Health benefits of running and jogging

Running improves your aerobic fitness by increasing the activity of enzymes and hormones that stimulate the muscles and the heart to work more efficiently. Both running and jogging are forms of aerobic exercise, which means any physical activity that produces energy by combining oxygen with blood glucose or body fat. The difference between running and jogging is intensity. Running is faster and demands more effort from the heart, lungs and muscles than jogging. Regular running or jogging offers many health benefits, such as: (1) Strengthening your muscles; (2) Helping to build strong bones, as it is a weight bearing exercise; (3) Helping maintain a healthy weight; (4) Improving cardiovascular fitness;(5) Reducingyour risk of chronic illnesses (heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke);(6) Boosting your mood. If you considered starting running or jogging for a while and you didn't start yet, here are some tips for beginners: (1) See your doctor for a check-up before you start a running program, especially if you are over 40 years, are overweight, have a chronic illness or havent exercised in a long time(2) Pre-exercise screening is used to identify people with medical conditions that may put them at a higher risk of a experiencing a health problem during physical activity. (3) Start with brisk walking. Aim for 30 minutes per session. Allow a minimum of six weeks to build up to regular running. Aim to increase your jogging time each session, and alternate between walking and jogging. (4) Ensure you warm up and stretch thoroughly before you head out(5) Ensure you have plenty of fluids and take a water bottle with you on your run. Try to drink plenty of water before, during and after any activity. (6) Allow at least two complete rest days per week to avoid overtraining, which may cause injury. Consider other low impact activities, such as swimming, at least once each week. (7) Avoid the peak hour periods to reduce your risk of inhaling air pollution from motor vehicles. If possible, schedule your runs for either the early morning or the evening. (8) Wear loose cotton clothing. Dress your upper body in layers of clothing so that you can take off layers as required. (9) Apply SPF 30+ sunscreen to exposed skin areas. (10) Buy an appropriate pair of shoes. ...

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