Avoiding the public transports during the Olympic Games can be a good opportunity to adopt a healthy and pleasant new habit
by Nathália Braga.
Photo: Rômulo Seitenfus
There’s some time now that the London citizens had been advised to do a better plan for daily journeys during the Olympic Games. With the arrival of this giant sports event to the capital, the underground, trains and buses tend to be crowded because of the touristic demands on then. One of the solutions presented by the Mayor has been to walk the gap in between stations and cycle more, what could save time and help not to overload the public transport.
Moreover, during the summer, walk by the streets observing the London architecture is a good leisure choice. And another great benefit is that this could become a new habit for Londoners, exercising their body and improving their health.
“Any person can achieve benefits to their health doing only a 30 minutes walking every day. This time can be divided by three times of 10 minutes walks”, says the cardiologist of the Albert Einstein Hospital, in São Paulo, Romeu Sergio Meneghelo.
This specialist affirms that the benefits can be felt in the whole body. “Walking can reduce the arterial pressure, increase the good cholesterol and reduce the bad cholesterol. It can also reduce sugar levels in the blood and improve the immunologic system”. Meneghlo also says that the benefits of daily walking could also be extended to the most serious diseases, “Today we know that the physical activity is important to avoid cancer. Also, if combined with techniques to reduce the stress, it could alleviate the symptoms of panic’s syndrome”
Another advantage is that, for short a walking it is not necessary a previous medical evaluation, so it is possible to start exercising immediately.
“To practice walking it is not necessary a bigger evaluation. If someone walks and doesn’t feel any kind of dizziness, discomfort or pain in the chest it means that there is no contraindications. This is also true for cardiac persons”, explains the cardiologist.
Plan our trip
According to the Olympic Games Transport’s official web site (www.getaheadofthegames.com), informative maps will be spread in various tube stations, like Liverpool Street, London Bridge, Kings Cross/St Pancras , Victoria, Paddington, Marylebone, Waterloo and Charing Cross. It is also possible to plan the route by foot on the site www.tfl.gov.uk
Walk safely
Always walk on the sidewalk;
Use the crosswalk (even though some of them could be closed you will find alternatives in a maximum three minutes walk)
Some traffic lights also could be turned off, so take double attention when crossing the streets;
Some streets could be closed because of the Olympic events, so plan your trip before leaving home.
Steps that worth prizes!
To stimulate you to walk you can download a free app for your mobile that accumulate points each time you walk around or do cycling in London. Each time you complete a usual walking faster, or if you pollutes less the environment, according to the own calculations of this app, you accumulate points and change them for gifts.
