Move.
Specifically, on the day you get adjusted if you can go for a 10-minute walk it will help your Nervous System process your adjustment.
How easy is that?
Closer to your adjustment is best but if it has to be later on that works too.
One of the reasons this is so powerful is that the motion of walking is a cross-body function meaning you move the right and left sides of your body at opposite times, this helps to integrate the adjustment into your Nervous System more fully.
It is also wonderful for moving your spine and especially your pelvis in a gentle, inflammation-flushing way. Bonus points for having a glass of water before and after your walk!
Super high achiever? I would even go as far as to suggest a 10-minute walk every day, especially after lunch or dinner is a great idea (this allows your muscles to use the glucose from what you just ate and therefore helps regulate your blood sugar enhancing your metabolic health)
“So this week it’s pretty simple again, get your body moving by going for a 10-minute walk especially after your adjustments friend.”
10 (surprising) Benefits Of Walking
We all know the basics that walking is good for heart health, muscle strength, and maintaining a healthy weight.
But there are some research-proven benefits of walking that may surprise and hopefully inspire you (and I firmly believe that all of the benefits are amplified by having a freshly adjusted Nervous System, biased perhaps but I’ve seen it so many times …)
(1) WALKING SPARKS CREATIVITY
According to a 2014 Stanford study, after 5-16 minutes of walking participants showed an average 60 percent boost in creativity compared to those who remained seated.
Most surprising? The walks were on indoor treadmills so imagine if you can pair that with a dose of shinrin-yoku, aka forest bathing or vitamin N (N for nature).
(2) WALKING REDUCES STRESS
A 2019 study showed that even short walks, like the 10 minutes you’ll be doing, can lower your levels of cortisol, aka the stress hormone.
(3) IT HELPS TAME A SWEET TOOTH
A study from the University of Exeter found that a 10-minute walk can stop cravings for sweet treats and even reduce the amount of chocolate you eat in stressful situations.
(4) WALKING SUPPORTS MENTAL HEALTH
Movement boosts your mood thanks to feel-good endorphins and even further, a 2015 study demonstrates that it can significantly ease depressive symptoms and promote an overall higher quality of life.
(5) WALKING IMPROVES COGNITION
Regular walks can help combat cognitive decline, especially in mature-age populations and a 2012 study found that a 12-minute stint of aerobic exercise like walking can improve the selective attention of children. Your brain will definitely benefit regardless of your age.
(6) WALKING COUNTERACTS ACHES FROM SITTING + EASES JOINT PAIN
Walking protects joints — especially the knees and hips, which are most susceptible to osteoarthritis — by lubricating them and strengthening the muscles that support them. And a 2015 study shows that walking can undo the negative impacts of long-term sitting via increased muscle activity and improved blood circulation.
(7) WALKING BOOSTS IMMUNE FUNCTION
A study of over 1,000 men and women found that those who walked at least 20 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week, had 43% fewer sick days than those who exercised once a week or less. And if they did get sick, it was for a shorter duration, and their symptoms were milder.
(8) WALKING AIDS AND SPEEDS DIGESTION
A study from Germany found that a 15-minute post-meal walk sped the rate at which food passed through the stomach. This helps prevent any ahem back-ups as food moves through your system at a healthier pace.
More coming on this topic keep reading …
(9) WALKING IMPROVES SLEEP
A 2019 study showed that female participants who walk daily reported better overall sleep quality.
(10) MEETING YOUR NEIGHBOURS &/OR QUALITY TIME WITH THE DOG/KIDS/SPOUSE (ANY COMBINATION THEREOF)
Even strolling solo, getting out on your local streets means getting to know the local faces. Who’s out there walking dogs? Who bikes with their kids? Who likes gardening projects? OK, maybe I’m just nosy. But this contributes to a greater sense of community, which in turn fuels a greater sense of well-being.
OR …
MUCH NEEDED SOLITUDE
If, on the other hand, you’re craving alone time, literally walk away from everyone for a while. Step outside, and wear sunglasses and earbuds to signal to the world that you are not available. Wander until you’ve recaptured some serenity. Ahhhhh.
And perhaps my favourite benefit of walking … it is ridiculously good for your digestive system.
Your digestion is so, so, so important to how you feel on a daily basis. You know, when your stomach is off there is no feeling good.
If you’re interested, here’s a workshop I did for members of a coaching group I used to run all about how to optimize digestion:
Gut in a Rut Workshop
This workshop includes a workbook and is complimentary for my Adjustment Accelerator practice members - that’s you!
(Prepare yourself we talk a lot about poop. A lot.)
“This is precisely the secret held by all those who go by foot: life is prolonged when you walk. Walking expands time rather than collapses it … The world becomes larger.”
~ Erling Kagge (polar explorer)