Written by
Updated :
Reviewed by
Good health is something that we all wish to enjoy, but seldom want to work towards it. However, the key to a healthy lifestyle lies in self-control and discipline. Essentially, you will have to break bad habits and develop healthier ones to enjoy a healthy life.
However, over the years, our sedentary lifestyle and eating patterns have made health problems like diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity very common. These problems that start off as small ailments may eventually develop into life-threatening illnesses like cancer, heart blockage, organ failures etc. As a result of this, most of us find ourselves on long-term medication and at the mercy of complex medical treatments.
However, if we develop good habits like taking a balanced diet, proper sleep along with some physical exercise daily, we can fight over such issues quite easily.
Running is one such habit that has the power to relieve us of various health issues. It helps regulate blood flow in the body and improvesthefunctioning of multiple organs.
So, let’s have a look at those common health problems that can be resolved with a regular running regime:
1. Obesity
Obesity, in which a person’s bodyhas excess fat is a pervasive problem these days. It mainly occurs when a person consumes more calories than they burn in a day. Moreover, this problem is also a cause for other serious diseases like high blood pressure, heart diseases and diabetes. The main reason behind this problemis our consumption of junk food and lack of proper physical activity.
However, running helps burn calories and thus, helps maintain a healthy weight. It is because running uses more kilojoules in the body and demands more effort from the heart, lungs and the muscles. That is why this easy to adopt exercise can be a great way to shed those extra kilos that maybe making us more prone to more critical health problems.
2. Diabetes
Diabetes, a metabolic disorder leads to high levels of sugar in the bloodstream. Excess sugar in the blood results in frequent urination, thirst and hunger, weakness and blurred vision.Ifnot treated timely, it may even damage the kidneys, nerves, eyes and other organs.
Running makes the body more sensitive to insulin by using up an excess amount of sugar that is created with the breakdown of carbohydrates. Even overall, running improves body composition, blood glucose levels, speeds up weight loss and thereby helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
3. Cardiovascular Conditions
Cardiovascular conditions include heart attack, strokes, high blood pressure or frequent chest pain. All these are a result of narrowed or blocked blood vessels which affect the heart’s valves and rhythm. All these conditions adversely affect the quality of an individual’s life.
The causes behind this would include taking an unhealthy diet, lack of physical exercise, smoking and being overweight. However, all these are correctable habits.
A good run daily makes the heart function more efficiently by demanding more blood to be pumped to various organs. Running prevents blood clots and blockages in the veins and arteries and raises levels of good cholesterol in the body. Not just this, it also moderates the stress level and helps maintain healthy body weight.
4. Gastric Issues
Gastric issues that may initially only cause you embarrassment and discomfortcan often become a cause for more critical illnesseslike cancer, ulcers, kidney and liver cancer etc.
Gastric issues refer to digestive disorders in the body that may result in heartburn, bloating, bowel diseases, gas, diarrhoea, frequent stomach pain and cramps. The cause behind all these is reduced mobility, consumption of certain foods and stress.
All these lead to slowing down of the digestive process, reflux and insufficient flow to the intestines leading to other ailments.
However, running promotes proper blood flow to the various organs in the digestive tract and ensures quick digestion. It also releases healthy enzymes in the stomach that aid in fighting an infection that may lead to disorders. Not just that, running also relieves one of stress which is commonly linked to bowel distress, ulcers and diarrhoea.
5. Low Bone Density
This refers to a situation when bones become brittle and weakand may even lead to osteoporosis if not treated. It may be a result of low calcium diet, smoking, consumption of aerated drinks, hormonal changes. The symptoms may appear in the form of back pain, easily fractured bones and stooping posture.
So, along with taking a calcium-rich diet, exercising also has a critical role to play in fighting such a problem. Especially running can help a great deal as it builds stronger bones and muscles. It also developesendurance in the body and addresses hormonal changes that often cause eroding of bones.
Insure Your Health Fully
Running is a perfect way to keep yourself away from such chronic and critical health ailments.
However still, illnesses are the casual visitors and may knock at anybody’s door uninvited. For such inopportune visitors, critical illness plan serves the perfect solution.
Critical Illness cover offers various benefits like protection against 40 such critical illnessesandwaiver of future premium. Critical illness insurancepays the benefit upon diagnosis of a covered illness, regardless of the treatment and recuperation expenses.
With a good critical illnesscover along with term insurance, you can ensure the best treatment for yourself and family, even for life threatening critical illnesses. A critical illness cover along with term insurance comes at just Rs. 762/month*
*Standard Premium for Max Life Online Term Plan Plus with critical illness benefit, for a 28 year old, healthy male for premium payment of 30 years, policy term of 30 years, excluding GST. Max Life Online Term Plan Plus. A non-participating, Non-Linked, Term Insurance Plan (UIN - 104N092V03). For details on the riders- Max Life Waiver of Premium Plus Rider (UIN104B029V02) & Max Life Comprehensive Accident Benefit Rider (UIN104B025V02) please refer to the Rider prospectus on our website.
ARN: 0507/KC-9/19
