Movement
You cannot outrun an inflamed brain and body. The first Ironman I completed was Ironman France. I trained three to eight hours per day for a year. The first ultrarunning race I completed was a 50-kilometer event with 6,500 feet of steep elevation gains. While training, I would leave home when it was light out, cross the Golden Gate Bridge, and return in the dark, only to find the bridge closed because it was after hours. I had been running for five hours.
Each swim, run, and long cycling day usually left me feeling amazing—tired and sore, but generally amazing. I even managed to swim from Alcatraz to San Francisco, despite being a poor swimmer. For years, I was dedicated to endurance sports. I learned a crucial lesson: you cannot outrun brain and body inflammation with exercise. You can mask some symptoms for a while, but eventually, the body and brain demand a deeper solution. This realization led me to discover the role a simple walking routine can play in healing your body and mind.
Walking Works
When your brain feels stuck in looping thought patterns, anxiety, or depression, walking can be a lifeline. Unlike intense exercise routines, walking is accessible and sustainable. It changes your energy, reduces mental chatter, and creates a foundation to start healing protocols.
Here is what walking does to your brain:
- Decreases Systemic Inflammation
Walking is proven to reduce inflammation, creating a more favorable environment for brain healing. - Reduction in Alzheimer’s Risk
Studies show that walking can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by up to 50%. It promotes the clearance of beta-amyloid plaques, toxic proteins associated with Alzheimer’s. - Reduces Cortisol
Walking reduces cortisol, a stress hormone that negatively affects the hippocampus—the brain’s memory center. Lower cortisol levels help restore cognitive health. - Improves Blood Flow to the Brain
Walking increases blood flow, delivering oxygen and nutrients that nourish brain cells and promote cognitive function. - Supports Neurogenesis
Walking stimulates the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein essential for the growth and survival of neurons. BDNF is critical for memory, learning, and overall brain resilience. - Improves Sleep and Detoxification
Regular walking enhances sleep quality, which is essential for clearing toxins such as amyloid and tau proteins from the brain during deep sleep.
Making Walking a First Step.
If you’re beginning your journey to heal your brain, walking is an accessible and effective way to start.
- Start Small: If walking feels daunting, begin with just one block. Gradually increase your distance each day.
- Consistency is Key: The aim for 7,000 to 10,000 steps daily. This range has been shown to reduce the risk of dementia by 50%. However consistency is better then quantity of steps.
- Walk in Nature: Hiking or “Forest Bathing,”
Forest therapy can have a positive impact on the oxygen levels in your brain. That’s because you’re surrounded by trees and vegetation that engage in photosynthesis. The result: Plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the air.
“As you breathe in the fresh air within a forest, you’re inhaling oxygen-rich air, which can support proper oxygenation of your blood and subsequently benefit your brain function.”
Research conducted in 2010 found that people who walked in the forest twice a day for two hours had greater levels of cancer-killing proteins and immune cells. - Get Grounded: Walk barefoot in grass or sand to connect with the Earth’s energy. Research from the National Institutes of Health highlights Grounding as a powerful tool against chronic inflammation.
The goal is simple and consistent movement that supports brain health. Walking is not just exercise; it is medicine. It is the first step on the path to healing your brain. Consider starting now, one step at a time.
