Walking high

Walking give numerous highs. In the June 2008 issue of Health magazine (I'll admit right now: I've been doing only light and little bits of reading on wellness lately) I read these benefits of walking:

1) contributes to heart health -
in a recent study at Duke University Medical Center, researchers found that walking briskly for 30 minutes daily lowers odds of developing metabolic syndrome (cluster of factors linked to higher risks of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke);

2) cuts breast cancer risk -
a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that walking -even for a few hours a week- significantly reduces breast cancer (by 10-30% depending on weight, in the study population of postmenopausal women in age range 50-79);

3) possibly helps sleep -
if walk is in late afternoon (avoid a walk 2 hours before bed), possibly by boosting feel-good hormone serotonin, or by raising body temperature;

4) makes you happier -
University of Texas researchers found that even one 30 minute walk may help relieve depression, anxiety, and stress. Walk more and there likely is a bigger boost: walking helps the body produce mood-boosting chemicals of endorphins; additionally, walking

5) cuts down on aches and pains;
6) keeps you slimmer;
7) staves off senior moments; and
8) protects bones.

I have an ulterior motive in writing about walking, and that is to display some cool pictures, taken by son Seth, while he and his wife Lea recently were walking high on the Inca trail in South America. [For a bit more info on Inca trail, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inca_road_system]
Whether in altitude, or in feeling the benefits of beauty or feel good or increased wellness, may all your walking be some form of high.