Seven Psychological Benefits Of Running

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Running has been recommended by many doctors and therapists to people who are in the quest to improving their mental health. This is because running, like other exercises, unquestionably takes care of the mental health as efficiently as it does to one’s physical well-being.

There are many psychological benefits of running, but here are the seven most cited:

running

1. Reduces stress and anxiety

Runners are known to be less stressed and are more able to deal with their daily stressors effectively. This is attributed to the fact that running refreshes their thoughts, keeps their minds off worries, and gives them ample and non-distracted time to think, reflect, and concentrate. In addition, according to some reports, running is more efficient in addressing anxieties better than medications.

2. Enhances mood

When running, the body produces a substance called endorphin (endogenous morphine) that creates a different sense of euphoria. This state of euphoria is called runner’s high basically because after running, individuals are in a good mood, are happier, and indescribably feel better. Runner’s high is also believed to be responsible for the runners’ seeming “addiction” to running: Because they are always intensely post-euphoric, runners keep running every chance they get.

3. Improves confidence

The sense of achievement after finishing a run or completing a target distance boosts the runners’ confidence. This is especially true of people who are naturally competitive they regularly sign up for marathons and other running events. Improved confidence also comes to people who have noticeably lost weight and achieved more toned and firmer muscles through running.

4. Fights addiction

Running is conceived to be a natural tranquilizer, which is why therapists recommend it to those who are battling with their addiction. Many successful stories have been documented, saying that recovering patients use the time they would otherwise spend to satisfy their addiction in running. Through running, patients also become mentally stronger to resist the urge of alcohol, drugs, or anything they feel addicted to.

5. Develops mental alertness and focus

Because running keeps the mind on the “now,” the mind is trained to focus and concentrate. Running also relieves mental fatigue, sharpens memory, and improves overall mental stamina. Runners, in effect, are found to have better problem-solving skills and are more mentally alert than before.

6. Relieves depression

Running is found successful in treating clinical depression. The act of running, according to therapists, serves as a psychotherapy, which gives the patients their own space to heal and connect with their selves better. They also say it is a good distraction from all depressing things. Other than depression, physicians also find running an effective therapy for people with other types of psychological disorders.

7. Enhances coordination

The coordination of mind and body is improved with regular running. Whether running on a flat, paved surface or on an uneven trail, the mind is trained to harmoniously work with the body to prevent stumbling and tripping over. Like the other psychological benefits of running, better mind-body coordination is important in daily activities.

 

Whey Protein Facts

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Aside from casein, what is another primary ingredient found in a product extracted from a cow? It is none other than whey protein which can also be obtained from plenty of processed items fresh from the farm. For example a cheese, from the time of manufacture, the liquid portion is divided from the curd. Afterwhich, purification follows in order to come up with a wide variety of concentrations beneficial for other food merchandise.

In the composition of milk, whey protein facts would say that there is only twenty percent present while the rest of the eighty percent belongs to casein. However, the figure is not all true with the rest that are available in the market. There are variations based on the factors such as source, method, type and distributor.

whey protein

Source would speak about where exactly did the processed items fresh from the farm originated.
Method would talk about what was the particular technique applied in production.
Type would speak about what is the certain classification of the food merchandise.
Distributor would talk about who is responsible of the specifications being set.

Upon studying whey protein facts, you will be able to learn about isolate and concentrate. Whey protein isolate is more expensive that has a percentage of 90 to 95 of building blocks. Whey protein concentrate is less costly that has a percentage of 25 to 89 of natural nutrients. There is actually not much difference between isolate and concentrate however, like other things, there will always be a demarcation line that will set each other apart.

Whey protein facts also suggest that the manner of hydrolysis smashes down the building blocks into little pieces known as peptides. This kind of building block does not give any hassle in digestion and will even help in reducing the reaction to allergies. The quality of this natural nutrient has been constantly high which is among the reasons why there is a mixture in the formulations specially created for athletes and infants.

Whey protein facts also indicate that there should be sufficient amount of intake in a daily basis. People that are required to have more medical attention have to initially consult their physicians for a personalized program. Remember that when you consume rich amounts of this building block, it is a must for you to drink a minimum of six to eight glasses of water each day so you would not be dehydrated.

What are the Causes and Symptoms of Celiac Disease?

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Celiac disease has a few other names such as gluten sensitive entropathy and celiac prue. All these are scary names but the disease is not life threatening. It is an autoimmune disorder that causes damage to the small intestines lining.

While this may not seem like a big thing, it does cause many other health problems that are far worse than Celiac disease.

celiac disease

Gluten is just a protein found in wheat and is actually what causes bread dough to rise. Gluten can be found in most commercial foods these days due to the extensive use of wheat based oils and additives.

A person who is extremely sensitive or intolerant of gluten is said to have Celiac disease. There is no known cause or cure. Some people are just more sensitive to gluten.

When these people consume gluten, the villi (hair-like structures in the intestinal lining) get damaged and as a result, the small intestines are unable to absorb nutrients from the food consumed. That is why celiac disease suffers can appear malnourished despite eating a lot.

The symptoms vary from person to person. This is what makes gluten intolerance so difficult to diagnose. Diarrhea, constipation, bloating, excessive flatulence, irritability, migraines, rashes, iron deficiency, unexplainable weight loss, inflammation, seizures, PMS and PCOS, etc. are just some of the health problems that affect people suffering from celiac disease.

People with this disease are also more prone to osteoporosis due to the lack of calcium absorption. Women are also more prone to infertility and if they do get pregnant, the chances of a miscarriage are higher than that of a normal woman who is not suffering from celiac disease.

All in all, it is not a pretty picture. The best way to combat the ill-effects of celiac disease will be to avoid gluten completely. You will need to examine your diet and food preparation with fastidious care. This will be very challenging and to a certain extent, time-consuming. Yet, there is really no choice.

A doctor will be the best person to diagnose celiac disease. He or she will conduct a physical exam on you, check your health history and probably do a blood test to measure the level of antibodies in your system.

In some cases, you doctor may do a biopsy on you where an endoscope is inserted into your mouth all the way down to your small intestine to check if there is any damage to the villi. The procedure is done while you’re sedated. Don’t panic yet.

Now that you know that there is no cause and the symptoms vary with the individual, you probably know that you have no control over the cause or symptoms.
So, what do you have control over?

Your diet. That’s what.

You know what is the best part? If you control your diet, you have control over the entire problem. You’re sensitive to gluten? Then make it your goal to avoid gluten like the plague. It is anathema to you.

Educate yourself on gluten and all that you will need to know about it. Make the necessary changes to your diet and lifestyle. Once you make the changes, stick with them. You will need to avoid gluten for the rest of your life. So, you will have to get used to it.

Once you can do this, any problems associated with celiac disease will slowly diminish. In some cases, the damage may take years to rectify. In some cases, they may never be rectified. Whatever the case, if you have celiac disease, you need to go gluten-free and you need to have started yesterday.

All is not lost. Start today.