Going for a walk

Have you been outdoors today?

There's more benefits with half an hour's walk a day every time I look:

• helps general circulation (g'bye cold feet and hands)
• gives a push to digestion (there's nothing quite like bouncing those intestines about for a bit)
• helps lymph circulation (lizards have two hearts, one for blood and one for lymph; we have a heart for blood plus the gluteus maximus for lymph - but our buttocks only pump lymph if they actually move)
• helps stave off osteoporosis
• makes you tired so you actually fall asleep at night
• helps balance the liver:
• exercise makes the liver build cells if you're an adrenergic stress person whose liver is geared for blood sugar
• exercise makes the liver make sugar if you're an anabolic greaseball whose liver is geared for proteins and similar cell building materials
• weight loss
• strenghtens the lungs, and with them, oxygen uptake
• lets you see what is happening outdoors in which season, so you're more connected to the nature around you
• helps deliver more blood to the anal region, thus reducing hemorrhoids which are due to blood stagnation

etc. etc. etc.

Morag Chacksfield added to this, back in 2003 when I wrote that list for the UK herbalists mailing list:

"Another benefit to add to your list:

• The rhythmical movement of all four limbs in a crosswise pattern - left arm forward with right leg has a soothing, integrative effect on the brain. (This cross-movement is adapted as one of the floor exercises used to help brain-damaged children). Buddhist monks walk for miles in a steady relaxed way as part of a tudon or 'walking meditation'. It puts you in touch with yourself."

See? More every time I look.