In an undertaking to promote healthy living, the newly elected President of The Republic of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, invited the residents of Cape Town to join him for daily morning walks. He was spotted on the 15th of February taking a stroll with former finance minister Trevor Manual on Sea Point promenade, taking 'selfies' with other health-conscious citizens of Cape Town.

President Cyril Ramaphosa with Trevor Manual and fellow fitness enthusiasts.

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District Six before people were forcibly removed

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The daily morning walks will begin at 5:30 am from different areas each day.

This morning he urged Cape Town citizens to join him in his walk from Guguletu Sports Complex to Athlone Stadium.

On his way to Athlone this morning, he met a 73-year-old gentleman, asking him where he stays, he says that he was renting a house in Athlone. He said he used to stay in District Six, a superb close to Cape Town city but during the rule of the apartheid government, most of the houses were demolished and the residents were all displaced.

People had no choice but to find other accommodation

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During his address to members of Parliament this afternoon, he mentioned the conversation between him and the gentleman and said that it is this 'pain' which people are still carrying with them, where land has been unfairly taken away from them that must be addressed. He gave the assurance that when land is going to be taken without compensation, it will be done responsibly, with all stakeholders involved and to find the best possible solution, without compromising the economy and food security and the people involved.

He said that this is what he intends to do with his morning walks, to interact with different members of society, to hear their ideas and to reflect on what people are saying and also to reflect what is happening in Parliament. He has asked people to lend a hand and to say: "Send me". Everybody living in South Africa must come forward and give their ideas and support to change South Africa to what Nelson Mandela intended for it to be for all citizens of South Africa.

This morning: Walk from Guguletu to Athlone

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People are very impressed to have a President who cares about our health and the personal interaction with him. This certainly means a lot to many people who want to ask questions and make suggestions in person. This is usually not possible to talk to the most important man in the country. The last President who was approachable was Madiba.

Health benefits of walking

Walking outdoors can do wonderful things for the mind and body. As we walk briskly, this physical exercise significantly increases the amount of oxygen used by skeletal muscles. As the breathing rate increases so do the heart rate. Physical exercise, like brisk walking, is good for the heart, but only if it is a regular part of life.

Benefits of walking in the sunshine

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Walking in the sunshine daily produces vitamin D, natural foods are often poor sources of vitamin D, it is often added to food during processing. Homogenized, nonfat, and evaporated milk are typically fortified with vitamin D. A deficiency of vitamin D in children results in rickets, where the bones and teeth fail to develop normally, in adults who have little exposure to sunlight, such a deficiency lead to osteomalacia, where the bones decalcify and weaken due to disturbances in calcium and phosphorus metabolism. Vitamin D is essential in helping with the absorption of calcium in the bones. Up to 75% of Americans do not have a sufficient or any supply of vitamin D.

Benefits of walking for developing Strong Bones

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Bones shape, support and protect body structures. Skeletal muscles are attached to bones and as they contract, they pull on their attachments on bones and the stress resulting from this action stimulates bone tissue to thicken and strengthen and with a lack of exercise bone tissue wastes and become thinner and weaker.

Benefits of Walking and increased Heart Rate

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Every year we read in the newspapers about a few individuals, who died of sudden cardiac arrest, while they were involved in strenuous exercises, like running or physically strenuous work like digging in the garden. An increase in breathing and an increase in skeletal muscle movement increase venous return to the heart. This causes the ventricular walls to stretch, they are stimulated to contract with a greater force as the heart rate also increases. With the increase in heart rate, blood volume, blood hemoglobin concentration, and other changes occur. This will decrease high blood pressure. All these adjustments improve oxygen delivery to, and consumption by the muscle tissue. The cardiovascular system does not react well to sudden demands of exercise but does react well to a slow steady buildup of regular exercise and the increase in intensity.

Benefits of walking in aiding Weight Loss

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Walking will aid in weight loss in addition to dietary restrictions by an appropriate combination of exercise and cutting of calories. While walking, your muscles release a fat burning hormone. Fat cells burn energy instead of storing it and increase the metabolic rate. All these changes aid in weight loss.

Unlike swimming or cycling, walking is a weight-bearing exercise. The light impact on bones can help strengthen your bones and protect you from osteoporosis and fractures

Exercise increases the production of collagen, a protein, that keeps your skin smooth and elastic and gives it a much more youthful appearance.

Be a partner in health

Let us all join President Cyril Ramaposa to improve our health. Not just in South Africa, but all over the world. Let us all strive to be healthy, and in so doing, decrease the cost of healthcare and in so doing make healthcare accessible to people who cannot afford healthcare.

Sources: Marieb Elaine N; Hoehn Katja: Human Anatomy & Physiology. Publishers: Pearson Benjamin Cummings; Eighth Edition 2010.

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