Walking to a healthier you

Can regular physical activity improve your health and wellbeing?

Just ask the mob who are part of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service's walking group.

Ruth Ghee (pictured back row, middle) joined the walking group after her doctor advised her to do be more active by taking up walking.

"I found it difficult doing it on my own at home," she told the Move project.

Then she heard about the walking group through her sister.

Every Tuesday the ATSICHS walking group departs the Woolloongabba clinic at 9:30am on a route that takes participants through Southbank, the Goodwill Bridge, Brisbane City Botanical Gardens and back to the health service.

Ruth says she's found it beneficial in many ways.   

"It's encouraging for me especially at this phase where I'm just starting out.   

"It's good to have other people beside you just encouraging you,

"I'm not as puffed out as I used to be too," she adds.

Walking can help lower high blood pressure, lower high cholestrerol and reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.  It can also help manage existing chronic diseases.    

For more information

ATSICHS Brisbane                                    3240 8924

Or for other walking groups go to the Heart Foundation website. 

What do you get when a downward facing dog and camel walk into a room?

Don't know?  Neither do we, but Indigenous comedian, Sean Cholburra (pictured left with Aunty Valda Coolwell) may be able to come up with a good quip or ending to that encounter.

He will probably also tell you that the dog and camel in this story are actual references to yoga, a practice he's being doing for 20-odd years now.

"I just do my own yoga in the morning and I find that helps me with a little bit of meditation," he says.

Sean says he starts off with some stretching which helps him wake up and prevent any aches and pains.  

"I don’t go all out with the yoga y'know, where I’m there for hours doing it.

"I just do about 5, 10 minutes of it early in the morning and I find that helps me for the rest of the day," Sean said.

DID YOU KNOW?   Researchers have discovered that the regular practice of yoga may produce many health benenfits such as increased fitness, normalisation of blood pressure, less stress and increased feelings of happiness and wellbeing.       

Move is funded under the Australia Government Department of Health's Local Community Campaigns which aims to address the prevalence of  chronic diseases amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 

Click here to read more about our local campaign.