When I moved to my current neighborhood, a group of ladies had formed a running group and had matching pink sweatsuits. They'd run together along the path behind my house and I would either laugh, roll my eyes, or feel a tinge of guilt that I wasn't working out myself. To me, a young mom of 4 littles, this little bubblegum bunch seemed extreme and WAY beyond what I thought was necessary. Here I am 17 years later and funny enough, I feel the same way... WAY extreme and unnecessary. I'm sure it was fun for them, but definitely not my thing. I need more basic and something a bit less stressful. haha. So, imagine my joy when I learned how beneficial WALKING is for our health... and I don't have to wear pink... if I don't want to.:)
In recent weeks we've been talking about the benefits of walking. I love to walk! Way easier than running (for me) and easier to take in the gorgeous scenery of the Heber Valley. Today's post is about another AWESOME benefit to this easy and affordable activity. Read on and you'll "see"!
According to The Eye Specialists of Louisiana, walking (low-impact exercise) can help with several common eye conditions and I quote them below:
"Walking for 30 minutes a day can help reduce your risk of age-related cataracts. A cataract is a clouding that forms in the normally clear lens of the eye.
Exercising three or more times per week will lower your risk of wet age-related macular degeneration. Wet age-related macular degeneration is a chronic eye disorder that causes blurred vision or a blind spot in your central visual field. It’s typically caused by abnormal blood vessels that leak fluid or blood into the macula (part of the eye responsible for central vision). Walking can help prevent this by an impressive 70%.
Moderate intensity, low-impact exercises can help significantly reduce pressure inside the eyes, particularly in young adults with glaucoma. Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that can cause blindness. It is typically caused by high pressure inside the eyes." One study in particular proved that people who exercised for 30 minutes were 25 percent less likely to develop glaucoma than those who were inactive.
Regular walking helps increase blood flow to the optic nerve and retina, This ensures your cells get the oxygen and nutrients they need to function properly.
A recent study from the American Academy of Ophthalmology also found a link between exercising and better vision. That those who expended more energy seemed to have sharper vision overall. The researchers were able to monitor the effects of exercise on the brain using neuroimaging techniques. They found that exercise would boost activity in the visual cortex. The visual cortex is the part of the brain that comprehends and organizes the images our eyes send.
I could literally go on and on!
After looking at all this research, I'm amazed at the incredible benefits of walking!! It's so easy and SO beneficial! If you want to "see" the benefits, we suggest getting out there as soon as possible. You'll improve your eyesight AND protect your eyes from future diseases that have the potential to take away your vision completely.
So, if you still hold hard feelings for those overzealous athletes in YOUR neighborhood, I suggest taking my approach... FORGET ABOUT IT AND GO ON A WALK... wearing pink is optional!:)
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