Walk With A Doc Program Sets New Dates

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Aug. 7, 2018) --   UK HealthCare's Integrative Medicine and Health Clinic is hosting "Walk With a Doc," a weekly campaign that encourages physical activity and improves health.

"There are countless physical activities to choose from, but walking is a simple and inexpensive change you can make to improve your health," said clinic director Dr. Connie Jennings. "Since the thought of being alone prevents some people from walking, finding a group to walk with can be enough incentive to maintain an active walking schedule."

The program is free and open to anyone interested in improving his or her health and well-being. Each walk will be led by a University of Kentucky faculty member.  Tonight’s event will be led by UK Gill Heart and Vascular Institute cardiologist Dr. John Gurley.

Jennings notes that walking for at least 30 minutes a day can help improve your blood pressure and blood sugar levels, reduce cholesterol, lower your risk for diabetes, colon cancer, breast cancer, osteoporosis, and possibly depression.

"Walking is low impact and therefore easier on the joints than running. It is safe – with a doctor’s okay – for people with orthopedic ailments, heart conditions, and those who are more than 20 percent overweight," Jennings says.  

In fact, says Jennings, recent research comparing runners and walkers demonstrated that moderate-intensity walking and vigorous-intensity running resulted in similar reductions in risk for high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes, all of which are significant risk factors for coronary artery disease and stroke.

Walk with a Doc was created in 2005 by Dr. David Sabgir, a board-certified cardiologist in Columbus, Ohio, to encourage healthy physical activity in people of all ages and reverse the consequences of a sedentary lifestyle.  There are currently more than 400 Walk with a Doc programs worldwide.

Upcoming dates for the "Walk with a Doc" program are (weather permitting):

August: 7, 14, 21, 28 September: 4, 11, 18, 25

The walks begin at The Arboretum at 6 p.m.