Make Some Outdoor Resolutions
Spring is on the horizon in Colorado, and that means everyone is finally starting to emerge from their caves and getting ready to tackle all the outdoor activities this Rocky Mountain state has to offer. If one of your resolutions for the year was to get healthier, we’d like to encourage you to add an additional aspect to that particular resolution – get outside and get healthier! If you’re wondering why you should take those fitness goals to the streets, trails, and mountains, here are just a few good reasons.
Cardio Health
Getting out in that fresh mountain air and going for a run is great for your cardio health and helps build up endurance. Doing this consistently will not only help you run further, but it’ll make your cardio exercises easier and help boost your heart health over time as well.
Mental Health
Studies have shown that walking or being outside for 30 or more minutes a day helps alleviate stress, lessens mild depression, and overall increases your mental health. Moving in any and all ways regularly help reduce stress, but there’s just something about being outside, taking in the sites, sounds, and feeling of the warming weather around you that earns you an extra mental boost.
Vitamin D
A mood booster, and that pesky little vitamin so many of us are often lacking in big time. Between desk jobs and winter temperatures keeping us indoors even more than normal, don’t be surprised if you’ve been feeling a little more sluggish than normal lately – and don’t be surprised if you perk up pretty quick after spending some more time outside. Vitamin D is crucial to your body’s ability to absorb calcium, and people with higher levels of Vitamin D have been shown to have a lower risk of heart disease, depression, and osteoporosis among other things. And guess what, sunshine is one of the only natural sources of Vitamin D out there. So get out in the sun and soak it up – what good are Colorado’s over 300 days of sun a year if you aren’t taking advantage of the health boost it can provide you with? Just remember to properly protect yourself from the UV rays with regular sunscreen application every time you head out.
Oh, Those Sights!
Colorado is beautiful. There are countless mountain trails to spend your free time on, and they offer breathtaking views of the Rocky Mountains, alpine lakes, wildlife, and more. With all the natural beauty surrounding us, why wouldn’t you want to get outside and make getting healthier a stunning experience in the process? There’s something about being in the mountains that gives you perspective and clarity. We’re lucky enough to be surrounded by hundreds of miles of mountain ranges, and with all the perspective and clarity at our fingertips, we’d be crazy not to take advantage.
Better health, an extra dose of vitamins, and ridiculous views – what more could you ask for? Get outside this spring and soak up all that this glorious state has to offer – your heart, mind, and body will thank you.
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As with any health concerns, your specific treatment program should be discussed thoroughly with your primary care physician as well as any specialists who may need to be consulted ā like a cardiologist.
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