The doctors hemmed and hawed. Tests were done. It might be a cyst on my kidney, one thought. I lost 19 pounds. Finally they arrived at a diagnosis everyone seemed to smile at: an inflammation of the duodenum, the short tube that connects the stomach to the small intestines. Basically, I had the beginnings of an ulcer. How fun. I was 21.
Blame it on the pressure of university coming to an end. Blame it on exams, papers to write, major projects, and the whole whopping life-question of what to do next. Whatever the cause, one thing was certain: the stress, constant late nights, and too-full schedule had caught up with me.
They put me on one medication. It didn’t work. They put me on another.
Then one wise doctor asked a life-changing question. “Tell me about exercise,” he said. “What do you do?”
“Well, I’ve got a 12-speed road bike,” I said. “I ride about once a week. And I go snow skiing a couple times each winter.”
“Yeah, but what do you do for exercise every day?”
I gulped. “Uh. Walk from class to the cafeteria?”
“The problem,” said the doc, “is that your mind is doing all the work while your body is sitting around all day. That needs to change.”
He prescribed a simple solution: each day, go for a walk.
I followed the advice. Each evening after classes, I started by walking around the university neighborhood. I found it pretty easy. Sometimes a friend came with me. Most evenings I went by myself.
That was more than 22 years ago and I’m still following the same simple prescription.
Each day, every day, I go for a walk. It doesn’t matter where or when—mornings, afternoons, evenings, depending on changing schedules. I’ve walked in snow, rain, sleet, sunshine, and on treadmills. In LA, Portland, Bellingham, Kelowna, Vancouver, Kenya, Haiti, Mexico, London and Jerusalem. I’ve carried mace and umbrellas and stuck to well lit areas when walking at night. I’ve walked on dirt paths in nature reserves and on sidewalks in suburbs.
I do other things to exercise, sure. But it all comes back to that one simple activity, walking. It clears my head, reduces stress, and helps put things into perspective. I don’t walk a long time, about 25 minutes usually. Consistency is key. My duodenum healed up years ago, and today at age 43 my health is sound.
Walking: it’s the single best thing you can do for your health.
A doctor recently made a 9 minute video about the proven benefits of walking. The video is creatively done and worth watching.
See the link at: http://youtu.be/aUaInS6HIGo
Question: What’s the best thing you’ve ever done for your health?
7 comments:
Nice blog again Marcus.
Well, I have been a vegetarian for about 16 years now. It always has been a challenge to get all the right things I need for my body, nutrition wise, but it worked out somehow! Last year I felt I needed more exercise as well..so my girlfriend and I started to get up early, and take turns on the thread mill that we have in the little house in our garden, and lift some weights. We also do some simple exercises, and they all help to make us feel healthy. We do this 3 times a week, and it seems to be working as we both feel pretty good these days. So..I am eating a well balanced vegetarian meal, and work out 3 times a week. That seems to be alright for my health!
a very good question. From age 10 to age 19 I did too much exercises, mostly every day. That was not good for my health. And now after the daily top-level-sport I do too little exercises which isn't good for my health. My body already starts to takes his vengeance in giving me back pain. So for sure I have to change something. But doing exercises with having constant pain is not easy. You see the tread mill? Now, that I feel way better than a couple of weeks ago, I can start to do exercises again, I guess. Why I guess? because by doing nothing, my back went better, so what happens when I do exercises again?
T
We live in a pretty rainy area (Pacific Northwest) and so the weather's often foul. This past year we got a tread mill for the first time, and I've gotta say, it's one of the best investments we've ever made. I've always just walked outside, but now I can walk inside, any hour of the day. I still prefer outside though, I must say.
Hi Marcus, I love the Pacific Northwest, I visited Seattle 3 times, and Portland once. Beautiful area! Seems like the thread mill is a good invention for all of us. Tobias, I hope your back problems will get solved soon.
Let's have coffee next time you're here.
Yuri, I wish I would be able to travel the world like you do Yuri. Which place do you call home?
T
I was just amazed the way you have written, thanks for the wealth of the resource! Mens Health
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