Improving Blood Pressure, Cortisol Levels and Enhancing Vitamin D
Summary: Diagnosed with hypertension, the author adopted daily walks as advised. Andrew Weil’s insights on walking’s benefits resonated, especially its role in regulating the nervous system crucial for her Type 1 Diabetes journey. Besides lowering blood pressure and cortisol, it enhances Vitamin D levels naturally. Walking has truly become a pivotal part of the author’s healing path.
I spoke in my post here about my hypertension diagnosis. My doctor then advised me to walk every day. This has now become a part of my daily life.
Dr Andrew Weil , author of many books – including ‘Spontaneous Healing’ (1995) – states that ‘human beings are meant to walk’. I am inclined to agree with him because of the many benefits it yields.
What Are The Benefits Of Walking?
The benefits of walking are numerous! Of the numerous benefits, some really stand out for me as being beneficial to healing my T1D…
1. Nervous System Regulation
Andrew Weil (1995) argues that walking harmonises the whole nervous system. I believe that this harmonisation is crucial in healing the fight-flight-freeze response that I believe is, or results from, Type 1 Diabetes (see my post here for more on this).
2. Reduced Blood Pressure
This is a big one for me right now and a huge motivator for getting out the door every morning! (However, I also found this study that questions the quality of the research proving it.)
3. Reduced Cortisol Levels
Walking reduces cortisol levels. Sustained high levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) can lead to a range of health issues, including anxiety, depression, sleep problems and weight gain. For Type 1 Diabetes, increased cortisol can also lead to elevated blood glucose readings. Walking for just 20 minutes is enough to reduce these cortisol levels.
4. Improved Vitamin D Levels
If you walk outsie, you also gain from more exposure to the sun. This will enable your body to increase production of Vitamin D. Vitamin D is crucial for maintaining health in Type 1 Diabetes, as I discussed in my blog posts here.
Getting Started
Walking is a perfect exercise choice for many reasons. It is easy to do. You just need yourself and a good pair of shoes! You do not need to learn anything new to do it. It costs nothing. You can do it anywhere – outside in an urban area or in nature, inside on a treadmill or even in circles in your own home! There is little chance of injury (just avoid snow and ice!).
You should walk at a brisk pace. The pace should be fast enough to get your breathing harder but not so hard that you can no longer hold a conversation.
The British Journal of Sports Medicine states that a suitable pace of at least 100 steps per minutes is ideal. If you do not wish to count steps whilst walking, a pedometer or fitness tracker can do this for you.
Walking has now become the next step (pun intended!!) in my healing journey. Let’s see where it takes me!
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Natalie is a blogger with Type 1 Diabetes. Natalie’s special gifts are questioning the status quo and being a rebel. She is using these gifts to question medical ‘knowledge’ and find a true cure for Type 1 Diabetes.
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