On Air with Ella - podcast episode 293
Listen here (or everywhere you get podcasts):
YOU ASKED, WE ANSWERED
Tillie Harris and I are addressing your Q&A about...
1: WORK: Mean bosses and managing stressful dynamics
2: WELLBEING: 4 surprise benefits you don’t know about walking every day
3: PURPOSE: Tapping into your purpose through connection and creativity
IN THIS EPISODE
The Karpan Drama Triangle: PERSECUTOR, RESCUER and VICTIM
Surprise Benefits of Regular Walking
According to a study by Harvard Health Publications, walking for 2.5 hours a week (that’s just 21 minutes a day!) has enormous health benefit. For me, I have a flatter tummy and an easier time stabilizing my weight, avoiding the bloat and generally feeling great in my body when I walk every day.
A few benefits of walking with moderate intensity include:
Blood glucose (blood sugar) levels go down
Insulin sensitivity goes up
Metabolism increases
Weight loss or maintenance becomes easier
Blood pressure decreases
Your mood is better
You feel more focused and alert
Memory and cognition improve
But here are 4 things you might not know about the impact of walking regularly...
FOUR SURPRISE BENEFITS OF WALKING
1) WALKING AFTER A MEAL
Scientists have found that going for a 15-minute walk after a meal can reduce blood sugar levels. Studies show that just a few minutes of walking after a meal were enough to significantly improve blood sugar levels compared to, say, plopping down on the sofa. That’s because walking requires more active engagement of muscles than standing or sitting, and uses the fuel from food at a time when there is a lot of it circulating in the bloodstream.
Walking within 60 minutes after eating delivers the best results.
ALSO IT IMPROVES DIGESTION!
Walking uses your core and abdominal muscles, which stimulates the GI system. A study from Germany found that a 15-minute post-meal walk sped the rate at which food passed through the stomach.
2) WALKING SPARKS CREATIVITY
Research participants showed an average 60 percent boost in creativity after only ~15 minutes of walking, compared to those who remained seated (and that was inside!)
3) WALKING HELPS REGULATE STRESS HORMONES
Walking (and being in nature) can lower your levels of cortisol (aka the stress hormone). One study found the best results from 20 to 30 minute walks at least three times a week, but even 10 minutes a day can suffice if you’re crunched for time - it still has cortisol-lowering results!
4) WALKING IMPROVES BRAIN COGNITION
Super fun fact… the hippocampus in the brain (which plays a major role in learning and memory), naturally shrinks in late adulthood (eek!!). Research shows that moderate walks can help combat cognitive decline, especially in mature age populations. In a 2015 study participants aged 55 to 80 walked a very minimal amount (40min/week). Within a year, researchers found an increase in “the size of the anterior hippocampus, leading to improvements in spatial memory.”
ABOUT TILLIE HARRIS
My training is in social anthropology, coaching and psychotherapy. I use these approaches to understand teams, audiences and individuals to create lasting change.
I work with organizations to understand internal and external stakeholders and create communications to drive engagement and growth.
I also design and deliver workshops to improve personal and organizational communications and support personal effectiveness.
When I am not working in the corporate world, I write books, run personal development retreats, and generally explore the world through stories.
Connect with me about:
• Engagement and communications consulting
• Executive and personal one-to-one coaching
• Workshops and training in engagement, communication and personal effectiveness
Web: trivistagroup.com and tillieharris.com
LinkedIN: @tillie-harris
Instagram: @tillieharris
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xxoo Ella