Love walking but your body finds it an uphill battle? Discover how turmeric keeps these keen walkers going
Walking is one of the most beneficial forms of exercise, and also one of the most underestimated in terms of well-being. It's a great way to reach the recommended level of physical activity needed to stay healthy without the toll to joints, ligaments and muscles that more demanding sports exact.
Walking increases oxygen flow through the body and can also increase levels of cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. Those are the hormones that help elevate energy levels. Regular exercise can also help your mental health. Studies show walking can help reduce anxiety, depression, and a negative mood and may also boost self-esteem as well as reduce symptoms of social withdrawal.
According to the NHS, around two-thirds (63%) of adults in the UK are above a healthy weight. Walking is free and accessible to most people without the expense of a gym membership or an inconvenient studio timetable, and a daily walk can also help you to burn calories.
Many of us enjoy taking a walk with friends, family or the dog, whether it's in your local park or more rural countryside. When taking longer walks in particular, some of us can experience skeletal and muscular discomfort. A growing number of people are discovering that a product called Turmeric+ is an effective means of keeping them active. Liz Singh, 63, a retired chemistry teacher is one of them.
'I've always loved to walk and last year I decided to take a three-mile stroll.
'The next day, I felt a slight twinge in my left knee but thought nothing of it. However, as the week went on it got progressively worse.
'It became so uncomfortable I had to abandon a shopping trip to London that I was really looking forward to and had arranged with my husband. This was also bad news for me as I was planning a walk from where I live in Maidenhead to Bath. At that time, I couldn't walk one hundred yards let alone the one hundred miles I was planning.
'The following Sunday I noticed an advertisement in the newspaper about Turmeric+ from FutureYou Cambridge. I was already taking turmeric tablets when my yoga teacher mentioned Turmeric+ so I decided to give it a try as I had nothing to lose.
'Seventeen months later I'm still taking it and I haven't looked back. I'm delighted to say I was also able to complete my walk to Bath.'
Craig Wareham, Co-Founder and CEO of popular walking apps ViewRanger and Outdooractive UK, says.
'Encouraging people to walk outside is more important than ever for our general fitness and psychological wellbeing. Whether it's walking to the local shop, or exploring the many local tracks and trails that criss-cross our countryside - anything that helps and inspires people to get active and stay active should be encouraged.'
Turmeric contains compounds called curcuminoids, the most notable of which is curcumin. Curcumin is responsible for turmeric's distinctive, vivid yellow colour. It's also what makes turmeric such a powerful spice.
Curcumin is difficult for the body to absorb. Some turmeric products offer high levels of curcumin but unless this is easily absorbed by the body, the higher quantities make little difference.
The need for easy absorption is what led the scientists at FutureYou Cambridge to create Turmeric+ using the patented 'Curcuma Phospholipid Complex' formulation. It's thirty times more absorbable than standard turmeric and contains vitamin C, which contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of cartilage.
Paul Goddard, 62, a Nordic Walking instructor from Saffron Walden in Essex, also now swears by Turmeric+.
After working in retail for many years, Paul decided to follow his dream and retrain as a sports and fitness coach, and Nordic Walking Instructor. He has worked with schools and local authorities promoting exercise programmes for rehabilitation and many health conditions.
Paul explains: 'I decided to become a Nordic Walking instructor in 2009. I now walk forty to fifty miles a week. Two years ago I had to have knee surgery and was advised that I could experience some discomfort in my knee for a while. Although the surgery was successful, I experienced a lot of discomfort and felt very apprehensive about my future.
'This wasn't something I wanted to live with as I'm walking every day, so I started doing some research. I learned that turmeric could be helpful and bought supplements from a local store.
'I then stumbled upon Turmeric+.
'Soon after taking it I experienced that 'light-bulb' moment - I realised my knees felt like they used to. I take Turmeric+ religiously now. I walk around two hundred miles a month and even my customers have remarked on my mobility. Walking is great for fitness as well as your mental health. Being able to walk easily has made a huge difference to my life and I feel fitter now than I did twenty years ago.'
Gill Stewart, director of WALX and Nordic Walking UK agrees: 'Walking is a powerful wellness tool and the secret is to walk well in order to feel well. Taking time to improve posture and gait will help maximise the results you achieve and make walking an effective way to lose weight and gain fitness.
'Choosing shoes wisely, taking care of your joints and stretching after every walk will also ensure you feel energised and revived. Don't think walking is too slow or tame either because it can be ramped up via speed, distance, using poles and choosing tougher hilly routes.'
Turmeric+ was developed in Cambridge with the backing of a scientific advisory board including Dr Nicholas Shenker, a leading rheumatologist and chronic pain expert at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Addenbrooke's). Turmeric+ allows more curcumin to get where it's needed by combining it with lecithin to protect it in the digestive system, this allows it to be absorbed and distributed around the body.