Let Loose with Adventure

The snowshoe to the Inuit is as fundamental as the canoe to the American Native Indian, and thought to have been in existence for about six thousand years. Originally made of wood and animal hide they progressed when introduced to the winter sports market. Now made of light strong plastics with snowboard fittings and tungsten teeth for grip, they displace a person’s weight on soft snow. It has become one of the fastest growing activities throughout Europe, not just for fun but for health and fitness.

Snowshoeing is cardiovascular, so it can reduce the risks of heart disease and stroke, lower blood pressure and reduce cholesterol. It’s a non-impact sport so there’s little risk of injury to joints but will develop muscle strength and stamina. With any exercise, you’ll need to drink water, something the body uses for most functions including burning off fat. Staying hydrated will flush out the kidneys and clear those toxins from our Christmas indulgences.

As crops are nearly impossible to grow because of the climate, they gain their vitamins from the meat. Vitamin A and D from the oils of cold-water fish, and vitamin C from eating caribou liver, whale skin and seal brain – raw, as cooking would remove the vitamin. As for exercise, well, life itself is exercise. They hunt, fish, gather and expend energy just keeping warm.

There’s no collapsing into the leather sofa to watch the James Bond movie with bodies breathing a welcome sigh of respite; these people have well defined skeletal muscles from sitting or sleeping on the ground. True, many live in houses and drive around on snowmobiles but that’s not all the time. They cross great areas of wilderness, in soft powder snow, sometimes carrying heavy loads. All done on snowshoes.

Lastly, snowshoeing in Europe is done in beautiful valleys, forests and mountains with crystal-glinting snow, and awe-inspiring vistas. You are walking off-piste (so it’s worth going with a guide), discovering animal tracks and old childhood memories. All this has just got to be good for your mental and physical well-being.

So there you have it, the secret to a healthy Christmas. Enjoy, and balance it by booking an adventurous snowshoeing holiday soon afterwards. It will be an excellent way to exercise and a New Year’s resolution that is easily achieved. A great start to the year. I’d probably give the whale skin and seal brain a miss!