Dr Laura Freeman and Soul Food Kitchen are hosting the very first "Walk with a Doc" in Scotland starting on the 12th of January 2020 and every month thereafter.
We asked the lovely Dr Laura Freeman to tell you a bit more about "Walk with a Doc". Here is what she had to say...
What is Walk with a Doc?
Walk with a Doc is an international nonprofit organisation started by Dr. David Sabgir, an American Cardiologist. In 2005, he invited 100 patients and community members to go for a walk with him in a local park. Since that day, the movement has spread around the world and now hundreds of communities are enjoying the incredible benefits of walking with their healthcare providers on an ongoing basis. I can’t wait to start a Glaswegian contingent at Soul Food Kitchen.
What Happens During a Walk?
People of all ages, fitness levels, and backgrounds are welcome for our free, monthly events. After a short health discussion from myself, we will spend the rest of the time walking together in Kelvingrove Park. Walkers can walk at their own pace but I encourage everyone to ask health questions, engage and socialize with others in what will be a fun and relaxed setting.
Why Walk?
We all know that exercise is good for our minds and bodies. The truth is that getting our recommended exercise allowance and staying physically active takes dedication and a lot of willpower. Modern life makes this really difficult for us - we can call an Uber or have food delivered to our door, we can take the escalator and we can even ask Alexa to turn the lights on!
For many of us, getting our recommended 150 minutes a week of cardio/stretching/ strengthening is tough. But one form of exercise we can all start with is walking. And just because it is simple, does not mean it is not beneficial for our health!
For example, did you know that walking for three hours a week for three months causes so many new brain cells to grow that it actually increases the size of the hippocampus? This is an important area of your brain for learning, emotions and memories. Walking really is one of the single most important things we can do for our health.
This was one of the reasons that I really wanted to start a Walk With A Doc chapter. I wanted to make it as open and accessible to as many people as possible. It is a simple but really powerful way to get people moving. It’s also a great way to connect with other like-minded individuals in the community. Let’s walk!
Check out 100 reasons to walk at walkwithadoc.org/why-walk.
Please be aware that the 12th of January is full but we do have another "Walk with a Doc" on Sun, the 9th Feb register here