Walk With A Doc Lebanon, PA

11/26/2025

Hello Walkers of Lebanon!!

We had a fabulous November walk a couple of weeks ago. Our topic was VO2 max and longevity. VO2 max has been promoted by some as THE metric which best predicts longevity and healthy final years of life. There are some researchers that rank VO2 max as more valuable than blood pressure, cholesterol levels, or smoking status, when it comes to predicting longevity and the quality of the last years of our lives.

So what exactly is this golden elixir and how do we get it?? Simply put, VO2 max is a measure of the efficiency with which our bodies utilize the oxygen we breathe in; or how much oxygen our bodies can use to fuel our muscles for movement and our organs to function optimally. The higher the VO2 max, the better.

How do we get a high VO2 max? You guessed it: exercise! Any aerobic activity that gets our hearts pumping hard will do, whether it is running, biking, swimming, or even walking. The key is to incorporate INTERVAL training into our regular exercise, meaning, whatever form of exercise you participate in, alternate between high intensity movement, where you heart is pumping at near its maximum capacity, and lower intensity movement, where you are able to keep up a conversation. For example, in a 30 minute walk, you would start out the first 3 minutes at your regular walking pace, then walk as fast as you can for 3 minutes, then regular walking speed for 3 minutes, then as fast as you can for 3 minutes, etc. for 30 minutes.

Give this a try next time you go out for a walk. Maybe after your Thanksgiving meal tomorrow!

Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving. I am grateful for the Walk With a Doc community. 🙂

11/15/2025

Come join our walking crew this morning at 10am at Union Canal Tunnel Park! See you soon!! 🚶🏽‍♀️🍁

11/10/2025

I love this kid and his family who brings him to Walk with a Doc. And I love the beautiful park we get to walk in together every month.

For those of you who are not fully familiar with us, we walk the 3rd Saturday of every month. We start with a brief health topic discussion, then walk together for the remainder of the hour; your pace, your distance. A small healthy snack is provided at the end. Families and leashed four-legged friends are welcome.

Our next walk is this Saturday, November 15th at 10am at Union Canal Tunnel Park. We would love for you to join us. 🙂

Family First Health

10/27/2025

We had a great time celebrating Walk With a Doc, Lebanon’s 3rd Anniversary this month! I am grateful to the community of people that keeps showing up month after month. It has been a joy walking with you.

Join us for our next walk on Saturday, November 15th, as we walk into another year together. 🚶‍♀️🚶‍♂️💙💚☺️

10/11/2025

🤗I'm so excited for our 3rd Anniversary celebration tomorrow! If you have not come out for a walk with us yet, please join us tomorrow to see what we are about. Any all you regulars, looking forward to seeing you!! Everyone, including 4-legged friends, is invited to this FREE community event. We have some great raffle prizes to give away and some yummy food and warm community to enjoy. See you tomorrow!! 😁

Come join Walk With a Doc, Lebanon as we celebrate our THIRD Anniversary on Saturday, October 18th at 10am at Union Canal Tunnel Park! We would love to see you there! 🚶‍♀️💙

10/08/2025

Come join Walk With a Doc, Lebanon as we celebrate our THIRD Anniversary on Saturday, October 18th at 10am at Union Canal Tunnel Park! We would love to see you there! 🚶‍♀️💙

09/30/2025

Hello Walkers of Lebanon! Thanks to all who came to our September walk. It was a gorgeous last Saturday of summer 2025.

Our health topic was the benefits of STRETCHING. Have you ever wondered why one of the first things we do upon awakening, even before getting out of bed, is stretch? It’s a hard-wired reflex that reboots our nervous system and gets our muscles ready for the action of the day after hours of inactivity. There’s a fun word for this act of stretching and yawning upon awakening: pandicuation.🥱

Stretching is the easily overlooked counterpart to exercise and strength training that we hear so much about when it comes to taking care of our bodies. But without the flexibility that stretching provides, our muscles are limited in their full range of motion as well as their potential power, and are more prone to injury. 🙆🏽‍♀️

Stretching helps to reduce joint pain by improving blood flow and by stimulating the production of synovial fluid that lubricates our joints. And by increasing muscle flexibility, the tendons which connect muscles to bones at joints aren’t as strained, thereby reducing joint pain. 🦵🏽

Stretching also helps with cardiovascular health by widening blood vessels and improving arterial blood flow and flexibility. Stretching can add extra protection against heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, as all of these condition are associated with reduced blood flow. This is especially helpful for people with mobility issues. 🫀

Stretching also helps with posture and balance, which is especially important as we get older, helping to reduce fall risk. 🧍🏽‍♂️

And stretching enhances mood and relaxation by releasing endorphins like dopamine and serotonin. 🤗

Consider incorporating stretching into your routine, either a few minutes a day or doing a full body stretch routine a couple of times a week.

If you have specific pains, you can look up stretches that target your particular area of pain (e.g. stretches for low back pain). You can also ask your primary care provider for a referral to a physical therapist who can help to identify stretches that would be beneficial for you.

Give yourself a big full body stretch and yawn right now and see if it doesn't make you feel better! Have a fantastic week!

Family First Health

09/18/2025

Hello Walkers of Lebanon! Our next walk is this Saturday, September 20th at 10am at Union Canal Tunnel Park! Come join us. All are welcome! 🍁🍁🍁

Also, save the date: WWAD Lebanon 3rd Anniversary Walk and Celebration will be on Saturday, October 18th. Raffle prize entry to all who show up, free food and drinks, and our annual pumpkin awards. 🎟🍇🧀🏆

See you on Saturday! 😊

09/10/2025

We took my Walk With a Doc hat for a traipse in Scotland’s West Highland Way, walking over 100 miles from Glasgow to Fort Williams. There is power, peace, and magic in the simple movement of walking in nature. But you don’t have to come to the Scottish Highlands to access it! We are lucky to have lovely places to walk in our own Lebanon County — Coleman’s Park, Stoever’s Dam, Governor Dick, the rail trail, South Hills, Union Canal Tunnel Park to name a few. Lace up your shoes, grab your water bottle and a snack, and go for a nice long walk (or a quick one if you must) among the trees. I promise you it will make you feel good!

Our next walk is Saturday, September 20th at 10am at Union Canal Tunnel Park. See you then! 😁
🚶🏿‍♂️🌳⛰️

08/21/2025

Hello awesome walkers of Lebanon! Thank you to all who came out to our last walk on Saturday!

Our topic was dehydration and the importance of maintaining good daily hydration to support all of the systems and functions of our body. Even mild dehydration can cause symptoms and have long-term effects. 🧠Some symptoms involving the brain and nervous system include poor concentration, memory problems, brain fog, mental fatigue, and headaches, as well as depression, anxiety, and increased pain perception secondary to reduced production of endorphins. 🦵🏽In our musculoskeletal system, dehydration can cause muscle fatigue and weakness, reduced exercise capacity, cramps, and increased joint pain, as the body relies on water to produce the cushioning fluid in our joints. 🫀Dehydration puts a strain on our hearts by causing our hearts to beat faster in order to circulate the oxygen and nutrients that our cells need to function properly. 🦶🏽And that fluid puffiness around your ankles at the end of a hot day? That can be a sign that you actually need to take in more water, not less! (You should ALWAYS check with your doctor if lower leg edema/swelling continues). 💩And if you have to push to p**p, in addition to adding more fiber and movement to your day, you need to drink more water!

Recommended intake of fluids is 8-10 glasses or 2-3 liters daily, more if you're sweating. Carry that water bottle around with you and track your drinking throughout the day.

Other sources of hydration in addition to water are non-sweetened herbal teas, milk, yogurt, and some fruits and vegetables. Do NOT hydrate with sweetened drinks or alcohol, as they actually exacerbate dehydration.

Have a fabulous day -- and go drink some water! 💧💧💧

Next walk is Saturday, September 20th at 10am at Union Canal Tunnel Park. See you then!

Family First Health
Walk With A Doc

08/15/2025

Start your weekend out with a walk among friends tomorrow morning at 10am at Union Canal Tunnel Park! 🚶‍♀️🧑‍🦯👩‍🦽😀

08/13/2025

Hello Walkers of Lebanon! Our next walk is this Saturday, August 16th at 10am at Union Canal Tunnel Park!

Hope to see you there!

We meet the 3rd Saturday of every month. Earn a free WWAD t-shirt after 3 walks with us! 🚶🏽‍♀️🚶🏿‍♂️🧑🏼‍🦼👩🏿‍🦯