By Irwan Lee
A study by the Stanford University School of Medicine in 1984 lead by James Fries, MD and his team of research colleagues enlisted 538 runners, all at the age of 50 and above, and a similar group of non-runners shows that running reduce the risk not only of heart disease, but also delay cancer, neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s and other illnesses.
Every year, the participants completed questionnaires about their personal lives, including their ability to perform everyday activities such as walking, dressing and grooming, getting up from a chair and gripping various objects. Their running patterns have been documented through the years as well.
“Not only did running delay disability, but the gap between runners’ and non-runners’ abilities got bigger with time, we did not expect this,” Fries said. “The health benefits of exercise are greater than we thought.”
Fries were surprised the gap between runners and non-runners continues to widen even as his subjects entered their ninth decade of life. These might probably due to runners had greater lean body mass and healthier habits in general, he said.
After 19 years of study, only 15% of the runners had died, from any cause, compared to 34% of the group of non-runners. As expected, the rate of death due to cardiovascular disease was even lower in the runners group and the runners group also suffered fewer disabilities, had a longer span of active life, had fewer deaths caused by cancer, infection, and neurological disease and reduced their risk of dying early by 50 percent compared to those who were inactive.
“The longevity effect was big. It surprised us,” says Dr. James Fries, co-author of the Stanford study. “But the even bigger difference was morbidity rate — your overall quality of life.” Running and other weight-bearing exercises like vigorous walking and using an elliptical machine work to strengthen your bones, tendons and muscles. They also help you reduce your risk of America’s biggest killer, heart disease.
Running is most likely the oldest form of exercise. As we all know running burns calories, increases lower-body bone density, and improves the aerobic and cardio-vascular systems. At least 30 minutes of running might produce some positive effects on the body. Quite an impressive physical activity as it simply involves a rapidly placing one foot in front of the other.
Here are the amazing facts about running that will most likely to make you want to jog:
- Running burns calories hence it’s a great way to lose extra weight.
Running is a great cardio-vascular exercise that will keep your heart strong and healthy. Jogging reduces the risk of heart attack by strengthening the heart and lowering blood pressure.- Running if done regularly, according to Mayo Clinic, can ease symptoms of depression and anxiety.
- A study research performed in Japan, Nihon Fukushi University in Handa showed that jogging increase mental sharpness.
- Running improves coordination and makes you more alert.
- Running makes you happier. While running the body released a hormone known as endorphins that create a sense of euphoria.
- Running is linked to the growth of brain cells and can decrease memory loss in elderly people and delay the onset or progression of some neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.
- Running strengthens bones to prevent osteoporosis in women and also strengthens muscles to prevent muscle and bone loss which often occur with age in men and women. The earlier you start it the more beneficial it will be for you.
- Running does not kill your joints. Research showed that people who ran regularly and who didn’t run had the same risks of developing osteoarthritis. In fact osteoarthritis often occurs in overweight people and avid runners definitely do not have problems with being overweight.
- Running prevents and helps fight the early stages of dangerous diseases such as diabetes, breast cancer and hypertension.
- Regular running has amazing anti-aging benefits. It reduce the risks of fatal diseases in elderly people by 50% and it increased the quality of life by 16 years as indicated by the research at Stanford University Medical Center.
- Running increases your self-esteem and inner sense of confidence. Some people become more self-confident when they set a goal and then accomplish it, such as run for a marathon or run 6 miles every day.
- Running and vigorous exercise, combined with healthy diet and not smoking, can improve a man’s sexual state by up to 10 years and decrease the risk of impotence.
We know we won’t live forever. But as long as we are of sound mind and body, most of us would like to stick around for as long as we can. Cheat on your diet, and you will for sure subtract your precious time. But more and more evidence shows that simple tasks like exercising may not only add years to your life but also delay the onset of disabilities in your golden years.
So don’t be afraid to keep moving. Consider going for a 30-45 minutes run/exercise daily, 3 to 4 times per week is sufficient to receive the benefits not only adding your quality of life but also prevent diseases and help you live longer — maybe even up to 100!
When danger comes people say, “Run for your life”. Now you know you can literally run for your life! Now it is time to get your running shoes on and start moving.
Keep it balanced!
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February 16th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Well running may not be physically possible for a lot of us but i do take your point about how getting weight within check and exercising regularly and eating healthy can have so many benefits for the brain and not just the body.