Why you should consider hiking this summer
Sure, you can walk on the treadmill. You can work out on the stationary bike. You can lift the weights from within your house or in the confines of the gym.
But there is something especially liberating about working out in the nature. Breathing in the fresh air that revitalizes the lungs, views that give you peace and perspective, both at the same time. Connecting with nature is also very calming. Enter hiking.
Benefits of hiking for your health
Hiking presents as an excellent way to get exercise out in the nature. It basically entails walking out in the nature, but usually on a trail that is more challenging than a walking track. It offers many benefits for health, including:
Good for balance
Walking can become challenging as we age, since aging posits balance problems. Hiking then presents as the perfect solution, since it involves not just walking, but since the terrain is uneven and thus more challenging, it works your muscles better. However, be careful as to not take a fall, meriting then urgent intervention of the Best Orthopedic doctor in Lahore.
If you are novice at exercise and have balance problems, perhaps get in good shape before you start hiking. Otherwise, if you don’t have balance issues, you can challenge your body to start hiking right away.
Good for the heart
Hiking is a great form of cardio, as it helps in getting your heart rate up. It then helps the heart become stronger. Furthermore, hiking also helps in improving the symptoms of blood pressure. All in all, it helps in averting or at least lowering the risk of heart disease.
Good for diabetes management
Diabetes results in blood sugar management issues. There is a lot of danger that uncontrolled diabetes poses, including organ damage. Hiking, on the other hand, can help you in managing diabetes better.
For people on the verge of diabetes, eating better and doing physical activities like hiking can work in preventing diabetes
Good for mental health
Being in the nature and connecting with it aids greatly in improving the mental health as well. As you connect to your roots, take a deep breath out in the open, experience the beauty of the nature, laud your body for pulling such a feat, you gain perspective.
Furthermore, exercise also helps in lowering the stress levels. It also aids in the release of endorphins, that is good for improving the mood.
Helps in building muscles and bone density
Exercises like hiking come under the ambit of resistance training, as it involves working against gravity. This then helps in building muscle mass, and as the muscles tug at the bones, they then also make the bones stronger as well.
As your body also bears your weight during the hike, it also then aids in improving bone density. Hiking also is good for the posture.
For people undergoing problems like osteoporosis that is remarked by the loss of bone mass, hiking can help in undoing the damage.
Weight loss
Demanding physical exercise like hiking helps in burning calories. For people trying to lose weight, hiking can be a fun and invigorating way to drop the extra pounds in a healthy fashion.
Take caution!
Before you start hiking, especially as a beginner, you should do your due diligence. Scout locations that are beginner friendly, as you slowly build your stamina up to it.
If your hike is on a longer route, try to also pack a bottle of water as dehydration can endanger your health.
Furthermore, once you build your stamina to it, take more challenging routes that include pits so that you also get to climb, build more muscle, and do cardio, all in one.
Also, make good footwear choices. If they’re inadequate, it is possible that you sustain an injury, meriting then help from the Best Orthopedic Surgeon in Karachi.
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