Walking Incorrectly Doesn't, in and of Itself, Cause Any Disease. Notes from the Camino in Spain.

For most of us, in order to make changes that last, we need to do modifications one at a time. Brain research says after do something three times it becomes a habit. That may be true but habits that have been with us for years almost always take longer than three times to be undone.

Ever have a sticker in your shorts? It may be small, but it sure can be troublesome. Would we take a pain reliever to get rid of it? Probably not. So, why wouldn't it make sense to find the cause of a headache or other problem and remove it just like we would the sticker? Maybe, after three times of actually going to the cause, it would become a habit to be more thoughtful about our health.

Do you like to walk? Do you use a walking stick? Do you have problems with your Achilles tendon, knees or hips? If you're right handed the tendon, knee and hip problems will most likely be on the left side. Why is that?

While walking slowly past a table or counter approximately waist high, put some weight on the surface with the hand on that side. Push down slowly and notice where your weight is transferred to and what you have to do to maintain your balance. What's the natural reaction to weight transfer?

What happens when our balance is thrown off? In order to compensate we lean the other way, push back with the side that the weight has been transferred to and place stress on the entire body. Carrying a stick around adds extra weight, especially to one side and is a drain on energy. Put a wrist weight on one side and carry it around for a few hours.