Why a Walk a Day Cures a Lot of Ills: Taking a Walk Can Help Reduce Some Health Problems

I had back surgery in November of 2006. I had a ruptured or herniated disc. The pain had become immense. I didn't have too much pain in my lower back but instead had severe pain in my leg. I eventually got to where I could stand for only 2-3 minutes at a time without having to sit down.

Finally, after trying a chiropractor and other different costly forms of therapy my doctor suggested a surgeon.

I had a discectomy. The surgery went well and the first thing my doctor said was to "walk" everyday.

Being an athlete growing up, that didn't seem very appealing to me. I had always played basketball to stay in shape so slowing down for a "walk" seemed a little boring and monotonous. But what I found was that going for a "walk" is the absolute best form of exercise for me, mentally and physically.

I had gained weight during the pre and post back surgery time from not being able to exercise and perhaps eating because of depression.

So walking seemed it would take years to take off the weight. But you can walk at different speeds and I eventually learned that my pace could help make me break a sweat and burn calories. Not to mention the fact that it helped my back get stronger. The muscles in your back benefit from walking.

After my surgery, I had to wait around 3 weeks before I could start exercising once again.

When I finally started walking it seemed tough to do a single mile. Maybe that was because my back was still getting better and my stamina was low from not being able to exercise. Eventually my wife and I got to the 2 mile mark and 3 mile mark. I lost around 10 pounds and started feeling much better.

Eventually I could notice a difference when I walk into work. I stood upright when walking instead of slouching over. It's hard to explain how it makes you feel much more confident and strong as an individual when you are walking on a daily basis. One thing you will notice is that each day you feel rewarded for accomplishing something. Not just that, but it allows you time to walk and think about your day and life in general. The 30-45 minutes I walk allows me to put things into prospective and when my wife goes along we can talk and spend quality time together.