Health Persuasive Speech

How to Improve Health
Specific Purpose: To persuade my audience to go walking to better improve their health.
Central Idea: Walking can improve both your mental health and physical health.

Introduction
To be honest we all have an easy life: We have almost automatic everything that does things for us. Automatic dishwashers, lawnmowers in which we can sit and ride, remote controls, power screwdrivers, electric pencil sharpeners, and a whole lot of other electric devices that make our lives easier. We live in a time and energy-saving society. Which is a wonderful life, or is it? While luxuries have been welcomed by the masses, they have also been accused of turning us into couch potatoes. As a reformed couch potato myself, I know how easy it can be to slip into an inactive lifestyle. Today I want

Adults watch between 15 and 18 hours of TV a week. (statistic - Carey 82) 1. This means we spend approximately 40% of our leisure time in front of the TV. (statistic - Carey 82) 2. Ironically, it is also reported that we really don 't like many of the shows we watch. (factual example - Carey 83) B. An article in the March, 1994 issue of Walking reports that there is evidence that our sedentary lifestyle is bad for our mental and emotional state of mind. 1. Studies today indicate that people are experiencing higher bouts of depression than in the 18th and 19th century when work and life was considered more difficult. (factual example - McAuliffe 43) 2. The article reports that 12.6% of Americans suffer from anxiety and another 9.5% suffer from serious depression. (statistic - McAuliffe 42) C. Our eating habits, combined with our lack of exercise is purported to be the "second leading non-genetic contributor to death in the U.S." (factual example - Camenzind) 1. Nutritionist Phyllis Hall stated that we tend to eat foods that are high in fat, which produce high levels of cholesterol in our blood, which in turns leads to plaque in our arteries. (expert testimony -