Why Hiking Improves Holistic Health

Hiking is not just good for the body, it is good for the soul.

“Deep in the forest I stroll, to hear the wisdom of my soul.” — Angela Weiland Crosby

A holistic approach to taking care of your health means nurturing all parts of yourself, not just your body, but also your mind and spirit. Spending time in the gym on ellipticals or treadmills is a great way to stay in shape and take care of the physical body, but staring at the built-in screen in front of you probably isn’t doing much for your soul. Meditating is a wonderful practice for your spiritual mind, but laying down in one position doesn’t necessarily add to the upkeep of the physical body. To address all three aspects of holistic health at once, take a look at the amazing ways hiking trails improve holistic health, and consider taking up the activity for yourself.

Hiking is Good for the Body

Hiking improves holistic health with its beneficial effects on the physical body. Hiking helps you improve your cardiovascular and respiratory systems. As your body exerts energy on different types of trails, your endurance and stamina will be strengthened. You’ll find that you can hike for longer periods of time and on more difficult trails, which will translate into an improved quality of life overall.

Hiking also improves your joints and muscle tone. Many of us sit for several hours during the day, which puts awkward pressure on our joints and wastes away muscle tone. Hiking acts as a counter to this, allowing our bodies to move like they were designed to do and improving our muscle tone and joint flexibility.

Hiking also helps you lose extra pounds or maintain your weight. Hiking will help you burn fat and most likely, eat healthier. You probably won’t feel like eating greasy fast food after accomplishing a two-hour hike, and the snacks you pack for a day out in nature are more likely to be whole foods high in protein, healthy fats, and heart-healthy carbs, rather than sugar-filled processed foods.

Finally, hiking improves our balance. The more rugged the trail, the more our body is challenged to maintain balance with minuscule core muscle movements. Balance is an essential but often overlooked component of physical health, and hiking is a simple way to affect change in this area.

Hiking Calms Emotions and Mental Chatter

It is no coincidence that most of the sounds on popular mindfulness and sleeping apps come from nature. Nature has always been a source of calm and clarity for the human mind. It seems most of us instinctively know this, but only recently has time in nature been used as a treatment by medical professionals. Ecotherapy and nature prescriptions have risen in popularity in recent years, and encourage patients to spend time in nature as a way to manage mental conditions such as anxiety and depression.

In a 2015 study, researchers found that “participants who went on a 90-min walk through a natural environment reported lower levels of rumination and showed reduced neural activity in an area of the brain linked to risk for mental illness”. It seems that hiking is a wonderful way to take care of your mental health, and because it integrates physical and (as we’ll see) spiritual health as well, it fully supports a holistic health approach.

Hiking Improves Spiritual Health

One of the very important ways hiking trails improve holistic health is the spiritual connection it helps us develop. There has always been something of the sacred in nature. In ancient times, humans revered nature, but as the industrialization of the planet has become the standard way of life, our connection to this sacredness has been damaged. Hiking is one activity that can reconnect us to the spiritual side of life.

When hiking on a trail you are surrounded by ambient nature sounds such as the singing of birds, flowing water, and rustling leaves. Not only does this calm your mind, but inevitably you will find yourself stuck by the hum of life all around you. Hiking in nature allows you to observe the ebb and flow of life, the balance reflected in the slow changing of the seasons, and the ongoing life cycles of plants and animals. Inevitably, you will find yourself pondering questions about your own life, about the planet, and about the universe. You can’t help but get in touch with your own thoughts and feelings, and perhaps even a higher being or energy. This connection is extremely important to your spiritual health, so hiking is the perfect activity to develop this holistic lifestyle element.

Things to Keep in Mind While Hiking

Although hiking is a great way to holistically approach your health, you do want to make sure you take precautions, especially if you are a beginner.

• Take a backpack with plenty of water & healthy snacks
• Consider bringing a walking stick or trekking pole to help with rugged hikes
• Wear and carry sunscreen to protect your skin
• Wear sturdy, appropriate footwear & clothing
• Choose a trail appropriate to your experience
• Let someone know where you are going
• Bring a basic first-aid kit
• Bring your phone for emergencies (and emergencies ONLY)

If you follow these precautions and use common sense, you will avoid most pitfalls that hikers run into. The benefits of hiking vastly outweigh the potential problems, especially when you take care to plan your trips. If you are inexperienced, have issues with walking, or are hiking with small children, don’t jump into a long, rugged trail in the middle of nowhere. Likewise, even if you are experienced, don’t go off the grid without letting someone know where you’re headed and bringing a phone or other device that can call for help if you are lost or wounded. Dress for the occasion, bring enough food and water for the amount of time you plan to hike and wear sunscreen, especially if you plan on hiking for more than half an hour.

Hiking A Good for All, Holistic Approach to Health

Hiking is a wonderful activity that is good for your mind, body, and spirit, and the best thing about it is that anyone can do it. Young and old, experienced or beginner, hiking is something that everyone can participate in. There are hiking trails that offer rugged terrain for those who need a physical challenge, and more even-footed trails for young and inexperienced hikers. Hiking helps your body stay active and fit, which addresses the body aspect of holistic health. Not only this, but hiking and spending time in nature has been all but proven to help you clear your mind and de-stress, which nurtures your mental state. And finally, spending time in nature, communing with the universe away from technology and modern problems, is sure to lead to feelings of connection with your spiritual side.