Health Walks: Talking Research
If you’re feeling a bit jaded by the Pandemic, two recent pieces of research might encourage you to carry on the programme you adopted to replace the suspended Tuesday Health Walks.
Firstly, researchers discovered that elderly people walk nearly 1mph faster than they did 30 years ago. A group of 75-80 year olds born in the 1930s walked 0.9mph quicker than their counterparts born between 1910 and 1914. So it looks as though we – young and old - are still doing ourselves a lot of good. And just to prove this, another piece of research found that the speed that people walk at in their 40s is a sign of how much their brains, as well as their bodies, are ageing. Not only were slower walkers' bodies ageing more quickly - their faces looked older and they had smaller brains.
Put the two together, add the well-known fact that regular short periods of exercise are better than mammoth walks, and you are bound to feel fitter and look younger.
Made it!
A very heartfelt thank-you to the dedicated team of mates, colleagues, neighbours, walkers, cyclists and others, who helped me complete the 26.2 miles of the Holtby-Dunnington-Scoreby Virtual (Walking) Marathon on October 18. 26.2 miles and 6½ hours of 4mph walking has helped so far to raise £2,116.50 (with the promise of more to come) for 3 cancer Charities: Cancer Research UK, Macmillan, and St Leonard’s Hospice York. If you’d like to try and boost it towards the £2000 mark, just click on to https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/DerekUtley
'Thrift' - a poem
illustrated by Jackie Morris
