Activist Toolkit: A Walk in the Park – Boost Your Health

By: H.A. O’Shaughnessy

As many of us know, walking can be a highly beneficial form of exercise due to the positive physical and mental health effects.

According to the American Volkssport Association (AVA) website, the term volkssporting can include noncompetitive events such as walking or swimming for fitness and fun. The volksmarch (also called a volkswalk) originated in Europe and is typically a walk of 3.1 miles or 6.2 miles with friends, family or solo. Typically, the volksmarch uses a predetermined route typically combining the local town and city scape with nature.

There are many clubs internationally and those may be found here: https://www.ivv-online.org/walking-worldwide.html

The United States chapter of AVA also called “America’s Walking Club” may be found here: https://ava.org/

Joining a walking club is a good way to jumpstart your walking regime. You can meet new friends or invite your friends to join in this healthful exercise. Plus the added health benefits are hard to ignore from boosting immune function to preventing other health issues: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/5-surprising-benefits-of-walking#:~:text=Several%20studies%20have%20found%20that%20walking%20reduces%20arthritis-related,them%20and%20strengthening%20the%20muscles%20that%20support%20them.

Always check with your doctor before embarking on a new health regime. Other suggestions include getting a new pair of walking shoes to protect your feet and enhance your walk. Here is a website offering ideal walking shoes: https://www.orthofeet.com/collections/walking-shoes?msclkid=d821e67b82a71ab853d48481b38c62bd&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=7CON_Attributes%20-%20Walking%20-%20CPA&utm_term=best%20walking%20shoes&utm_content=Walking%20-%20Shoes

Be sure to stay hydrated and bring water with you. Since not all of your volksmarch will be in nature, street safety is another good factor to keep in mind and the NHTSA has a handy list of reminder for pedestrians: https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/pedestrian-safety#:~:text=8%20Walking%20Safety%20Tips&text=Walk%20on%20sidewalks%20whenever%20they,those%20turning%20left%20or%20right.

If you decide you would like to start your own walking club, the American Heart Association has some great ideas to help you out: https://azheartfoundation.org/heart-health-benefits-of-walking/#:~:text=A%20regular%20brisk%20walking%20routine%20may%20help%3A%201,levels%2010%20improve%20brain%20function%20More%20items…%20 No matter what, get out there and enjoy the fun and positive health effects that walking can offer you.

This piece used with permission and appeared originally on H.A. O’Shaughnessy’s Medium blog.

https://medium.com/@oshaughnessy2018/a-walk-in-the-park-boost-your-health-99a00168fa50

VETERANS FOR PEACE SHOW Sunday, August 28th, 2022

Host – Joe Kebartas

The Veterans For Peace Show has been broadcast every week since Occupy Boston’s encampment in Dewey Square. Joe adds his slapstick humor to lighten some very serious subjects.

This week: Let’s do Peace!!!!

The Veterans For Peace Show is on Activate Radio at 10 AM ET Every Sunday Morning!

Activist Toolkit: Mindfulness to Go

By: H.A. O’Shaughnessy

My first encounter with mindfulness came a decade or more ago when Jon-Kabat Zinn visited the local university where I worked. My co-workers and I sat as Kabat-Zinn walked us through the essentials in the crowded student union. His book, Full Catastrophe Living, was at the heart of his talk that blended the academic with the personal.

Since then I have been a student of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and two years ago was pleased to discover that the UMass Memorial Health Mindfulness Center (https://www.ummhealth.org/center-mindfulness)was providing virtual mindfulness classes. Kabat-Zinn’s original program started by the UMass Stress Reduction Clinic in the 1970’s was now open to an even wider geographical group through this online technology.

The benefits of mindfulness include a lowering in stress. Here are some FAQ’s about the impact of a mindfulness practice on one’s life: https://www.ummhealth.org/umass-memorial-medical-center/services-treatments/center-for-mindfulness/faqs#:~:text=Mindfulness%20is%20a%20practice%20of%20present%20moment%20awareness.,aware%20of%20ourselves%20and%20the%20world%20around%20us.

The UMass Mindfulness Center also offers a free online meditation group, the CFM Global Online Meditation Community, during the week in the evenings.

I did some digging to see what other mindfulness offerings are online. Here’s a sampling:

England’s Oxford Mindfulness Foundation (https://www.oxfordmindfulness.org/free-online-mindfulness-course-sessions/) has a variety of online programming available.

Mindfulness on the job and in parenting are offered by The Greater Good Science Foundation at the University of California, Berkeley:(https://ggsc.berkeley.edu/who_we_serve/parents_families#.YtAdIU2qmho.link).

The Mindfulness Meditation: The Path to Wisdom and Success course is free on Alison (https://alison.com/dashboard?utm_source%3Dalison_user%26utm_medium%3Daffiliates%26utm_campaign%3D15204934). Alison also offers mindfulness certificates.

Coursera has several course offering in the practice of everyday awareness: (https://www.coursera.org/courses?query=mindfulness)

No matter where you look, there are now multiple opportunities to become richer in this daily practice. As Kabat-Zinn said, “You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” So start surfing through these wonderful options.

This piece used with permission and appeared originally on H.A. O’Shaughnessy’s Medium blog. https://medium.com/@oshaughnessy2018/mindfulness-to-go-39bb4157c392