By Kemi Olatunde
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If you ever want to feel great, just try exercise as it has a lot of benefits including combating health challenges, improving mood, weight control. It also boosts energy, encourages better sleep pattern and to crown it all, it can be fun. There are various types of exercise ranging from the easy ones to the tedious ones.
One of the easiest exercises is walking and at my best guess, it is an amusing way to stay active and even healthy.
Walking has always been a part of man. Many archeologists have found that even human beings were nomadic tribes, we would often walk great distances to stalk our prey and wait for them to sleep before pouncing. Walking is, essentially, what humans are physically best at. We are the slowest runners, the worst swimmers and we can’t even fly without a big jet engine. Walking is man’s bread and butter.
To this end, yesterday was a notable day as it was a day set aside to walk; “World Walking Day” with the theme; ‘Walk the Talk’. The World Health Organisation (WHO) put in place the health for all challenge in the state to remind everyone of the need to give priority to his/her health by getting involved in a walk of about three kilometres.
Though the event takes place every of May 22, Ondo State chose to take part in the event a day preceding it for easy turnout of people, thus, it was held on Saturday.
As early as 8am, participants including officials of WHO and the Ondo State Primary Health Care Development Agency led by its Permanent Secretary, Dr. Francis Akanbiemu gathered to ensure that the programme became a success and also embrace the opportunity to engage in exercise so as to keep fit.
They did not just move about in various attires but were uniformly kitted to ensure that there was no hindrance to the expected desired result of the event.
As early as possible, they set out not minding the threat from the cloudy weather which although later resulted into a heavy downpour after the event anyway alongside the other various activities that took place in Akure thus resulted to traffic jam at specific routes in the town.
Addressing participants before its take off, Dr. Akanbiemu who was represented by Director, Disease Control and Immunisation, OSPHCDA, Dr. Victor Adefesoye while expressing appreciation to WHO for the gesture, noted that it is important that all embrace the annual event to stay fit.
He said that the agency will work towards having a day set aside to organise such event in order to ensure that staff remain healthy, saying “participation of large number of people will help those who don’t engage in exercise to become fit.”
He charged the people to inculcate the habit of exercising, stating that its benefits are enormous.
Also speaking, an Admin Officer, WHO, Kunle Olukota while expressing appreciation to the state government and the agency for the collaboration, called for more of the day as health is wealth.
He said; “Apart from the yearly walk, if we can organize another walk in the middle of the year, it will be of help to a lot of people.”
He commended those who engage in regular exercise and charged residents of the state to follow suit.
Speaking with The Hope, Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, OSPHCDA, Dr. Yetunde Olagbuji described walking as an healthy lifestyle which should be adopted by all on daily or irregular basis, noting that it helps the heart pumps well.
She added that “apart from reducing calory intake, we should exercise regularly to help pump blood to the heart. Those with increased cholesterol should get involve in regular exercise to prevent heart attack.”
However, she stressed the need for all to walk at least three times in a week.
A participant who doesn’t want her name in print described the experience as exciting saying “although I got tired towards the end but I made it through.
