This here article ‘Among the elderly, slower walkers have slower brains’ describes researchers who found that how fast an elderly person walks equates with how fast they can think. The writer of the article suggests that walking faster might just get brains to work faster-a two way street.

Slow Motion and slow cognition may go hand in hand but then tai chi isn’t known for its knock about speediness but apparently has many health benefits, physical and mental, for people of all ages. I think if someone can’t help but walk slowly it may, sadly, be an indicator of general decline. All though certainly exercise and regular activity does keep us young.

If people are walking quickly they may have a fuller life and more objectives both of which can aid extended youthfulness-see Roger Elliott’s excellent article ‘Hike your way to happiness.’

Mark