Improve your Immune System
Walking Benefits Immune System
From: DH Owens of http://www.cyberparent.com/walks-walking/immunity-benefits.htm
In addition to other benefits, walking brings with it an immune enhancing benefit.
Even moderate levels of regular walking have been shown to enhance the immune system, helping our body fight off illness and even reducing the incidence of certain cancers.
How can walking enhance your immune system?
Exercise, including walking, has been proven to boost immunity by causing the body to produce more natural killer (NK) cells. These cells constantly monitor the areas germ enter out body and destroy any cell they dot recognize.
It helps health in other ways, too.
Walking and all physical activity increases blood flow and raises oxygen levels in the body. Oxygen stimulates the immune system to repair damaged tissue.
Regular walking reduces fat around your stomach. This helps to lower your insulin levels.
Regular walking can cut your risk of bowel cancer in half according to a report by the US Surgeon General.
Walking can play an important part in combating the depression, fatigue and stress that accompany daily life.
You need to walk everyday to continue to boost your immune systems because the benefits are short-term.
Filed under: General on May 4th, 2007 | No Comments »
Last week’s business trip took me to Huntsville, Alabama. Our flight left from Boston early Monday morning, there was a plane change in Washington, D.C., and we were working at our destination by noon. That night I set the alarm for 5:30am and turned in early and was out at 6am the next morning. The hotel desk clerk suggested that I take a right at the first stop light and follow the sidewalk for a while.
Huntsville was a surprise. It’s a modern city with scattered high tech companies, industrial parks, and department stores in between. From the landscape we passed it was very clear that that the this community is very much into work - particularly the aerospace industry. We learned that Huntsville is home to the rocket manufacturing at Redstone Arsenal and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. It is nicknamed “The Rocket City” for its close history with U.S. space missions. Most of companies in the area support this industry. There is virtually no unemployment in this area. So, you ask, why was Huntsville a surprise?
The hotel on a busy road near our manufacturing plant destination. There were plenty of hills nearby but none close enough to drive to before starting work. So my walk would be along the sidewalk. My plan was to keep taking right turns and I would circle back to the Hotel. If I got back too early I would just go around again. After taking the first right I was delighted to find there was less traffic on the street and it was fairly quiet. This stretch of the walk was long and was slowly taking me up a hill. I passed a park on the left and a few empty lots on my right. There were also several entrances to a couple of industrial parks. From the top of the hill I could see that my next turn was coming up.
As I turned there was a college and a church. Then another church. I felt that I needed one more church to mention that this is part of the Bible Belt, but instead there was open land with trees neatly planted along the edges. After a while I came to another corner. I did a time check and estimated that I would be back by 7am thus completing an hour’s walk. Soon after turning I passed another church on the right, then another right next to it and one across the street. OK, now I can mention the Bible Belt… but I already did. Well this road seemed much longer than the road I should be in parallel with, but I kept walking. I finally stopped at what looked like a turnpike. This was a signal to me that I had probably missed a turn and walked too far. I turned around.
Another time check revealed that I didn’t have enough time to completely reverse my walk. I needed to find a more direct route to the Hotel and asking directions was out of the question. There was nobody around to ask. About ten minutes later I saw a large apartment complex to my left. With any luck the back end of this would put me in better proximity to the hotel. As a walked between the buildings I started wondering if my coworkers would have to send out a search party. I then became more determined to get back on time. The apartments led me to a dead end road then a small creek in front of a large field. It appeared that the creek could be jumped and that on the other side of the field was another street. Away I went. The jump was easy and I was able to land on dry red dirt. From there it was just a walk across the field covered with tall grass - no problem, but the grass was pretty wet. When I came upon the sidewalk I realized that I was back at the start of the walk. All I had to do is take a couple of lefts and I was back at the hotel. I walked in the lobby almost exactly an hour from when I started.
So why would you go to Philadelphia to go for a walk? Well, actually… there are quite a few reasons, but walking wasn’t the reason for our visit there. We periodically go to Philadelphia to visit our daughter Julie and her boy friend Kevin. During our visit most of the time is spend walking through the sections of the city.
Our walks in Philadelphia tend to be randomly selected - if selected at all. We just start walking and end up somewhere. If we walk too far in one direction, we’ll take a cab back. I’d say the general direction we walk in is determined by what restaurant or site we’re trying to get to. We get there and then we keep walking. Therefore, our trips to Philadelphia offer quite a bit of exercise.
On our last two trips we’ve walked in Old City. There the streets are lined with Sugar Maple trees and many of the sidewalks are brick. We walked across a cobblestone street and went to an “antique” ice cream shop. While eating the ice cream we walked by the first post office. From Old Town, the Penn’s Landing entrance is in sight and a short walk. Perhaps Old Town is a good place to start. Then again, maybe South Street is. Or, maybe you could just leave you car somewhere and head in any direction. We did!
After calling our stand-by lawn service I headed for Brewster’s Cape Cod Museum of Natural History. This is located on the left side of Route 6A if you’re heading East. I had heard that The Best Walk in Brewster was there. It crosses the marsh, leads to Cape Cod Bay, and passes a stream. I parked and then asked about the trail. I was also told that since I wasn’t entering the museum, the walk was free.
The walk was interesting right from the beginning. Most of it is a narrow sandy path through the woods. There a markers here and there to identify the different tree types along the way. The first section was straight. It later turned off to the left. The trail started on a decline which lead to a wide marsh field. In order to cross the field without getting wet the museum folks provided a boardwalk and a bridge. While crossing the marsh a large Osprey nest came into view. Streams formed in several spots. I later noticed the streams had widened due to a progressing tide change. The most striking thing about this area is the vastness of the marsh.
After crossing the marsh I found the sand much looser. I followed a path through a small sand dune, then down a set of stone stairs to the final stretch before the beach. A family was walking along the beach. There were two kayaks in the water. To the right was a sand bar serving as a social setting for seagulls. This area is know for its abundant supply of sand eels which are chased by Sea Bass and the seagulls. I walked for a while along the beach for a while then began walking back taking the same path. Just after climbing the stairs, I decided to take another path back.
Located just South of Boston is the town of Hingham, MA. There on Martin’s Lane you can find the pride of Hingham: a park with the peculiar name of “World’s End”. The origin of the park’s name was either forgotten or is a well kept secret. Even more peculiar is the fact that such a beautiful place was given such a grim name. If you’re looking for The Best Walk in the Boston area, this may be the place!
Last Sunday I drove from our house in Hudson to visit my son Brian in Quincy. We worked on a deck for a while then decided to take a walk. Brian suggested that Worlds End might be a good place to try. He had heard that this was a great place to walk and that it was only a short drive from Quincy. Before long we paid the five dollar admission and we were in. By the way, this is one of the few walks I’ve had to pay for. But, I had no objection. Once you’re on the trail you can see that the park is well kept.
The trails take you around the outside edges of a peninsula where you can see the rocky coastline. We walked over four miles on paths that offered dramatic views of the Weir River, Hingham Harbor, and the Boston Skyline. The walk wasn’t at all challenging - just pleasant. And, we noticed that there are public restrooms, benches, and a drinking water fountain.
As we walked both my son and I were carrying cameras and both were put to good use. There are views in every direction. World’s End presents itself as a conundrum, hills lined with trees and open fields, but no houses. The rolling, open terrain will makes you feel like you’re on the landscaped grounds of some English estate. The story is that there was once a plan for house construction - but that never came to be.
This land is now preserved and maintained by a set of trustees - a victory for those of us suspicious of “progress”. As a matter of fact, this park’s proximity to Boston make this natural setting that much more unique. As you may have guessed, we had a great walk. We enjoyed the views, the conversation. and the sun was shinning. OK, that’s enough writing for now. Its time to plan the next walk!
For me, this week has been hectic. A situation came up which kept my wife and I out all of Monday night into Tuesday morning. Then, because of previous work commitment, I was unable to sleep late. The next morning even coffee couldn’t restore my energy. I was tired, only partially effective, and by lunchtime I was behind on my work. My immediate thought was to work through lunch and postpone my daily walk. I needed to catch up.
On two occasions we’ve spent a weekend in Ogunquit, Maine. I was joined by my wife Karen and our friends Kathy and Stan. Our visits were in the Spring and were spend at Anchorage by the Sea hotel. Anchorage by the Sea is on the Marginal Way walking trail which is clearly The Best Walk in Ogunquit.
From the hotel, a walk on Marginal Way takes you to the harbor of Perkins Cove and to Ogunquit Village. The walk is very easy and very scenic. Virtually anyone can walk this trail and everyone enjoys it. The walk keeps you in view of the rocky coast line and Ogunquit’s white sand beaches. As you leave the trail and enter Perkins Cove, the scenery continues. If you’ve been to the Cliff Walk in Newport, Rhode Island, Perkins Cove is very similar. I recommend the Cliff Walk and Marginal Way - They’re different enough to appreciate walking on each.
Since our visit was in the Spring, there were only a few others on the trail. We were told that that situation changes dramatically in the Summer and the trail gets crowded. During both stays we walked in a loop taking Marginal Way to Perkins Cove then taking Shore Road back to the Hotel. Although the scenery you view is in a natural setting, the walk itself is man made. As a matter of fact, except for a wooden bridge, all of the walk is on pavement. The emphasis is on the scenery ans it’s worth taking the walk for that reason. By the way, if you’re bring your wife or girlfriend on this walk, there will be no complaint’s. There are plenty of shops in the Perkins Cove and Ogunquit Village. (Consider that when you’re deciding how much money to bring.)
Many times I’ve mentioned that The Best Walk will always be in a scenic, quiet, and natural setting… but let’s be realistic. There are many days that walks are constrained to what’s immediately available. In those cases neighborhood walks are a good thing. They can be relaxing, put you in better touch with neighbors, and solidify your connection to your immediate surroundings.We live in the Lake Boon area of Hudson, Massachusetts and walking in this neighborhood has its pluses and minuses. The scenery offered by the lake is certainly a plus. On the minus side, there are narrow streets with no sidewalks to provide a buffer from an occasional fast moving car. We’ve found that the best time to walk is early in the morning because at that time the streets are quiet and there’s almost no traffic. We took this walk last Sunday morning.
From our house on Lake Boon Drive, we kept to the side of the street as we headed towards the lake. The street ended quickly as we approached a set of lake front houses. A left turn put us on a mile long stretch to a narrow street build over an earthen dam. This is the far side of the lake where Lake Boon’s runoff spills into the Assabet River. Here it’s common to see people fishing in the lake - the prize fish being the Large Mouth Bass. The causeway offers a good view on the right looking across the lake. On the left the view is also good. It takes in a large area of woods, then the Assabet River. At the end of the causeway, there’s a house with the Assabet River behind it. The same house has a lake view with a lake front beach area. Did I mention that I really like that house?Sometime before the causeway we had crossed into the town of Stow without any announcement. Lake Boon is in the towns of Hudson and Stow - more so in Stow.
We took the next right which took us up a small hill. Between the houses, the lake is still in view. Looking at the houses, you can see a transition still in process. All of the houses in this area were cottages. Lake Boon was at one point a seasonal community. Vacationers came for the summer, mostly from the Boston area. But as the population expanded, some started taking residence along Lake Boon. Why not? The lake offers, boating, swimming, ice skating and fishing in the winter - and the cost of living is less that Boston’s. In order to make living in this area practical, the cottages had to be winterized and enlarged. Over the years the area transformed into a year round community. And, the home improvement projects still continue.Where we live was wooded land a few years ago. Our house is now about four years old. There are houses near us that are brand new but many were the original cottages that have been renovated and anyone can see that the renovations vary quite a bit. If you look real close, there are a couple of cottages remaining. All in all, this area offers a very diverse choice of homes of any price range - any style, any age.As we arrived at the intersection of Pine Point Road and Sudbury Road, we were provided with a choice. With the walk to this point taking us one and a half miles backtracking would provide us with a three mile walk. Or, we can cross Sudbury Road and walk around in a newer residential area. Our choice was to take a right on Sudbury Road which continues around the lake. Note that this choice is only reasonable at low traffic times such as Sunday mornings.
The long Sudbury Road stretch takes you past a couple of lake views, a soccer field, and a boat launch on the right, and a conservation area on the left. It ends at Hudson Road which is the primary connecting road for the nearby towns. Hudson Road becomes Route 62 and Main Street in Hudson. A right turn brings us back into Hudson a few minutes later. This road is always busy and put simply - This section is never a good walk! The trick is to take as detours as possible. Doing so we’ve managed to minimize the the walk on this street. The last detour off of main street takes us back into our street completing a five mile walk.
Because my daughter Julie and my soon-to-be son in law Kevin live in Philadelphia, we visit there somewhat often, and as mentioned in a previous post, when we visit - we walk. They live in Center City not far from the Philadelphia Museum of Art. On our last visit we arrived on a Friday night and during dinner I mentioned that I was interested in getting up early and taking a walk. Kevin suggested that I head for the Art Museum where I would have a choice of walking areas.
I began the walk at about 6:30AM and proceeded towards the museum. In just a few minutes it was in view. I circled around it and noticed a walkway directly behind it. A sign on the walkway announced that this was the Schuylkill River Park. In front of me was a stone wall with a very well designed path and stairway descending to the river level. Then another sign: “The Schuylkill River Water Works”.From this spot the scenery looking out at the river was excellent! I was pleased with what I had found so soon into the walk. My only problem was which way to go.
I took a left. The area immediately behind the museum was the most decorated with a fountain, a statue, and a wide brick sidewalk. I followed the path under a bridge From there I could see a large number of cyclists assembling for a race. The path seemed to used equally by walkers, joggers, and the less serious cyclists. On my right I could see a family of ducks along the river bank, the Schuylkill Expressway on the opposite side, and behind that - the city. The park offered an escape from the busy sidewalks and streets while providing a constant reminder that this is Philadelphia. The park must have been designed to expose some of the best sections of the city’s skyline. After walking under another bridge or two I noticed that the sounds from the expressway became louder. I also noticed that it was time to turn around.
I walked back past the Water Works and went out on a man made peninsula. There were two men fishing along the side. I could see another section of the river being used for crew racing. Boats were entering the river from a set of nice looking houses. That section reminded me of the boat houses along Boston’s Charles River. I decided to head in that direction. Later I learned that that section off the Schuylkill was known as Boat House Row.
In order to continue walking toward the boat houses I had to leave the Schuylkill River Park and enter a section of Fairmount Park. I walked past the boat houses and then along the sidewalk for a while. Knowing this was taking me too far away from where we were staying, I decided to turn back while staying in the park. Before long I was back in front of the Art Museum. Checking the time I decided I needed to get to my daughters house - time for breakfast.
One of the less spoken about benefits of walking is the positive effect on the brain. Rather, it is much more common to hear that walking offers good for exercise and stress relief values. Then once in a while you’ll hear that walking clears your head. Well, it actually does clea your head - physically, andas a result of that it improve the brain’s functionality.Basically, walking oxygenates your brain. It increases breathing and heart rate so that more blood flows to the brain. Because of this, memory skills, learning ability, concentration, and abstract reasoning are improved. Continued walking slows the decline in brain density in white and gray areas, and other effects of aging. Physical activity is needed by our bodies and the best activity is The Best Walk.
There is another way to look at this. Let’s say you “work with your brain” every day. Maybe you constantly work on complicated tasks solving complex problems, but you work at desk and you seldom receive any exercise. Is that good enough? Considering the benefits mentioned above, the answer is “no”. Constant use of the brain’s logical will imrpove the brain but it doesn’t negate the need for physical activity - both are needed.
