Prioritize getting lots of proper quality sleep and engaging in ample walking, as these are the two most important things you can do for both your mental and physical health.
Engage in regular walking, even just three times a week for about a mile and a half, to improve memory and attention, increase hippocampal volume, boost BDNF, and functionally reverse brain aging.
Go for a walk for at least 20 minutes to reliably elevate your mood, as people consistently underestimate the significant positive emotional impact of walking.
Increase your daily walking activity to significantly reduce your risk of developing major depressive disorder, as the risk falls with every level of walking above sedentary.
Distribute physical activity throughout your entire day, rather than concentrating it into a single intense session, as humans are designed to move about more or less every hour for better health outcomes.
Shift your diet away from highly processed foods towards minimally processed options, as these require your body to work harder to extract calories and lead to better health outcomes.
Before engaging in intellectual or creative tasks, take a short walk (5-10 minutes) to generate on average twice as many new ideas and enhance problem-solving capabilities.
Aim to walk 15,000 to 17,000 steps every day, as this is a level the neuroscientist guest believes everyone should be doing for broad benefits beyond just fitness.
When facing a problem or writer’s block, go for a walk to engage in an ‘active idle mode of thought,’ allowing your brain to rhythmically focus and defocus on the problem, which can lead to solutions.
When trying to solve a difficult problem or engage in deep self-reflection during a walk, avoid auditory distractions like podcasts or music to allow for clearer thought processes.
Use a pedometer or smartphone app to track your daily steps, as this helps you become more conscious of your activity levels and how they correlate with your well-being, given that humans are not good at remembering this data otherwise.
Always keep a comfortable pair of walking shoes readily accessible (e.g., under your desk at work) to facilitate spontaneous walks during breaks or lunchtime.
If working at a computer, set an alarm to go off every 25 minutes to prompt you to get up and walk around, effectively breaking up sedentary periods.
When driving to a destination, intentionally park further away than necessary to incorporate extra walking into your daily routine.
If using public transport, get off a few stops earlier than your final destination and walk the remaining distance to easily increase your daily steps.
When getting lunch, choose a slightly more distant shop or restaurant to accumulate an extra 800-1200 steps during your break without much thought.
Make a family vow to walk children to school daily, even if it’s a 25-minute journey, to integrate more movement into daily routines and set a positive example.
Choose to eat whole fruits instead of drinking smoothies, as eating whole fruit requires your body to work harder to extract calories, which is better for your health.
Make a conscious rule to avoid outsourcing physical activity to machines or electronic appliances whenever possible, choosing stairs over escalators or walking instead of driving short distances.
Engage in prolonged periods of walking, such as several weeks in nature, to significantly reduce inflammatory factors in the blood, which can contribute to overall health and potentially mitigate inflammation-related conditions.
Advocate for urban planning that prioritizes pedestrians by making cities and towns ’easy’ (accessible, safe, enjoyable) for walking, viewing streets as destinations rather than just thoroughfares.
Join the Dr Chatterjee Four Pillar Community Tribe on Facebook to connect with other listeners, discuss podcasts, and potentially arrange or start local in-person meetups to share insights and inspire better choices.
Consider wearing minimalist shoes, like Vivo Barefoot, for walking to help transition to minimalist footwear and better connect with your feet and the ground.