Running for Your Health

One of the most common activities that people do in their daily lives is running. Running is one of the basic exercise routines that people use to stay in shape and stay healthy. Though running can’t cure diseases, it can surely help prevent and avoid common diseases. You may have health insurance plans for yourself but it doesn’t necessarily mean that you are not be at risk of getting sick. The wonderful thing about running is that anyone at any skill level can run in order to achieve goals they strive for. A lot of people run in an effort to help lose weight and achieve a healthier balance for the body, while other professional athletes will run because they need to meet the physical demands that are placed upon them. For each level, running presents its own unique set of benefits.

The reason that not everyone includes running as a part of their exercise workouts is for the simple reason that it hurts. People do not like being sore, people do not like being out of breathe and people do not like having to commit to something that seems so annoying to do day-in and day-out. For those that are serious about changing their lives or playing sports, the old saying is no pain, no gain.

People who run merely as a form of exercise usually do it so that they can stay healthy. Losing weight is one of the most obvious benefits, but running has been proven to help prevent and reduce the effects of several health issues. Running has been proven to prevent high blood pressure by ensuring blood flows smoothly. This is due to the arteries being more flexible from the constant expanding and contracting due to running. Running maximizes the power of the lungs which is known to help prevent several problems caused by smoking. Lastly, heart attacks are drastically reduced through running due to having a stronger heart that does not have to work as hard to pump blood.

Running is not just a simple process. Several problems can occur if proper measures are not taken before and afterwards. Before attempting to add running into the list of daily activities, think about the foot problems that could develop. Issues like blisters, ingrown toenails, and ankle problems can develop if proper footwear is not taken into account. Sneakers are usually a good shoe for running, but the proper size, width, and foot support are just as important. Grabbing some shorts or pants that are made for moving around is a good idea, too. No one wants to run around in jeans.

Before running, a stretching and warm up routine should be followed routinely. If the body is not properly stretched and warmed up, injuries to ligaments could occur such as pulled hamstrings or, in more serious cases, injuries to tendons like the ACL thus it also reduces the risk of having to go to hospital especially if you do not have health insurance. It is great to want to be in better shape, but injuring the body will not do the body any good.

After actively running regularly, try to formulate a diet based on it. Carbohydrates are a runner's best friend because they act as an energy source to fuel runners. Water and electrolyte fluids are a must because runners have to be able to sweat. Always avoid fats at all cost, but try to add more protein to the diet, as it acts as yet another energy source.

People often wonder why running is always the choice of exercise for regular people and professional athletes when there are other methods of exercise including biking, swimming, and even power walking. Each exercise method is good, but running is the best overall because it does so much more in one motion. Running burns more calories than any of the above methods and helps to stimulate the blood and lungs. Biking and swimming will work to build more muscle, but fail to do much more than that in comparison to running.

A common mistake for beginners and professionals when running is measuring the distance for their level. Beginners could opt to run 4 times a week with a long run on Sundays. Planning the distance of running will depend on what each runner wants to get out of it. A professional runner planning on long-distance marathons will naturally want to run for as much distance as possible in order to experience a second wind. Beginners should not go that far, but should at least try for a mile, depending on their weight.

Running is the most consistent form of exercise since athletics made it known in the world. Almost every sport involves some form of running and professional athletes who are unable to run will have no place in the sports world. Even for non-athletes, just the health benefits alone should be enough reason to justify running as an exercise activity.