On April 12th, Town Hall held a Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast from 9-12. Chestermere Walks had an information table at the event, which organized a community walk after the breakfast. The community walk was organized in order to celebrate the coming of spring and kick off the Get Outdoors Weekend, which happens each year on the second weekend of April. ”Walking at a moderate pace for 30-60 minutes burns stored fats and can build muscle to speed up your metabolism,” says Chestermere Walks, “walking an hour a day is also associated with cutting your risk of heart disease, breast cancer, colon cancer, diabetes, and stroke.”
All over Alberta, communities held different events in order to promote health and wellbeing. Some communities held walks, others held tag/touch football, flag football, and even GPS led scavenger hunts. ”Being active outdoors is great for our bodies and our minds,” says Associate Minister of Wellness Dave Rodney. The benefits of fitting a daily walk in to your schedule have been heavily researched over the years. According the stroke association, you can reduce the risk of stroked by 27% by walking briskly for 30 minutes a day. By doing this, you are increasing your heart rate and working out your heart.
According to Statistics Canada, 50nmol/L is the sufficient amount of Vitamin D in a person’s blood concentration for healthy bones. Over 40% of Canadians fall short of this amount during the winter, which is why walking outside in the sunlight is highly recommended. With consistent warm weather coming to town, make it your mission this spring and summer to get outdoors and walk! Your body and your mind will be sure to thank you.
