The research was carried out at the University of California and assessed the health of 1455 men who had been diagnosed with localised prostate cancer. Over 31 months researchers assessed the men and found that the men who walked briskly for 3 hours a week or more were less likely to suffer events such as disease recurrence, bone tumours and deaths caused specifically by prostate cancer.

Research shows that gentle walking does not have the same effect as brisk walking or power walking. Lead researcher Erin Richman comments “The benefit from walking truly depended on how quickly you walked. Walking at an easy pace did not seem to have any benefit…Walking is something everyone can and should do to improve their health.”

To see the full report visit the BBC Website.

Regular walking can be a really effective way to achieve your health goals and, what’s more, it is free and easy to do as part of your daily routine. You don’t need to join a gym, you don’t need any specialist equipment and you can start walking straight from your doorstop.

As well as the numerous physical health benefits which regular walking can have it is also a great way to banish the winter blues. It’s also a great way to explore your local areas, parks and green spaces.

So if you keep one New Year’s resolution this year make it to Get Walking and Keep Walking!

During the winter months many people feel low spirited and tempted to put off exercise; however, research shows that gentle and routine exercise can help to lift our spirits as the days grow shorter.

It has been suggested that keeping active can help combat depression during winter – particularly by doing exercise such as walking which can be done regularly and doesn’t put a large amount of strain on the body and mind. Research shows that a daily one-hour walk, in the middle of the day, could be as helpful as light treatment for coping with the winter blues.

For more information on the causes and treatments of SAD visit the Mind website.

“A few months ago I was seriously unfit. Working in an office I lacked the motivation to get any exercise. I was even out of breath by walking one flight of stairs. I saw an advert for the Get Walking Keep Walking pack and figured I would give it a try. Armed with my walking plan and pedometer I found a purpose to get off my bum and get walking.

The pack also helped me understand that every step counts. So I started parking the car at the back of the car park and walking to a colleague’s office instead of phoning them. Now I love going for a walk and am even starting to lose weight. I am so glad that I received my get walking pack – without it I wouldn’t have changed a thing. And now I am so much happier – it really is brilliant.”

If, like Rebecca, you’d like to improve your health and fitness walking is a great way to achieve your goals. According to NHS choices you can Walk Your way to Health: “Regular walking has been shown to reduce the risk of chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, asthma, stroke and some cancers.”

Watch this space as we are planning to have new walks, to learn more about naturally grown plants, exchange recipes and sustain our own community!!

“My dad was out walking using his pedometer for the first time when he realised he had dropped the hankerchief which my mum had given him for his birthday. Since she always did the laundry he knew she would notice! He remembered checking how many steps he had walked before blowing his nose and continuing, but couldn’t recall the spot. A quick look at his pedometer, a little piece of calculation, and he knew the figure that should be on the pedometer when he reached the place. He headed back, and just when he had 12 steps left he spotted it: all thanks to his getwalking pedometer!”

Thanks Jennifer for your story. Check out this Autumn’s newsletter – or sign up to receive one – for details of the autumn competition and you could be a winner!

Arthritis effects one in five adults in the UK, with 12,000 children suffering from arthritis and 27,000 people aged under 25*. It can cause sufferers pain and also decrease their mobility and ability to perform everyday tasks.

However, research shows that regular and gentle exercise such as walking can reduce the risk of arthritis. According to NHS choices, you can Walk Your Way to Health: “Regular walking can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer, osteoporosis and arthritis. It can help you to deal with anxiety and stress, and may reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.”**

So if you want to improve your health including regular walking as part of your routine could be the key to success. Take the 10,000 steps challenge and improve your health
*Statistics taken from Arthritis Care www.arthritiscare.org.uk
**http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/women4060/Pages/Walktohealth.aspx

Although Walk to School Month is a festival for children, you too can include walking in your day. It can be as simple as including a 20 minute walk during lunchtime, walking to the shops or walking all or part way to work.

Improving your health doesn’t need to be difficult and making small changes to your routine can have a big impact on your health. NHS Choices Get Active Your Way has loads of information about simple activities your can include in your day including walking.

You don’t need to walk miles to get the most out of walking and the benefits are numerous. As well as improving your general fitness and helping you to lose weight it can help reduce the risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer, osteoporosis and arthritis. It’s also good for your mental wellbeing by helping you to deal with anxiety and stress.

As part of Walk to School month there are plenty of events and activities going on across the country to encourage children to walk to school. For more details visit www.walktoschool.org.uk/

Take part in this car free challenge and feel the benefits that everyday walking can have for your health! Walking is simple and easy to fit into your routine. Research has shown that just 20 minutes of walking a day can do wonders for your health. According to the NHS “Regular walking has been shown to reduce the risk of chronic illnesses, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, asthma, stroke and some cancers.”*

You can fit walking into your day by walking to the shops, getting off the bus a few stops early, walking in your lunch break and many other ways. So what are you waiting for? Get walking!

* NHS Choices

We all know the amazing benefits that walking can have for your health but the BBC today reported that brisk walking could prevent cancer.

In a recent report experts from the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) have claimed that about 10,000 cases of breast and bowel cancer could be prevented each year in the UK if people did more brisk walking. For example, data suggest 45 minutes a day of moderate exercise could prevent about 5,500 cases of breast cancer.

Scientists at WCRF claim that “it is the total time spent being active that is important. You do not need to set aside half an hour each day to exercise. Shorter bouts of activity will be just as beneficial as long as they add up to the same”.

The other health benefits of walking are numerous, with regular walking being proven to improve fitness, combat obesity (a known cancer risk factor) and aid weight loss. On top of the health benefits walking is free and a simple way to fit in every exercise. 

Their head of science, Dr Rachel Thompson, said by making small changes to their daily routine people could achieve significant health gains.

“There is now very strong evidence that being physically active is important for cancer prevention.”

“Even relatively modest increases in activity levels could prevent thousands of cancer cases in the UK every year.”

“These figures also show you do not have to go to the gym every day to benefit.”