By JUDD MATSUNAGA, ESQ.
According to a Harvard Medical School study, all it takes is 30 minutes of walking five days a week to increase your lifespan by three-and-a-half years. Who wouldn’t want that?
Dr. Thomas Freiden, former director of the CDC, called walking the “closest thing we have to a wonder drug.” Walking can have a bigger impact on disease risk and various health conditions than just about any other remedy that’s readily available to you.
What’s more, walking is completely free, and has practically no negative side effects. All of us realize that walking is good for your health. Yet, many (if not most) Rafu Shimpo readers still don’t do enough walking in the course of their daily lives to reap the myriad of health benefits that this “magic pill” has to offer, e.g., better health, less stress, improved mood, better sleep, etc.
It’s been close to two years since I last wrote about the health benefits of walking (Rafu Shimpo, “How to Add Years to Your Lifespan,” Oct, 28, 2023). The purpose of this Rafu Shimpo article is to place my proverbial shoe in the seat of your pants to get you moving off the couch, i.e., sitting disease. The following tips and suggestions come from a Harvard Medical School Special Health Report titled “Walking for Health.”
There’s an old saying, “If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.” The most helpful suggestion I found in the Special Report mentioned above is: Go find a walking buddy. You’ll have better luck staying on a walking routine if you go with a walking buddy. A walking buddy provides encouragement and accountability, making it easier to adhere to a regular walking routine.
While it is totally feasible to walk solo, there are many great reasons to walk with a partner. Most importantly, there will be days when you just don’t feel like walking. On those days, your buddy acts as a support system, offering motivation, accountability, and a pep talk. It’s a great way to catch up or get to know someone better. Furthermore, working towards shared goals with a buddy, like increasing distance or speed, adds a sense of purpose and accomplishment.
Try to find a walking partner who shares similar goals with you. It’s important to keep a similar pace so that you each reach the maximum level of activity desired. Exercising with a partner can increase your chances of sticking with a program. You’ll be much more likely to hop out of bed if you know that your neighbor is waiting for you at the corner. This buddy system also makes walking more fun, as you chat about your days, share family stories, and even help each other through tough times.
According to Dr. Edward Phillips, associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School, “You’ll have better luck staying on a walking routine if you go with friends, primarily for two reasons (Source: Harvard Health Letter, “Better Together: The Many Benefits of Walking with Friends,” Heidi Godman, June 1, 2023):
(1) Accountability. “Friends have expectations, and we tend not to want to let them down. We jump through hoops to be there for others. So if you agree to walk with a friend, you’re more likely to do it,” Dr. Phillips says.
(2) Motivation. “When you walk with someone else, you challenge and encourage each other. Imagine that you hit a wall while walking, but other people around you are still going. That makes you realize that it’s doable, and you keep walking,” Dr. Phillips says. “The other piece is that being with others is fun, and you might be more inclined to go for a brisk walk if you think about it as spending time with friends rather than a chore. You’ll want to go.”
Many years ago, I first learned about the “buddy system” when I would scuba dive for abalone off Catalina Island. “Walking with a buddy is safer than walking alone. There are more eyes watching for hazards (e.g., cars or sharks) you may miss. And you’ll be more visible to drivers when you walk in pairs or a group. Also, if you experience any kind of health problem while walking, or if you fall, a friend can take care of you and call for help,” says Dr. Phillips says.
If finding the right walking buddy is a problem, utilize your network of friends, family, or neighbors who might be interested in walking with you. Join your local Japanese American community center and look for opportunities to meet like-minded people. You may find that many community centers already have walking clubs or groups that you can join.
Explore online resources and consider using platforms like Meetup.com to find walking groups or apps specifically designed for connecting walking buddies.
If you can’t find a walking buddy or walking group, don’t give up (your health is depending on it). Simply stepping in place will burn calories — about 250 in an hour if you weigh 180 pounds. Try doing it while you watch your favorite TV show in your living room (or any other room in your house). Even if you step during the commercials only, you can burn about 150 calories during a typical hour-long show, between the stepping, getting up, and sitting down.
The Harvard Special Health Report also lists some more ways to increase activity:
- Set your watch or computer alarm every hour as a reminder to get up and move around a little.
- Take phone calls standing up.
- Get up and do a few exercises or just move around during TV commercials.
- Skip drive-through banks, pharmacies, coffee shops, and restaurants. Instead, park your car and walk.
- Park far away from entrances.
- Take the stairs instead of elevators and escalators.
Remember to wear good shoes — and replace them regularly. The right shoes can help you avoid injuries. Shoes with thick, cushiony soles are commonly believed to help protect your joints and reduce pain. But research is challenging that conventional wisdom, suggesting that thinner, more flexible soles actually put less load on the knees, though the reasons why are still not completely clear.
Here’s the bottom line regarding shoes: If you’re happy with the shoes you’re walking in and don’t have any aches or pains, then don’t change a thing. But if you wear a very cushiony or stiff shoe and you’re having problems, it may be worth trying a slightly more flexible shoe with a somewhat lower heel. But shoes wear out, and walking in worn shoes can make you more susceptible to problems.
Materials inside sneakers that provide support and cushioning usually wear out long before your shoes look like they need replacing, so try to be aware of how much of a beating you’ve subjected them to. Experts recommend replacing your shoes about every 300 to 500 miles — or every six months to a year if you’re walking 30 minutes a day five days a week at a brisk pace.
Finally, here are more strategies to help you overcome potential obstacles and make walking more enjoyable and a lifelong habit from the Harvard Special Report:
- Bring your cellphone. Especially if you have a chronic condition that can lead to sudden symptoms, such as heart disease, asthma, or a balance disorder. One caution: Don’t leave your phone at home and assume you’ll use someone else’s in an emergency. If that person is unable to speak and share the phone’s passcode, you’ll be out of luck. It’s better if each person on the walk brings a fully charged phone. No texting while walking, though! Distracted walking leads to accidents.
- Wear brightly colored clothing. To avoid blending into your surroundings, dress in red, yellow, or other vibrant colors instead of dark or drab colors like black, gray, navy, or dark green. The more visible you are to motorists, the more time they have to react to your presence on the road, and the safer you’ll be.
- Familiarize yourself with the area. Walking in new locations makes walking more adventurous and interesting, but before your first jaunt in a new place, scout out the area. Either drive around it at the time of day when you plan to walk, or if that’s not possible — for example, on trails — ask a friend or family member to join you the first time. Whenever you’re hiking, it’s always a good idea to hike with someone else, in case of injury.
- Carry ID. In case of an emergency, you want medical personnel to know any relevant information and be able to contact your family. You can grab your license or another identification card before you head out for a walk, but there’s always a chance you might forget it. That’s why it’s wise to invest in an ID bracelet or tag that you wear or attach to your sneaker or waist pack. Keep it with your sneakers, so you’ll always have it when you walk.
- Have some cash. Or a credit card. It may come in handy if you run out of water or need a snack, or in the unlikely event that you need to take a cab or bus back home. If you’re walking in a retail area, you’ll be thankful that you have it if you find a great deal on something you want. Just finish your walk before you stop to make a purchase.
- Walk against traffic. If you have to walk in the road because there are no sidewalks, the general rule is to walk against traffic so you can see what’s coming. The exceptions are when you’re walking up hills or around curves. In these situations, you’ll want to switch to the opposite side of the road, walking with traffic, since drivers coming up a hill or heading into a bend will see you sooner. No matter what side you’re on, always be alert, and remember: if you can’t see a car coming, the driver can’t see you either.
- Use only one earbud. It’s safest to unplug when you’re walking because you want to stay alert to your surroundings for possible hazards, such as cars or dogs. To do that effectively, you need to be able to hear what’s going on around you. Wearing earbuds impairs that ability.
- Be cautious about walking alone at night. This may be the only time that you can fit in a walk, and it can be very pleasant. But if you do walk after dark, choose areas that are safe, well-lit, and have sidewalks — and if possible, venture out with someone else. Also avoid places with lots of trees and shrubs and any remote areas.
In conclusion, get yourself a walking buddy. Staying active and engaged in a fun activity with a friend can reduce feelings of loneliness and even reduce depression in some individuals. It also builds relationships. Friends may share advice, stories, recipes, or engage in fun subjects such as sports or music. Socializing also helps exercise the brain, which protects your thinking skills.
So that extra effort from socializing, even if you’re unaware of it, promotes brain cell connections, which keeps thinking and memory sharp.
Judd Matsunaga, Esq., is the founding partner of the Law Offices of Matsunaga & Associates, specializing in estate/Medi-Cal planning, probate, personal injury and real estate law. With offices in Torrance, Hollywood, Sherman Oaks, Pasadena and Fountain Valley, he can be reached at (800) 411-0546. Opinions expressed in this column are not necessarily those of The Rafu Shimpo.