Madison County Rural Health Council is encouraging residents to take a step toward better health with Walk with a Doc, a health program that brings doctors and patients together to walk once a month in locations throughout the county. The next walk will take place from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday, June 8, 2019, on the Creek Walk “Monday Mile” off Genesee Street in Chittenango with Dr. Andrea Berg, a geriatrician with SUNY Upstate Medical University. All are welcome to join the walk. The event is free and pre-registration is not required. Fitness prizes will be available.
For this walk, we are partnering with the state Department of Health Arthritis Program. Walking has numerous health benefits, including helping those with arthritis and related mobility issues relieve pain and improve their health.
As a joint-friendly exercise, walking can be turned into a routine, helping to improve stamina while reducing fatigue.
Berg will share the importance of physical activity for joint pain, arthritis and other chronic conditions and then lead the group on the one-mile walk. We encourage everyone to walk at their own pace.
Walk with a Doc is a national non-profit organization whose mission is to encourage healthy physical activity in people of all ages and reverse the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle in order to improve the health and well-being of the country. The Madison County Rural Health Council is dedicated to promoting the WWAD program and its mission in Madison County.
Why walk?
There’s no question that increasing exercise, even moderately, reduces the risks of many diseases, including coronary heart disease, breast and colon cancer and Type 2 diabetes. Research has even shown that you could gain two hours of life for each hour that you exercise regularly.
According to the American Heart Association, walking as little as 30 minutes a day can provide the following benefits:
- Improve blood pressure and blood sugar levels
- Help maintain a healthy body weight and lower the risk of obesity
- Enhance mental well-being
- Reduce the risk of osteoporosis