful time to get moving. Physical activities that move your spine are particularly important. “90% of the stimulation and nutrition to the brain is generated by the movement of the spine,” said Dr. Roger Sperry, who received a Nobel Prize for his work in neuroscience.

One of the easiest, most inexpensive ways to move your spine is to walk. How many steps a day do you get? If you have a smart phone, you can check your health app and track your progress.

Walking helps our minds and bodies to feel better and stronger as we age. Many young people suffer from sitting too long, too, so if you are someone who sits all day for a living, it’s important to make walking a part of your daily regimen. Whether that’s in your neighborhood or at one of our beautiful walking trails, it’s important to make it a priority.

Let’s take a closer look.

Benefits of Walking

Walking is a low-impact exercise that provides numerous benefits for our physical and mental health.

Regular walking can help:
● Improve cardiovascular health
● Increase muscle strength and endurance
● Aid in weight loss and management
● Reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
● Stronger bones

Additionally, walking has been shown to have numerous mental health benefits, including:
● Reduced stress and anxiety
● Improved mood and cognitive function
● Enhanced creativity and productivity.

How cool is that?

The Role of the Nervous System in Walking

The nervous system controls and coordinates our movements, including walking. It consists of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves, which communicate with each other to send and receive signals that allow us to move. When subluxations occur, it can interfere with the proper function of the nervous system, leading to a range of health problems, including difficulties with walking.

As a chiropractor who works with patients every day on movement and stiffness and pain issues, that’s why I’m so passionate about walking and the benefits of chiropractic care to keep our bodies moving properly.

What is a Subluxation?

A subluxation is a misalignment of a joint, which can lead to or contribute to interference with the nervous system’s function. When subluxations occur, they can cause a range of health problems that can affect our overall quality of life. Chiropractors specialize in detecting and correcting subluxations.

As Dr. Sperry said, movement of the spine nourishes the brain. So we want to ensure that each joint of the spine is not restricted and able to move as designed.

Signs that nerve dysfunction is slowing you down include:

● Fatigue
● Dizziness/vertigo
● Loss of balance/stability when walking
● Loss of range of motion
● Anxiety & depression
● Tension
● Poor quality of sleep
● Digestive issues
Any of these can really impede your desire to be more active.

How Chiropractic Care Can Help Optimize Walking

Chiropractic care is a natural, non-invasive approach to wellness. By detecting and correcting subluxations, chiropractors can help improve the function of the nervous system, which can lead to a range of health benefits, including the improved walking ability and daily activities.

Chiropractic can also help optimize walking by:
● Improving posture and gait
● Reducing pain and discomfort
● Enhancing flexibility and range of motion
● Improving balance and coordination.

I hope you’ll join me in committing to improving our health this year and enjoying our free outdoor trails in the Greater OKC metro area. Lake Hefner, Arcadia Lake, Mitch Park, and Scissortail Park are a few of my favorites Cheers to wellness this year! Reach out if I can help.