52 Ways to Walk: The Surprising Science of Walking for Wellness and Joy, One Week at a Time

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It sort of puts so many things into perspective so you feel both sort of enlarged, in a mysterious way, but also feel shrunk down, you’re this tiny ant in this huge, huge cosmos. Her body grew rounder, softer, achier, stiffer and more stooped. And Annabel felt more anxious, unsettled and discontent. She chose to reconnect with the simple joys of walking, to reclaim her health and wellbeing. When I read the title for this book, 52 Ways To Walk, I was intrigued. How can the author possibly come up with 52 weeks worth of different walking styles for readers to try? Then I read the book and discovered so much more about the benefits of walking as well as 52 examples of walking styles to try. Motivation is a large aspect of this book, so Ms. Streets writes about walking in the rain, the mud, the wind and the snow. The best attire for foul weather walking, with sensible advice o how to be safe. The book is more nudging than pedantic and that is nice as many self- help books can be frankly a tad, no a lot bossy. Walking strengthens our bodies, calms our minds and lifts our spirits. But it does so much more than this. Our vision, hearing, respiration, sleep, cognition, memory, blood pressure, sense of smell and balance (to name a few) are all enhanced by how we walk. For instance:

I wasn't sure what I was going to get with this book, although it shouldn't have been a surprise given the rather informative title, but it was so unexpectedly delightful! Urges readers to put on walking shoes, offering a weekly, new perspective on walking, no matter where you live’ – Irish IndependentI think beyond that, there’s this is very, I think it’s quite primal, sense of connection that you get when you look up and have that night sky above you. There’s more and more studies and data showing that pollution, particularly the smaller pollution PM2.5, is particularly bad for us, it’s been linked to all sorts of things from Alzheimer’s to brain fog to respiratory disease. People who studied this in walking meetings found that people who moved are able to come up with more ideas, it’s almost as though the movement shakes your brain a bit and you start to make connections… through different parts of your memory, different parts of your brain that you don’t when you’re sitting down.”

Any walk can be turned into a more rewarding and beneficial experience. When we walk in the cold, for example, our bodies use more glucose to warm us up. As glucose enhances cognition, we think better in cold climates. Interestingly, cognition improves even when looking at images of cold things. According to the author, mild cold = 16C. That made me laugh as 16C is considered pleasant weather in a Scottish spring or summer!We might think we know everything we need to about walking but there is always more to discover. This book is about how walking is connected both to old wisdom and new scientific frontiers of discovery … If you’re not a habitual walker this book will give you good reasons why you should get started and, if you are experienced, ways to keep it fresh … Fascinating.’– Lauren Laverne

Walking had become, once again, the great adventure of my life. But this time science could explain how and why"Memories start to sort of be shifted around and be processed … so it’s been really effective with veterans and people who have got PTSD.” A delightful balance of ideas, inspiration and science' Tristan Gooley, author of The Walker's Guide to Outdoor Clues & Signs s obzirom na sumanutu kilometražu koju svakodnevno prolazim hodajući, nadala sam se da će mi ovaj priručnik unijeti dašak svježine dok, eto, prolazim manje-više istim rutama i na to trošim (ili, ako obrneš: ulažem) sate i sate. I love the easy to use format and the mix of tips, stories, science and fun in each chapter. Walking as an exercise is important to me. The health benefits are many plus it is a recommended activity for the Blue Zones lifestyle.

Anyway, when I spotted this new non fiction all about different ways of walking I was intrigued. The lovely people at NetGalley kindly sent me an advance copy to read and review. But before I share my thoughts on 52 Ways To Walk, here’s a little bit about the book. We’re so eye focused that it’s quite hard, sometimes you have to literally close your eyes to stop all the distraction that’s coming in visually.

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Rather than using a rainy day as an excuse to stay home, this week’s activity encourages us to walk in the rain and reconnect with the elements. The falling rain, increased moisture and persistent pounding of raindrops causes specific compounds to be released and combined with the air we breathe. Inhaling those compounds produces a profound sense of well being in the body. 52 Ways to Walk – Week 12 Walk in the Rain Take a Silent Stroll An inspiring guide to walking each week of the year, with 52 science-based essays on how, when, where and why to do it. The rain [also] really shakes up all of the plants and the soil … and all these molecules start moving around within tree trunks and leaves, and these molecules are incredibly good for us … [they] are helping us feel more relaxed. As a young adult, Annabel bought her first car and enjoyed driving it around her little town. She also accepted a desk job. Soon she noticed changes in her body and wellness level. Landscapes with running water have a restorative effect on the mood of the walker. The mind unwinds and the brain relaxes, helping us to feel tranquil and energized at the same time. Tote along lightweight binoculars for watching wildlife along the river and wear sunglasses to protect eyes from glare off of the water. 52 Ways to Walk – Week 17 Follow a River How I Intend to Use the Book