This newsletter is a part of "The Way You Move", a campaign with This Girl Can

"Dear Ms Benson, as discussed earlier, you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure and we have started you on a medication called Ramipril. Please see below for more information.”

Reading back the text message from my GP, all I could think was, ‘Wow, that escalated quickly!’ In the phone call that had happened just minutes before, the doctor had said that my blood pressure was “a bit higher than we’d like it to be”, which felt different to being “diagnosed with high blood pressure”. The only thought echoing around my mind was, ‘How the hell did we get here?’
 
As well as taking the prescription given to me by my GP, I knew I had to make some lifestyle changes as soon as possible. The simplest and easiest thing I could do was start with being more active. I used to play netball competitively as a teenager and was quite active when I was younger, but none of that felt practically compatible with my life now as a mother and all the other obligations or priorities that come with it.

But incorporating more movement in my life didn’t have to be complicated – in fact it turned out it could be as easy as starting with ten minutes of walking each day. Ten minutes doesn’t sound like much, but it’s enough to boost your mood, increase your confidence and help with energy levels. Thankfully, it can also improve your sleep as well.
 
Personally, I found that after the morning school run is the perfect moment to go for a walk. As many days in the week as I can manage, I stop by the park for a brisk walk before the rest of my work day begins.
 
What started off as just something to get my heart rate raised enough to count as exercise has turned into an important part of my day both mentally and physically. Remembering advice that I was given years ago from a therapist, I don’t listen to anything on my walks besides the birds chirping, my own breathing and my internal monologue.

As I start my walk, I begin to find myself falling into the rhythms of nature around me, listening to the crunch of twigs beneath my feet, noticing the turning colours of the leaves and looking out for the fabled green parakeets of South London. I don’t have any kind of strict regime. I vary walking up and down hills and inclines, quickening and slowing my pace at different intervals, taking a moment to stop and stretch my legs if they’re feeling tight or just taking in the view from the top of the hill.
 
Often, I find my jumbled and racing thoughts tend to organise themselves as I’m pacing. This is how I realised how intimately connected our physical and mental health are. Sacrificing physical activity wasn’t just putting my health at risk, it was impacting my quality of life and mind. This high blood pressure diagnosis was a reminder that I couldn’t actually afford to deprioritise myself anymore, but putting myself first could actually be as simple as going for a walk in my local park and stretching.
 
Taking this time for yourself could be during lunchtime, in the afternoon after work, or whenever fits easily into your schedule. There are few things that compare to the simple high of an increase in energy and clearer mindset, so I hope you’ll join me in saying, “This Girl Can!”