How Can We Walk Safely?

Therese Iknoian, a Nike fitness athlete and educator recommends the following safety rules for walkers:

1. Use bike paths or sidewalks, otherwise, walk facing oncoming traffic. When you get into a blind curve, walk on the outside of the curve.
   
2. Walk defensively. Not every locale recognizes a pedestrian right of way, don't assume it. Never challenge vehicles, bad drivers will be very glad to take it.
   
3. Wear light-colored or reflectorized clothing at dusk, dawn, and night. Bright colors attract attention too. Or find tracks or other areas that are lit well at night.
4. Always carry identification with you. This helps in case you get into an accident or medical emergency. If you're travelling, carry the name of the hotel where you are staying.
5. If possible, walk with a companion. Otherwise, tell someone where you're going and when you expect to return.
6. On a path, stay to the right so faster walkers, runners, and cyclists or skaters can pass. Avoid "pack walking" which clogs trails.
7. On a track, stay in the outside lanes, unless you're doing a structured, timed workout.
8. Leave the personal stereo at home so you'll be alert to dangers, be they animal, human, or urban.

Why Should We Walk?

Researchers have found that walking improves health and significantly affects the components of physical fitness.

1. Body Composition. According to studies, walking four times a week for 45 minutes each time, you can lose 18 pounds in a year even without a change in diet. Walking can help trim your fat and tone your muscles.
2. Cardiovascular Fitness. Walking two or three times a week for 20 minutes increases your cardiovascular strength. By increasing the strength of the heart and lungs, you consequently increase your ability to exercise longer and harder. It also enable you to perform your daily tasks without getting tired too soon.
3. Muscular Endurance. Walkers develop a moderate amount of endurance, which enables them to exercise for a longer time before they get tired or exhausted. Race walkers have been found to have a high endurance which may be comparable to marathon runners.
4. Muscular Strength. You gain some muscular strength with walking. Muscles that get an extra workout with this exercise include the entire back of the leg, from the calves to the hamstrings to the gluteals in the buttocks. You also use your upper body muscles in the back and the shoulders because of the arm swing.

What Are Some Of The Rules For A Healthy Living?

Medical experts recommends the following rules for healthy living:

1. Don't smoke. If you smoke, best to quit now. Smoking has been found as a leading cause of death in the US. It is a major factor in the development of coronary heart disease and in cancers of the lung, mouth, esophagus, throat, bladder, and cervix. It has also been found that smoking accelerates the aging of the skin, bones, and of the lungs. It makes you look and feel older than your actual age.
   
2. If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation. It is never recommended for a pregnant woman to drink any alcohol. If you are driving or working, alcohol lessens your alertness, thus, increases your exposure to untoward incidents.
   
3. Find some exercise that you enjoy. Do it at least 30 minutes each day, at least five times a week. And of course, do it consistently.
   
4. Eat a wide variety of naturally occurring foods, including whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables. Be moderate with fatty foods. Buy a juicer, make and drink fresh vegetable juices daily.
   
5. Keep your body trim. As it has been said, the longer your waist, the shorter your life.
6. See your doctor and have your regular medical check-ups.

How Do We Strengthen Our Heart & Lungs?

Medical experts says that the benefits of exercise are universal. Physical activity significantly reduces a person's chances of suffering a heart attack by increasing oxygen supply to the heart muscle. It also increases blood flow to the heart and reduces irregularities in its rhythm.

Exercise has been found to lessen fatigue. It clears arteries of cholesterol, and enhances the ability of the blood to dissolve clots. This , in effect, lowers a person's blood pressure.

For cardiovascular conditioning, the exercise must be aerobic to promote the use of oxygen. Health authorities say you must bring your heart rate to 60% to 70% of its maximum (low intensity workout zone). Though some push themselves beyond this level, say 80% (moderate intensity workout zone), it is recommended that you consult your doctor first. To estimate your maximum heart rate, subtract your age in years from 220. Your target rate for exercise is between 60% and 70% of that number. Or just simply refer to the table.

The pulse (heart rate) can be taken by placing a finger on your wrist or your neck and counting the beats in six seconds, then multiply it by ten. That means you must stop for six seconds to check your heart rate. You do this to make sure you are doing enough but not overdoing it.

Walking two or three times a week for at least 20 minutes increases cardiovascular strength. By increasing the strength of your heart and lungs, you consequently increase your ability not only to exercise longer and harder but also to perform everyday tasks without tiring.

What's Up in Heaven?

I once asked an old wise man: How do we work in heaven?

And he answered:

You do not work in heaven, it is much of a temple, worship is done there. You work in paradise, it is much like earth, yet even much greater. But you will not work for bread, manna is all around, it is free, and it leaves no residue. They don’t have comfort rooms there, nothing defiles in that place. You will again tend and keep your home garden which had been your noble assignment since the beginning of your great grandfather’s time. Of course, not as a farmer, but more of a landscape artist. The animals, you will rule over them; but you will also have to take care of them because they are your next best friends. You may assign them to their appropriate places to add beauty and impact on the sceneries you have created. The people, the Almighty will rule over them; but, they will be your buddies, you will love their compliments, as much as they will love yours.

Meantime, get to know your mother earth. Know the nature of trees and herbs; know the needs of great and small animals; learn to deal fairly with your own kind, lest you be deprived of that great and noble work.

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"Blessed is he who has found his work, let him ask no other blessedness. "- Thomas Carlyle, Past & Present (1843)

Why Work?

I remember this anecdote which I read from a magazine, though I don’t remember from which that was, my memory has become older than my age… but the story goes this way:

An executive, quite successful in his profession met a car accident. Bewildered by the sight of himself reclining lifeless was approached by an angel and was asked to come with him. He obligingly acceded and was brought to a place were he was to stay.

The place seemed familiar and not different from the usual places that he visited when he was still alive. There were banquets with people, men and women, common in his life. There were much food and wine, and his time was spent in enjoyment and celebration. The same activities happened night after night for there was no day in that place, though there were plenty of electricity, and bonfires.

Nights passed after another until he finally got bored, he called for the angel that brought him to the place and demanded: “If you cannot give me something to work on here, I’d rather be in hell.” And the good angel responded: “That’s where you are!”

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This reminded me of Mahatma Gandhi who points out that the state of indolence, though delightful, is very distressing. Man has to find something to put his hands on to be happy.