A Dose of Fresh Air
Carole Henderson, ECM RN Care Manager
A warm Elder Care Management welcome has been extended to our newest addition, Carole Henderson. Carole joined ECM as a part-time Care Manager in January. She has over 30 years of nursing experience with respected institutions in the field of medicine including University of Michigan, Duke University, Kaiser, and Gilead Sciences. Along with direct patient care, her background includes neonatology, case management, clinical research, drug safety, medical device safety and business ownership. Throughout her career she has always enjoyed teaching both patients and families about their medical conditions and helping them live quality lives. She lives in Folsom with her husband and loves to be outdoors and take long walks.
Do you take advantage of living in Northern California where the sun shines more than 250 days a year? I’m talking about getting outdoors and taking a walk.
We live in a part of the country where the weather conditions allow outdoor activity to be a part of our everyday life. The benefits go well beyond mere exercise and can have both immediate and long term effects on your life.
Studies show that taking a 20-30 minute walk three or four days a week reduces stress, improves concentration, and enhances your mood. The next time you have a stressful situation, instead of spending 20 minutes stewing about it, get up, take a walk and see what happens. You may notice your body relax and your mind thinking more clearly almost instantly. Your creative juices start flowing and may even help you think of a new way to resolve the situation.
Walking can also be a great way to stay connected. Invite a friend to walk with you and reduce the need for long text messages.
Walking 10,000 steps or more a day is excellent. It is fun to know the number of steps you take by wearing a fitness tracker. Many people are surprised when they realize how little their feet actually move during the day. A tracker can be very motivating.
Best of all, walking is free, so go take a walk!