Hiking for Health

A natural health lifestyle should always include ample time outdoors. We consider hiking to be among the most enjoyable and beneficial ways to be outdoors, while enjoying better health and a better mind and body connection.

It is widely known that exercise and physical fitness will improve your overall health and aid in a longer, higher quality lifestyle. However, most people perceive exercise as a boring workout with treadmill and weights. While the treadmills and weight rooms are both convenient and effective, they don’t have to be your only outlet.

A good workout can be a brisk 20-30-minute hike with your dog or a slower hike through your local Park or trails. You don't even need a trail to walk; simply walking around your neighborhood can be equally as effective as going to a park. For the real enthusiasts, you can plan a serious backpacking trip to a state or national park. For my time and energy, putting on my hiking boots and spending a few days hiking in the wilderness is my choice for exercising my body and my mind.

Additional benefits of hiking include:

Weight Loss

Hiking is an excellent way to lose those excess pounds and improve your overall health. Even a comfortable walk in the park can burn as much as 240 calories an hour.

Hiking helps prevent Heart Disease

Everyone knows that exercise is critical to maintaining your heart health. Hiking and walking are easy ways to get that exercise and ultimately reduce your risk of heart disease. It is easy to do for almost everyone and at every age.

It Emphasizes Healthy Living

Another great reason to hike is the lifestyle that it promotes. The more you hike the more you are in-tune with the environment around you. Every time you go outside to walk, you are assured of feeling better, more relaxed, and refreshed. This is a contagious feeling that will promote a healthy attitude and a healthier lifestyle. Don’t believe us? Go for a hike, and see what we mean!

It Benefits the Environment

We feel strongly that natural health is not just an individual lifestyle choice, but one that can and should benefit those around you. Hiking is a prime example of an exercise that can benefit many people. Every time you choose to walk, rather that ride in a car, you are lessening pollution in the air, while you are making yourself healthier. Talk about a win-win situation!

It improves the Mind and Body Connection

Hiking offers tremendous psychological benefits. Everyone has experienced that feeling of relaxation and tranquility after spending quality time outdoors. Hiking takes you away from business of your daily routine and allows you to be introspective and even meditative. Included in this benefit is the added exposure to sunshine, which is widely known to improve your mood by increasing melatonin and vitamin D levels.

Almost anyone can hike at some level, and given the wide array of benefits it has to offer, everyone should incorporate it into their overall exercise plan.