Jog Your Way to a Healthy Heart

Running or jogging is one of the best and oldest forms of exercise the human body is used to. Not only does it increase your metabolism it provides you much-needed strength and stamina required to do your day to day work. Millions of people jog every day, however, a lot of them do it intermittently as and when time permits. Organising for yourself a regular jogging schedule will do you and your heart a whole world of good.

There are studies that have been conducted and have shown unequivocally that regular jogging or running can cut your risk of heart disease by up to 50 percent. With time it strengthens your cardiovascular system and improves your circulation helping your lungs and hearts function more efficiently. The British Heart Foundation speculates that about 10,000 deaths from heart attacks can be avoided if people take to running or jogging or any other aerobic exercises regularly.

While running can be a high impact activity it also works towards strengthening your muscles and joints and helps them stay fitter and stronger. It is probably one of the most effective bone strengthening exercises around. Running also makes your lungs work harder than usual. A running individual on an average uses ten times more oxygen than when they are immobile, this is only good news for the body as it boosts the circulation and gives your body the oxygen it needs. With gradual increments, jogging can help you improve your cardiovascular health and make your heart and lungs work at optimum levels helping you do more with less effort.

On an average running or jogging can burn up to 4.2 calories for every pound of your weight in one hour. That is more than swimming or cycling, with time you can increase your high-intensity bursts of running which help greatly in burning excess fat. An hour of running costs you about a liter of fluids through sweat and muscles generate about 20 times more heat than when inactive. Keeping yourself hydrated is a crucial thing during running, but drinking too much water can also prove harmful.

The body’s metabolic rate is greatly affected by running. Sports physiologists have observed that running not only increases the body’s metabolic rate during the run but also for many hours after it. This means that even if you run for a measly twenty minutes you could be burning more than your usual amount of calories for a few hours after that. As you run more the benefits become greater, incorporating fast sprints can help you burn through more fat in a shorter span of time and is incredibly healthy for the heart.

However, if you are planning on taking up jogging regularly consult a doctor first. Find out the condition of your heart and take into consideration their advice on how much you should strain yourself. A warm-up is an absolute necessity before you start jogging or strained hamstrings and sore muscles are a guarantee. Carry with yourself some fluids to help you replenish those lost during the run. Get yourself a trainer who can explain and teach you warm-up exercises and strength building exercises you can incorporate along with your run. Keeping your heart healthy is a matter of choice, and exercise or a regular workout is a big part of that choice. So dally no more and start jogging towards a healthier heart today.