How Running Can Benefit You

How Running Can Benefit You

We are all born with the ability to run. In fact this is the simplest form for cardiovascular exercise to start with. It affects our body and mind in different ways:

1. Stronger Muscle     Whether you are running short distance or long distance, you are engaging both your slow twitch muscle and fast twitch muscle fiber to some extend. Coupled with proper nutrition and workout-rest schedule, you will be able to handle more and more physical workload daily by incorporating consistent running in your weekly schedule.

2. Healthier Heart
     Researches showed that running will improve the strength of the heart. Short distance runner tend to have thicker left ventricle wall whereas marathon runner has larger heart chamber. More blood can be pumped per pulse, more nutrients and oxygen can be transported effectively. Therefore, runners usually have lower heart rate.

3. Stronger Bone
    Out bones take plenty of impact with each stride, when we rest and recover, the bone is stimulated to grow denser and stronger. Outdoor runners will get more Vitamin D from sunlight, which helps bone repair too.

4. Cleaner Lung
    Choose a track/community area with plenty of greenery to run, and you will realize that you may have phlegm coming from your throat during the run, and more booger after the first few runs. When we are panting, our diaphragm is massaging our lungs, and fast air movements helps to push the mucus out from the trachea and nasal cavity. However, remember to always run in areas with fresh air otherwise you will be breathing in dirt instead.

5. Control Blood Sugar Level
    Running stimulate insulin sensitivity. Insulin is a hormone that keep our blood sugar level in check. Poor insulin sensitivity often result in tiredness, poor recovery and if not taken care of, could lead to diabetes.

6. Keep Weight in Control
    Running is an effective method of burning calories. Our body continue to burn the fuel even after we stopped running to get rid of the metabolic waste such as lactic acid from out body. Not only that, with better insulin sensitivity, the using and storing of glucose is better regulated and chances is that glucose can be metabolized more effectively and less is stored as fat.

7. Healthier Skin
    We sweat during and after we run. Our skin is the largest organ in our body. Sweating flushes away toxins more effectively than our kidney do thanks to the larger surface area. If you wish your skin to glow, go get your shoes and start running!

8. Better Complexion
   People with stronger heart will have better complexion. Good blood circulation around the skin ensures proper nutrition to the skin, at the same time preventing pale and yellowish complexion. However, avoid running under the how sun in the afternoon as the UV ray can havoc our skin.

9. Stress Relieve
   Runners are generally more cheerful and energetic. Exercise stimulate the release of Endorphin which is a naturally occurred pain killer. So, you can actually "run away" all your stresses!