A book review: Walk in 52 new ways

Walking is one of the simplest ways to exercise, particularly if you have Parkinson’s disease. All you need are comfy shoes and the motivation to do it.

Ah, motivation. That’s usually the hard part.

I found a book that can help. Besides boosting your resolve to get out and walk, it could add a little fun to your routine.

It’s called 52 Ways to Walk: The Surprising Science of Walking for Wellness and Joy, One Week at a Time.

Through engaging storytelling, author Annabel Streets shares ideas for getting the most you can out of your walks.

Chapters are named for each type of walk she describes, such as:

Walk Like a Nomad
Improve Your Gait
Walk While You Work
Walk Hungry
Walk by the Sea

This book wasn’t written specifically for people with degenerative diseases. But if you are living with Parkinson’s, it offers tips for people in all stages of it, including those who use a cane or walker.

Even taking Just One Slow Walk every day “can have powerful long-term effects,” the author says.

In the Sing as You Stride chapter, Streets explains how Parkinson’s patients in rehab showed greater improvement by singing as they walked.

In Walk Backward, she cites studies showing excellent results from backward walking by people with Parkinson’s and others with impaired movement.

All the claims are backed up in 30 pages of endnotes pointing to research on benefits of each “way” to walk.

Some other morsels that are especially relevant for Parkinson’s symptoms:

Walk in an Evergreen Forest: Did you know pine trees produce phytoncides that clean the air AND promote deeper sleep?

Walk After Eating: Our digestion responds favorably to a short stroll after eating. This is good news for those with chronic constipation, as many people with Parkinson’s have.

Walk to Remember: Recent studies have linked our endocannabinoid system to cognitive recall. An invigorating walk activates these tiny molecules, which have the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and bind to receptors in the hippocampus, the brain’s memory center.

Like many other people, I started a walking routine during the pandemic. I have a route in my neighborhood that I follow, and I tried several of the ideas in the book. Some worked for me, others not so much.

I loved Take a Silent Stroll and Walk at Altitude, but I struggled with getting the right rhythm for Breathe While You Walk.

That’s what’s great about the book, which the author calls “a love letter to walking.” You can try all sorts of ideas and see what sticks.

If you’re a walker, you probably already enjoy the benefits. This might be especially true if you live with Parkinson’s.

But if you’d like to step it up a bit (pun intended), or at least inject some variety into that same old routine, I suggest checking out this useful guide.

Here is one place you can find it. (I receive no compensation for saying so.)

What works for you? Write your ideas in the comments. Have you found a way to shake up your walk routine? (Tremors don’t count!)