National Walking Day returns Wednesday, April 5, 2017 and Puget Sound residents will take a step towards being “Healthy For Good™” with the American Heart Association walking to commemorate the day. In Seattle, AHA’s Puget Sound Division has teamed up with local sponsor Union Bank to host a walking torch relay and community celebration event. The torch relay will feature cardiovascular disease survivors and supporters as torch bearers walking a leg to show their support. The relay will end at a community celebration in the Union Bank Plaza featuring music, healthy snacks and activity booths during the free event.
“Union Bank is celebrating National Walking Day to encourage not only our employees but members of our community to choose a healthier way of living and to commit to being physically active,” said Maryetta Williams, managing director, Pacific Northwest region from Union Bank. “I’m proud to participate in the torch relay to support the American Heart Association’s work to improve cardiovascular health by encouraging everyone to move more.”
In Tacoma, the public is invited to join Downtown on the Go and Multicare in a 1.3 mile walk celebrating the architectural history of Tacoma. The event is free and participants are encouraged to meet at noon on the south side of Wright Park by the lion sculptures.
All community members are encouraged to share their National Walking Day steps via social media using the hashtags: #walk206, #walk425, #walk253 and #walk360 depending on their walk location.
The American Heart Association recommends that adults participate in at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic activity or a combination of both each week. Kids should get at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day.
Studies have suggested that moderate physical activity has many proven benefits for overall health, such as lowering blood pressure, increasing HDL, or “good”, cholesterol and controlling weight. All these changes help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, the nation’s No. 1 and No. 5 killers.
For more information on the local events or to download a free National Walking Day toolkit, visit PugetSoundHeartWalk.org