More Exercise, Better Health

Walking Is Not Enough

All of us need to exercise. However, not everyone has the time or desire to join a gym. Everyone can walk, though! But how can a person with an inactive lifestyle walk for exercise? The key is to set an attainable goal. Just by doing daily chores, an inactive person probably already takes around two thousand steps per day. For exercise purpose, the aim should then be to walk more over time. A popular exercise goal for people these days is ten thousand steps per day.

Reaching a certain number of steps is not enough, however. Casual, slow walking does not really exercise the heart. It does not burn many calories, either. Health benefits result from at least thirty minutes of daily moderate-intensity exercise.

The intensity of a workout only needs to be enough to increase a person’s heart rate. Simply walking fast can do that. Keep in mind, though, that such fast walking needs to continue for at least ten minutes. Five minutes of fast walking six times a day will not benefits one’s health. Three 10-minute sessions can total thirty minutes per day. And that daily goal should be met five times per week.

Dr Vicki Harber is a researcher at the University of Alberta in Canada. She says, “People might not pay much attention to the pace or effort invested in taking those steps.” With a ten-thousand step daily target, Harber recommends that about one-third of those daily steps should be at a faster pace.

We have that one person in our life who constantly tries to make us a better person. That person sacrifices his time and energy for the pursuit to put us in the right path and not let us wander away into dangerous waters. I have had the experience of having such a person who managed to change my life for better.

I picked up the habit of smoking right after my high school. From wanting to have first-time experience with holding a cigarette, I started developing a minor addiction towards it. In company with friends who smoked, I started smoking regularly and became heavily addicted to smoking. I used to secretly smoke in the house so that my parents wouldn’t find out. There were days when I used to smoke a full packet of cigarettes, which changed my life.

I was proud of my brother, but he was also a chain-smoker and had started suffering lung problems because of the heavy smoking. He quit smoking because of the regular chest pains and other complications which started developing. Since he faced a lot of health problems, he started understanding the bad impacts of smoking.

He knew I had become badly addicted to smoking. Since he was very close to me and loved me, he started asking me to quit smoking. I never listened to him. He used to hide my packet of cigarettes or throw them in the bin.

Despite his regular pains and problems, he made it his aim to make me quit smoking. However, on one particular day he complained of severe chest pains so we rushed him to the nearby hospital. His condition worsened in the hospital and the next day, he was declared dead. We were in great shock and the whole thing seemed unbelievable. I missed my brother a lot and was frequently reminded of his repeated warning to me to quit smoking.

I saw how he lost his life because of smoking.

My brother’s words rang in my ears every day.

As a guest in a beautiful country-China, I have been treated with great love and respect. I consider myself as a grandfather to my class, and that is a great honor for me.

Two years ago, I was in my Chinese classroom waiting for my students, when a lovely young girl entered the room. Suddenly the room was warm and cheerful. I was surprised at the change from a dull somewhat classroom to a bright and happy classroom so quickly. To seek the answer, I looked more closely at the Chinese girl who stood before me. By all accounts, she could be described as ordinary except for her smile.

She had the most beautiful smile I think I have ever seen. I was so impressed by her smile that I told my wife about the experience when I arrived home after the class. Since then when I saw this young lady, she had the same beautiful smile. She and I have become very good friends. I know there are at times when she has reasons not to smile. Nevertheless, her smile is always there and never fails to warm my soul.

Many times I have wondered the effect a smile had on others. I have decided that a smile is one of the greatest powers we possess. Nothing can better melt an angry heart more quickly or make people all around feel instantly better than a warming smile.

I have decided that as I walk along the lovely pathways of our beautiful campus, I will smile and say hello to those I meet. The smile makes all of us instant friends. A smile makes instant friends and is the magic ingredient that makes us all brothers, sisters and friends.

I would like to invite all to look up and smile at everyone they meet on our campus and streets. I decided to do so and know I will feel great pleasure being there in a strange land far away from my family because of you and the power of your smiles. Thank you for being my beloved grandchildren.