Speakers - 2027

Title: Advancing mental and physical well-being through long distance walking

Abstract

Mental and physical health are always in need of nurture and care. For some, they reach tipping points and move into crisis or chronic states of unhealth. At the same time, health care systems are often financially out of reach for many persons, or are too overstretched or inadequate to provide complete, holistic care for a full human life. What modalities are available to assist with prevention, maintenance, and recovery of the health of the whole person? Traditional forms are plentiful: pharmaceuticals, psychotherapy, exercise regimes, trainers, herbal remedies, services such as physiotherapy and massage therapy, acupuncture, and more. This paper introduces the value and potential of long-distance walking as a mode of preventing ill health, maintaining good health, and recovering health, in both the mental and physical realms. Research sources include first-person accounts of the benefits of distance walking (defined as 10 or more km in one day), as well as a meta-analysis of existing research from a variety of practitioners, including neurologists, spiritual leaders, psychiatrists, nutritionists, and endocrinologists. The advantages of planned group walking opportunities will also be explored briefly. The presentation will conclude with recommended options for distance walking programs that can be replicated or adapted.