Running for Health and Happiness

Dr Vikas Jamwal
One can write endlessly about the benefits of running, as long and as far as the running itself. There is a lot to gain and experience by running as it is such a great way to exercise and you can do it anytime and anywhere.
We humans are at constant war with future uncertainties and financial insecurities, struggling daily with so many battles at different fronts during different stages of our lives. Our darkest fear of ageing, getting grey and having a decline in health is inevitable and you cannot halt it from happening, but yes- it can be slowed down by respect to self.
I may not be able to pen down or count the enormous benefits of running. Everybody knows that running is not only a great way to get into shape, but it also can benefit almost every part of our body and lift our mood. Whether it’s your favourite part of the day or something you have to push yourself through, the benefits are undeniable.
Here are a few things to know about how running improves your health. Many doctors today recommend running for people who are in the early stages of diabetes, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis, and it is proven to help reduce the risk of having a heart attack by helping the arteries retain their elasticity and strengthening the heart. It raises your levels of good cholesterol while also helps increase lung function. In addition, running can also boost your immune system and lower the risk of developing blood clots. It is a leading way to burn off extra kilos or to maintain a consistent weight.
Not all of the benefits of running are physical. Running can provide a noticeable boost to the confidence and self-esteem. By setting and achieving goals, we can help give our self a greater sense of empowerment that will leave us feeling much happier. It also helps to reduce the chances of developing tension and headaches. It diminishes the appetite for junk food and improves sleep quality. There are few things in the world that can  treat depression than running.
Running boosts the brain’s serotonin levels, so when you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins which trigger a positive feeling in the body. Why I am writing all this? Well, I have a lot to share from my own experience of running. Me, a runner? No way! I hate running. I never thought that running would have such a huge impact on my mental state as it has had by avoiding to let me dive deep into depression.
Sharing is always helpful. One gets supportive, feels free and is more open to the world. So it is about my running, and how it has changed my life after years. There was a time when every waking moment in my life was filled with crushing anxiety and  sadness. I am 45 plus. I was unfit, and little obese because of underlying stress and erratic eating habits. The onerous nature of my job has left me with very little time to exercise in a gym or to go for cycling, since such activities are time and space bounded simulations. My online presentation and public life was a symbol of success, confidence and happiness, although, in reality, I was struggling. But something inspired me and began to push me forward – to put one foot in front of the other and move on and leave all the worries behind. I decided running would be a good, carefree way to exercise and by taking the benefits of living in a guarded and gated community, I tried on an opportunity to reinvent, rejuvenate and repair by running around the blocks.
I never imagined I would come to love it. At first, running for 5-10 minutes was like torture, but I persisted, and each time I pushed further and further. Every session for the first three months was horrendous, but I ran seven days a week in any situation that came my way be it lashing rain, sunshine or the freezing cold.
I’m not sure when I reached the point where running became enjoyable and the passion ignited in me to run a minimum of one hour every day, without a break. I am surrounded by people who actually enjoy morning walks with a fast pace, or a slow pace – but they walk!  I feel better with them so I keep going.
Getting up early in the morning and running non-stop is not crazy. Love the pain and struggle instead of shying away from it. There is pain in running.
Trust me, after the pain comes happiness.
Running is incredibly beneficial to the body, mind and spirit and believe me, apples aren’t the only things that keep the doctor away. Get out of your comfort couch, renew gratitude for life and you will find that it doesn’t matter how far you go or at what pace. You will feel more energized, more focused and better able to enjoy all that life has to offer.

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