I just spent a week hiking. Three days in Colorado with my son and 3 days in Vermont with my wife. Among the many reasons I enjoy hiking, one is the opportunity for reflection.
The kind of people who hike seemed to be quite healthy. While that could be a matter of who chooses to hike, I believe it is also a consequence of the hiking. And in areas where people hike, there tend to be a number of other outdoor activities that become part of how people spend their spare time. I was astonished in Colorado to find the number of people on bicycles spending a day riding 5000 feet uphill, only to return down the same winding, spectacularly beautiful road to return home. And the walking, running, bicycling paths were both surprisingly ubiquitous, and wonderfully beautiful. I think outdoor recreation creates more interest in outdoor recreation, which therefore creates more opportunities. On Sunday, July 22nd, fortified by a great cup of coffee and 2 apples from the Winhall Market, my wife and I hiked the Overlook trail in the Jamaica State Park, a delightful 3 mile loop with a view of the West River and the cute town of Jamaica. It’s worth the trip.
So what are the health benefits of hiking? There is the obvious cardiovascular benefit, and calorie burning. Daily exercise is now a core component of recommendations for both maintaining health, and treating chronic disease. The lowering of blood pressure, reduction in weight, reduction in risk for heart attack and stroke, reduction in blood sugar for those with diabetes, all contribute to improved health. In addition, there are the other numerous benefits to outdoor recreation. The ones that appeal to me include the contemplative and even meditative aspect of walking in the woods. My favorite hiking companions (my son, my medical partner, and my wife), all share with me the enjoyment of long periods of silence while experiencing the woods. Something beyond relaxation happens to me at those times. John Kabat-Zinn would describe it as meditation while walking. Then there is passion -- the zeal for life and love. Why is it enhanced by outdoor exercise? Not sure, but it happens.
There is also the opportunity to see wildlife, and learn about the outdoors. This week I saw mountain goats, elk, numerous wildflowers, hawks, marmots, chipmunks, trout, and on and on. I love coming home having learned something new about our environment. Is that a health benefit? I think so … a mental health benefit.
And what about creativity? My brain seems to function better during and after exercise. I am more likely to come up with new ideas for issues I face at work and at home. Is that endorphins? Distraction? Peacefulness?
Communities are creating more built infrastructure to support walking, hiking, bicycling and other outdoor recreation. In Vermont, the Blueprint for Health, a statewide program funded by your tax dollars, brings together improved systems for care of people with chronic disease in doctor’s offices, with self-management education, and coordination with community resources for exercise. Medical studies show that people with chronic disease who exercise regularly experience better outcomes.
And yes, those are hiking poles in the photo -- keeps my knees healthy....