10,000 Steps to Better Health

Exercise and fitness image.

Do you have any idea how many steps you take each day? Could you even guess? Several studies conducted in both Japan and the United States have determined that you should walk 10,000 steps a day. That’s about five miles (8 km).

Estimates indicate that roughly half of adults are overweight; of that, about half of those are obese. And the number of children falling into the “overweight” category tripled between 1980 and 2000. Does it come as any surprise that the major cause of weight gain is lack of exercise? Did you know that walking is one of the least expensive and most effective ways to lose weight? And walking doesn’t require any fancy equipment or a pricey health club membership either. Walking moderately for just 30 minutes each day can produce measurable results.

Daily walks decrease cardiovascular disease and hypertension, improve sleep quality and duration, fight depression, and lower cholesterol. Walking also improves muscle strength and builds bone mass.

One effective way to keep track of your steps is to invest in a pedometer. Clip this inexpensive device onto your belt or waistband to provide feedback on the number of steps taken and associated calories burned. It can help you to “step it up” when you fail to meet the daily-recommended 10,000 steps!

We're interested in the lifestyle choices people make that affect their overall health and well-being. In fact these days, most of us will die from the effects of our lifestyle, not tuberculosis, small pox and other diseases that plagued previous generations. We encourage walking as part of the chiropractic lifestyle along with routine chiropractic care, sound nutritional choices and other choices you make to protect your health and improve the quality of your life.

 Dr. Todd Asks some important questions of interest to Fort Myers residents - Chiropractor Fort Myers Dr. Todd Asks...

How do you know when you're healthy?
Ask most Fort Myers residents this simple question and you're likely to hear, "When you feel good" or "When you're at your proper weight for your height" or "When you have lots of energy and vitality." Great answers. But our chiropractic patients know that true health is when your body is working as it was designed. True health is how you function, not how you feel.
What's a side effect?
It may sound like a bonus; something extra, but chiropractors know it should more accurately called an "unintended effect," and "unwanted effect" or in some cases an "adverse effect." A pill can't come close to matching your body's ability to create and deliver the essential compounds it needs. That's when it's important to make sure your nervous system is working correctly—the purpose of chiropractic care!