We have seen the videos everywhere of someone walking on a trail in the mountains and suddenly a cougar or a brown bear appears. Yes, that can be a scary proposition and can cause severe health risks for you, but let's take a look at the reality of the situation. Those videos are few and far between and are usually in areas that are not well traveled or off the beaten path. Cougars do not want to be around trail areas or any areas where humans frequent. As far as Brown bears, we do not have them here (thank goodness). I wanted to speak about the health benefits from trail walking and not the dangers.

Walking in the woods is a great way to lower your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose according to the National Park Service. Walking on the trails provides a double benefit for the heart. First, it helps us get the cardio-based exercise we need to maintain heart health. Second, it is estimated that just 30 minutes in nature can lower the risk of high blood pressure by 9%. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend at least 150 minutes per week of moderate physical activity. Walking in nature is a great way to make those minutes just fly by.