To Get Through This Election, Get Some Fresh Air

Even light-intensity exercise has noticeable health benefits, and going for a walk is better than hoping the government will fix the healthcare system.

Paying too much attention to politics can be hazardous to your health. And going into the 2024 presidential contest, it becomes clear that neither major party's candidate has a solution to the country's health care crisis. Perhaps one solution to both toxic levels of politicking and concerns about the encroaching cost of health care is to go out and get some fresh air.

It's been over a decade since Congress passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, often called Obamacare—the latest major piece of health care legislation. The law was intended to expand insurance coverage and lower costs, but costs have actually exploded in the years since, despite $20 billion spent annually to subsidize 79 percent of policies. No wonder: The ubiquity of third-party payers like insurance—whether public or private—is the reason health care costs so much in the first place.

In response, Vice President Kamala Harris has pledged to spend even more money not only on Obamacare but other federal health programs as well. Certain health insurance tax credits implemented during President Joe Biden's administration are set to expire next year, and Harris' platform includes making them permanent. This month, she also floated the idea of expanding Medicare to include coverage for vision, hearing, and in-home care.

In contrast, former President Donald Trump seems completely resistant to details. Trump spent much of his presidency trying to kill Obamacare, saying as recently as January 2024 that if not for then-Sen. John McCain (R–Ariz.) voting against repeal in 2017, "we would have had it done." But in April 2024, Trump claimed in a video posted to Truth Social that he was "not running to replace" Obamacare but rather to make it "much, much better, and far less money cost to the people." At the September debate against Harris, Trump even claimed to have "saved" Obamacare.

And yet despite pledging for nearly a decade to repeal or replace the law, Trump remains bereft of specifics on what he would do with it if reelected: When asked about his plan at the September debate, Trump could only muster that he had "concepts of a plan."

Clearly, it's a fool's errand to sit around waiting for our elected officials to fix the health care system for us—and every moment we spend waiting is a moment we spend not taking any self-improvement steps of our own. So then, perhaps the best thing to do is to tune out of the partisan back-and-forth and simply go for a walk and get some fresh air.

The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise each week but allows that "even light-intensity activity can offset some of the risks of being sedentary." According to Harvard Medical School, any physical activity, including walking, has a host of health benefits, like counteracting obesity and sugar cravings, boosting immune function and joint health, and reducing the risk of breast cancer. The Mayo Clinic adds that daily walks can increase your energy levels, improve your sleep, and help manage or prevent health conditions like heart disease, stroke, cancer, and type 2 diabetes.

Regular walks can improve your mental health as well. "Walking helps boost your mood because it increases blood flow and blood circulation to the brain and body," Tyler Wheeler, an Atlanta-area physician, wrote at WebMD. "When you exercise by walking, you calm your nerves, which can make you feel less stressed."

As we get closer to the election, there will be plenty to stress about, whether it's your preferred candidate's poll numbers or just the chilling prospect that one of these two is likely to win. And no matter who emerges victorious, it's unlikely that the average American's experience with the health care system will benefit as a result; it's enough to cause a spike in your blood pressure no matter what side of the aisle you find yourself on.

So instead of counting on Washington to fix it for you, take a hike. Go for a walk. Touch grass. Whatever you want to call it, take some time away from partisan squabbling and get some fresh air in your lungs. Hopefully you'll be able to reap the benefits long after this election is over.