Walking a Camino is good for your health...

[t2andreo]

You might even be able to get it prescribed by your physician. In some countries that makes it tax deductible... Just sayin....

Most of us do not need that extra inducement. But, I came across this in my morning's reading and thought it might amuse or entertain others.

NOTE: I just fixed the URL. It works now. Sorry for the double paste...

https://www.ecowatch.com/natural-medicine-doctors-prescribing-outdoors-2614316041.html

Hope this helps.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

In 2015 on the CF I met someone who actually was prescribed enough time to walk the Camino. He was under a lot of stress and was going to be prescribed time off from his civil service job and when the doctor enquired about what he was going to do with the time the Camino was mentioned. The doctor asked about how much time was needed to complete the trip and the result was an increased amount of time. And our pilgrim made it to SdC just in time.

 

[Purky]

Some years ago a good friend of mine was rather depressed and didn't want to cope with that anymore. So he went to his doctor and explained what was wrong. The doctor asked some pertinent questions, checked his medical history and said something like this: "Right, here's what you're gonna do. For the next month, you will get up at 6:00 AM every day. Splash some water in your face, get dressed, eat a banana and go for a walk. Don't faff about, do just that. And really walk, for at least an hour, brisk pace. Prepare some routes if you want. After you come home, take a shower and do what you have to do. Go to work, study, whatever. No afternoon naps. Bedtime 23:00 at the latest. You do that for a month and come see me after."

After a month he returned, while during that time the doctor called him twice to see how he was getting on. My friend was feeling a whole lot better, and the doctor explained his course of action. The patients who improved a lot because of one month of walking, he said, were very likely to beat their depression without medication and/or therapy. He thought the month long walking regimen gave him a good indication of the severity of the depression, and a solid starting point for further treatment. What initially surprised him when he started doing this, he said, was the high percentage of patients who benefitted so much of this change in lifestyle.

 

[C clearly]

Some years ago a good friend of mine was rather depressed and didn't want to cope with that anymore. So he went to his doctor and explained what was wrong. The doctor asked some pertinent questions, checked his medical history and said something like this: "Right, here's what you're gonna do. For the next month, you will get up at 6:00 AM every day. Splash some water in your face, get dressed, eat a banana and go for a walk. Don't faff about, do just that. And really walk, for at least an hour, brisk pace. Prepare some routes if you want. After you come home, take a shower and do what you have to do. Go to work, study, whatever. No afternoon naps. Bedtime 23:00 at the latest. You do that for a month and come see me after." ... He thought the month long walking regimen gave him a good indication of the severity of the depression, and a solid starting point for further treatment.

I don't exactly follow that good advice but I believe it is probably the best first-line treatment for many ailments. If a person truly can't walk, some other outdoor and/or physical activity might be substituted.

 

[CarolineMathieson]

It certainly helped me with my Diabetes and Depression. But the strange thing is that I rarely lost weight but just girth...

 

[Jeff Crawley]

You might even be able to get it prescribed by your physician. In some countries that makes it tax deductible... Just sayin....

Most of us do not need that extra inducement. But, I came across this in my morning's reading and thought it might amuse or entertain others.

https://www.ecowatch.com/natural-me...-doctors-prescribing-outdoors-2614316041.html

Hope this helps.

Hi Tom - I get a 404 error message on this.

404
This is not the page you're looking for.

Edit: Ah, you've pasted the address in twice and confused the internet

 

[martin1ws]

Hi Tom - I get a 404 error message on this.
...

Try this link:
https://www.ecowatch.com/natural-medicine-doctors-prescribing-outdoors-2614316041.html

 

[Deleted member 36903]

Another aspect @t2andreo, which I saw in a newspaper this week was the medical view - of how many doctors I don’t know- that spending more time standing than sitting is good for our circulatory system. In my experience the Camino is definitely good for improving posture and the lifting of the rib age as a consequence of carrying a backpack improved my breathing. Must do it again soon as I’ reverted to being hunched and slightly asthmatic.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Hi Tom - I get a 404 error message on this.

404
This is not the page you're looking for.

Edit: Ah, you've pasted the address in twice and confused the internet

Me too.

 

[jmcarp]

While I don't expect that my doctor will write a prescription to cover the cost of a transatlantic flight and food and lodging for four to six weeks while walking the Camino; however, maybe I can at least get him to prescribe a new pair of walking shoes every year to replace the ones I wear out while walking for exercise around my neighborhood and the surrounding parks and open spaces.

 

[t2andreo]

The link in my OP is fixed. My bad...lo siento

 

[Davey Boyd]

When I told my shrink about my planned first camino from Geneva he was so enthused he included it as part of my treatment plan for PTSD. Which meant that I was 'allowed' to walk for this length of time and continue claiming sickness benefits. What this meant is my walk was not classed as a holiday which I would not be eligible to continue claiming benefits (and thus not be able to walk the camino at all). It worked too, walking truly started my recovery. I would be truly lost without the camino.

 

[Jackieduda]

This year i walked the CF with a woman from Brazil who was prescribed 6 weeks off from her job (without pay) because she was stressed out.

 

[AngeKenn]

I walked the camino for only 2 weeks and to be honest I didn’t totally enjoy it as I broke my foot. Having said that, it changed me fundamentally. I got my foot fixed and I haven’t stopped walking. This has resulted in substantial mental and physical health benefits. I now know I can overcome my obstacles and face my fears head on.