It was blooming hot as four hundred Hell’s today at 90 degrees and 1000% humidity, but I still laced up my sneakers and went out and enjoyed a great walk down at Weston Bend Park that runs along the bluffs of the Missouri River. What a beautiful day it was. The sun was shining bright, you could hear the birds chirping and there was a peaceful silence only broken by the occasional coal trains that run back and forth between Kansas City and the coal mines of Wyoming.

Getting out and walking at a brisk pace is as refreshing to the soul as it is to the body. Once my heart rate gets a little elevated to the fat burning zone, I settle into my groove both physically and spiritually. This is a time where no matter how stressed I may have been, I will become focused and re-centered on what is truly important to my life. There is just something about raising your heart rate while out enjoying nature that is soothing to my spirit. Absorbing all of Gods gifts to us, the beautiful green trees, the rocky bluffs, that muddy river the Mighty Mo, and clear blue skies.

Walking has many benefits and does not need to be difficult. For example, regular brisk walking can help you:

• Maintain a healthy weight
• Prevent or manage various conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes
• Strengthen your bones and muscles
• Improve your mood
• Improve your balance and coordination

The faster, farther and more frequently you walk, the greater the benefits. If you want to vastly improve your health and wellness, besides eating whole healthy foods get your butt up and moving. Enjoy the great outdoors, simplify life by making your world small and getting your problems into a better perspective.