Take a Walk...Seriously
Finding the balance between work and living healthy is a daily challenge.
And since we sometimes spend more time at our jobs than any place else, it’s important to incorporate healthy living into your work day.
Your workplace should allow breaks throughout the day, especially for lunch; here’s why you should try to spend those breaks outside:
Recent research has indicated that time
outdoors helped diabetics lower their
blood pressure and blood-sugar levels.
Time outside clears the mind. A study showed that when people spent time in a park, they experienced less brain fatigue than others who spent time in a busy downtown neighborhood.
The sun gives us Vitamin D. It’s critical to helping the body absorb calcium and helping the brain communicate with the rest of the body. It takes just 5 to 30 minutes in the sun every day to maintain healthy levels of Vitamin D.
Nature has a healing effect on the body. Studies have shown that patients who had a view of trees or gardens from their hospital rooms tended to recover more quickly than those who did not. That’s why hospitals throughout the world have started incorporating greener landscape elements into their designs.
The body needs fresh air. Recent research has indicated that time outdoors helped diabetics lower their blood pressure and blood-sugar levels. The phytoncide compounds emitted by plants decrease stress levels and increase production of immune cells. And, sunlight helps the brain produce serotonin, which cheers us up.
So listen to your body, and go take a walk!