Walking Back to Health: My One-Year Reset Journey
The walking back to happiness edition
Twelve months ago, I received the news: cancer-free. Two PSA tests and an MRI scan confirmed it. Relief, yes. Celebration? Maybe. But something more profound happens after you’ve faced a life-altering diagnosis like prostate cancer. While treatment was a battle, the recovery, especially mental recovery, was its own quiet struggle. As I mark this milestone, I’m taking stock, recalibrating, and walking back to full health.
I credit one person with my current state of joy (sorry, Kamala, not you) and continued life: my GP, Dr. Nazeer. He insisted on annual PSA tests for seven years, never letting me skip a day. His vigilance caught the cancer early, and for that, he will forever be my hero. As I reflect on this year of recovery, I think of the friends and stories I’ve heard, such as the recent piece about Chris Hoy, which reminds me of how fragile life can be and how grateful I am for each day.
Facing the Mental Slump
Four months post-treatment, I realised I wasn’t just physically tired; I was mentally in a slump. Life moved on; I’d relocated to Yorkshire whilst maintaining a demanding schedule in the House of Lords. Politics is a constant distraction that can easily pull you away from self-care. Beneath the surface, I knew something wasn’t right. It wasn’t depression as I’d known it, more a persistent fog that dimmed my usual energy.
Walking: The Simplest Reset
For me, walking has always been at the core of reclaiming health. When I first managed Type 2 Diabetes six years ago, I walked religiously, channelling a "Kane from Kung Fu" vibe. That commitment transformed my health. Today, while I still consider myself diabetic, I control it nutritionally. And yet, this past year, walking fell by the wayside. My former norm of 10,000 steps a day became the exception.
Walking is more than just exercise. It improves cognitive awareness, boosts mood, and grounds me in the present. I know this from experience, and science backs it up. Studies show even a modest 10-minute daily walk can enhance mental clarity and lower the risk of chronic diseases. So, as part of my “reset,” I’ve returned to logging steps and weighing myself.
Connection and Accountability
Writing this newsletter is a labour of love. The people who read it are friends on this journey. Your shared stories of health and perseverance motivate me to keep going and keep improving. Just this week, a colleague in the Lords mentioned gifting Downsizing to a friend starting a weight-loss journey. It reminded me why I write: to connect, to support, and to stay accountable.
Practical Steps for Getting Back on Track
I’m not going to pretend it’s easy. Restarting after a setback can feel daunting. But there are small, practical ways to rebuild healthy habits:
Log Your Progress: I use MyFitnessPal to track my steps. It’s simple, but seeing those graphs over time is a powerful motivation. If you’re more advanced, you can track food intake, too. I make sure I check my data at the end of each day.
Morning Weigh-ins: My scales sit next to the kettle. Before my morning coffee, I step on and check. There is no judgment, just data. (Though I’ll admit, the numbers are still horrific).
Embrace Nature: Walks in green spaces amplify mental benefits. The fresh air, changing scenery, and connection with nature provide more than just physical activity; they nourish the mind.
Build Consistency: Consistency is key, even if it’s just a ten-minute walk to start. Set a daily time and stick with it. Over time, the small steps compound.
Moving Forward, One Step at a Time
The path ahead isn’t a straight line. There will be setbacks and moments of doubt. But every day offers a chance to put one foot in front of the other, to reset and move forward. This year has been about resilience, gratitude, and the power of small, consistent steps.
So, if you’re reading this and wondering where to start, consider lacing up your trainers and stepping outside. Ten minutes can change your day. Ten thousand steps can change your life. I’m back on the journey. Why not join me?
The Science Behind Walking: Why Just Ten Minutes Can Transform Your Health
Walking is much more than a mode of transport; it offers substantial health benefits, well-supported by scientific research. A brisk ten-minute daily walk significantly boosts cardiovascular health. The Journal of the American Heart Association notes that regular brisk walking reduces cardiovascular disease risk by up to 30%. Kelly, Murphy, and Mutrie (2017) in Walking: Connecting Sustainable Transport with Health emphasises walking's ability to enhance circulation, reduce arterial stiffness, and improve heart efficiency, offering a low-impact approach to heart health.
The mental health benefits of walking are equally impressive. Walking boosts endorphins, reducing anxiety and depression. Research by Barton, Hine, and Pretty (2009) shows that walking in greenspaces lowers stress and enhances mood. Similarly, Jimenez et al. (2021) found that brief walks in natural environments lower cortisol levels and improve mental clarity. Neuroscientist Shane O’Mara, in In Praise of Walking, explores how walking stimulates brain activity, enhances memory, and fosters emotional resilience. These findings underscore walking’s transformative mental health benefits, particularly when combined with time in nature.
Walking is also vital for bone and joint health. As Katy Bowman outlines in Move Your DNA, walking naturally loads bones and muscles, strengthening skeletal health and reducing osteoporosis risk. Research in the Journal of Obesity supports this, showing how walking promotes bone density and joint mobility, making it ideal for older adults.
Walking is equally beneficial cognitively. The American Academy of Neurology found that regular walking slows cognitive decline and preserves brain volume in older adults. Shane O'Mara highlights walking’s role in enhancing creativity, boosting memory, and improving overall cognition by increasing blood flow and delivering vital oxygen to the brain.
The evidence is compelling for weight management and longevity. Studies in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine show that walking briskly for at least 150 minutes weekly reduces premature death risk by 20%. The Rotterdam Study echoes these findings, illustrating how walking lowers all-cause mortality and prevents chronic diseases. Dan Rubinstein’s Born to Walk highlights walking’s role in weight management, reducing metabolic disorder risks, and increasing calorie burn through sustained, moderate activity.
Practical strategies can further optimise walking’s benefits. Joyce Shulman’s Walk Your Way to Better advocates consistent habit-building, while interval walking—alternating speeds—enhances cardiovascular health. Walking outdoors amplifies mental and physical benefits, as noted by Jimenez et al. (2021), making it a simple yet powerful investment in health.
From heart health and mental clarity to weight management and bone strength, each step taken is a move toward lasting vitality.
Reading
I’ve avoided nearly all news bulletins this week. What’s done is done, and I can’t stand the crowing and recriminations. So, I’ve downloaded yet another fabulous book by Ben MacIntyre. Agent Zig Zag tells the story of Eddie Chapman, Britain’s most sensational double agent. It’s wonderful and I can’t recommend it enough.
You got me out for a walk yesterday Tom - all thanks to your post.
Sounds like you are on the up :)
Spot on about the walking. I only do 7k steps a day but it makes an enormous difference to health and well being. My old headteacher drilled into us : Mens sana in corpore sano !
(You wouldn’t believe how much trouble spell check had with that one 😂