Get moving, people, for health’s sake
Ihave wondered how often Captain Cook got itchy feet, the wanderlust of returning from the South Seas and deciding to head back. Whether after observing the Transit of Venus in Tahiti to help determine the size of the solar system he just casually said to his wife Liz, ‘‘I might just pop back and look for this Great Southern Continent some Frenchman thought he saw 36 years ago.’’ Then four years later he’s heading back to drop Omai in Tahiti and look for the North West passage.
Having circumnavigated New Zealand in my boat and been to Pickersgill Harbour in Dusky Sound and seen the fabled rata tree Cook tied his ship to, I have had plenty of time to ponder my next adventure, the Healthy Heartland Hikoi.
I have been measuring the wellbeing of the country for a few years with my KYND wellness app. About half of us say we aren’t physically active, half are not connected to their community. Many think they aren’t in good health and onethird are anxious, stressed or depressed.
Our nation’s wellbeing is as important to our present and future as the Transit of Venus was to navigation in Cook’s time. It’s alarming to hear statistics that 6 million people log in to watch one person play internet games and that a generation and a half have hardly ever walked in nature, sat by a stream or under a native tree. It’s no wonder that we are getting larger as we consume more refined sugar, alcohol and processed food and watch more screens.
The mental health benefits of getting out and about are well proven and I have been talking about ecotherapy for a while. Many people work in the bush because it makes them feel better. So, I have decided to do something about it.
I am walking the length of the country, not in a straight line but 1500 kilometres a year across 10 regions for the next couple of years. I plan on planting a few trees along the way that will provide shelter for future generations.
Every journey starts with a single step so I took a few above the harbour of Whangaroa, where my boat was berthed. Today, I walked for an hour in Auckland and started tracking my progress through the app called Strava. When you exercise, you are less tempted to eat that bit of chocolate or bash out a smoothie, as it seems to defeat the purpose of the exercise, if you excuse the pun.
My friends have already started calling me Forrest Gump and the wisecracks and banter are flowing freely. My aim is to start like Buddha and end like Gandhi. One day I will say ‘‘it’s time to go home now’’, as Forrest did. In the meantime, I hope to encourage as many people as possible to walk in the forests, the hills and the beaches and track their progress, learn some healthy thinking skills and be as kind as we can be.
Download the Strava app and track your own progress and follow mine. Come on some of DR TOM MULHOLLAND the great walks and create a few of your own. Bring your kids and your loved ones and get away from the screen (except when you check your app, of course). Have a business meeting while walking instead of the cafe. It’s time to get moving.
● kyndwellness.com
● drtomonamission.com ● healthythinking.biz
Dr Tom Mulholland is a GP with 30 years’ experience in New Zealand. He’s currently on a mission, tackling health issues around New Zealand.