Around the county, people are lacing up their shoes and hitting the pavement. “I like walking, I’ve always liked walking and since I turned 50, I am more conscious of my health, “says Cecilia Ortiz, a coordinator for the Health Advocacy Department at Lee Memorial Health System.

It’s all in an effort to kick start the heart and “start walking” Lee Memorial Health System and dozens of other Lee County business employees have vowed to dedicate a half hour of walking each day to improve their own health. “Walking is very good for anybody. Anytime you start walking or start an exercise, usually walking is the best form,” explains Heather Brown, an Exercise Specialist at the Cape Coral Wellness Center .

Cecilia Ortiz says she loves the feeling she gets from a good walk. “Satisfaction. I feel better knowing that I am doing something for my health. I have three kids so I try to squeeze that in. I f I can do it, I think anybody can.”

Brown says walking for just 30 minutes each day can reduce stress, prevent heart disease, lower blood pressure, even lighten your mood. “It’s very low impact. It can help raise your heart rate, give you great benefits with weight loss, cardiovascular endurance, so it’s very good,” adds Brown.

Cecilia tries to walk every chance she gets, “It’s the easiest thing to do; everybody takes a break. Why not walk for those few minutes instead of not doing anything, absolutely, then try to do something in the evening.”

The American Heart Association has made it easy for you to track your miles on their website. Something that Cecilia takes advantage of.  “It gives you choices. I usually do steps. So, that’s how I log my steps and it converts it to miles,” says Cecilia.

To get involved, just log on to www.americanheart.org.