Running and Brain Function

February 29, 2012 Leave a comment

Today has been one of those days where I feel like my brain has been pulled in every direction. It’s been a super busy day at work and I’m really glad it’s over! Thankfully, I woke up bright and early to get my run in before the day started. I find that during this time, I can free up my mind from daily struggles and focus on my body. I normally let my mind wander or I read a magazine. I have never regretted one single run (except for the one I broke my foot). I feel like I am more alert and energetic – it really gets my brain ready for the day!

There have been some studies conducted on how exercise affects brain function. I love to agree with these studies as it has revealed that exercise can prevent aging of the brain. During vigorous exercise, such as running, blood is pumping oxygen and glucose rich blood into your brain. This encourages the brain to produce new and save old nerve cells that you would normally loose with age.

In older adults, exercise has been shown to increase the size of the part of the brain that learns and remembers. This part, called the hippocampus, is the same area that is affected by Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Not only can running ward of dementia but it also helps prevent depression and sharpens your skills in organization, decision-making, and multitasking.

Oofta! I think all that is info is more than my brain can take!

As you can see, running is more than just for people wanting to stay in their skinny jeans but it also improves mental health. One more reason to lace up my shoes and hit the ‘mill!

Click here if you would like to continue your reading about exercise and brain function.

Filed under Health, Running

9 Year Old Girl Dies from 3 Hour Run

February 23, 2012 1 Comment

As I was filling up my water bottle at my works water station today, I glanced at the TV that is hanging from the nearby wall. The news was broadcasting that a 9 year old child had died after a 3 hour long run. Unfortunately, I couldn’t hear what they were saying but saw the breaking news headline.  So, as soon as I got back to my desk I looked up the story.

According to TheStar.com, the child was forced to run until she was told to stop. She was being punished for lying to her Grandmother about eating candy bars. Neighbors saw the girl running but did not think anything of it because she was being chased. Because of running so long without water the girl had seizures and died of dehydration.

These people should be put away for life! It should be common sense that a little girl cannot run for hours on end. I sure know grandma, who told her to run, wouldn’t be able to do it!

This led me to thinking about little athletes out there begging their parents to follow in their footsteps and run with them.

Is this safe? Will it harm your child to let him/her run?

Obviously, from reading the article about the 9 year old girl, that it is not safe to let a child to run for 3 hours straight. There are many risks that parents need to be aware of before letting junior hit the track.

Children are still growing and don’t have fully developed bones and hormones that adults have. They can develop overuse injuries which include stress fractures and tendonitis which can lead to a chronic disability. In females, too much running can cause a delay in getting their menstrual cycle.

It’s important that they get the right amount of calories for their activity level and stay hydrated.

Just like adults, children can suffer from ‘burnout’ too. It’s crucial to keep things fun and mix up training with games and other activities. Teach children to listen to their body and stop when they don’t want to run anymore. Never use running as a punishment but rather a fun time to bond with your child.

Overall, I’m all for letting children run and be like mommy and daddy. However, it’s important to keep track of how many miles they running, watch for injuries, be sure they are enjoying themselves, and make sure they are eating enough.

I hope that one day, my little baby girl will be begging to be like mommy and daddy and want to run too! Now, I know I just can’t let her run till she is exhausted but instead make sure she is getting the right nutrition, hydration, and enjoyment that she needs to be happy and continue to grow.

Filed under Kids, Running

Pregnancy and Water Retention

February 22, 2012 Leave a comment

Recently, I have been dealing with some lower leg pain while running and I’ve pretty much done everything in my power to try to get it to go away. I’ve stretched, I’ve foam rolled, drank lots of water but nothing is helping except to keep running. Simply, my leg has been cramping up within the first 20 minutes of my run. If I keep running the pain goes away and I feel normal again.

Since I have never had this problem before, I’m thinking my issue may be that I’m pregnant. By the end of the day, my legs are quite uncomfortable from some water retention. Water retention is pretty normal for pregnant women and can become quiet extreme.  Luckly for me, it’s very minor. I couldn’t imagine having pre-eclampsia (excessive swelling) during pregnancy.

Naturally, I’ve been doing some reading on how to get rid of the bloat in my legs and was reading that exercising DOES help. It makes sense but boy does it take a lot of effort to keep moving when all you can think about is the pain in your calves.

After my reading, I learned that I should keep my legs elevated during the day, avoid tight clothes, EXERCISE, and drink lots of water.

You can also avoid retention by eating certain foods such as celery, onions, tea, and peppermint to name a few.

I thought this might be helpful information for those of you out there in the same boat as me.

As for running during pregnancy – keep tuned and I’ve got lots of good stuff to share with you on that!

Filed under Pregnancy, Running

Calories Burned Running

February 21, 2012 Leave a comment

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I would consider myself as one who can ramble on for days about exercising and health. There are so many issues that most people don’t know about but for me it’s common sense. One could ask me about my weekend and I would say, “Good!” but ask me how many calories you burn while running and I’ll break it down little by little for you.

Which leads to a great question. How many calories DO you burn while running?

I have come across so many websites that have ‘calorie calculators’ but I find most of them way off. This is not good news for someone who is trying to lose weight or even maintain their weight. Imagine thinking you burned 900 calories on a 6 miles run - so you think think you can have those extra snacks. Come to find out, those pounds keep packing on despite all your hard work on the ‘mill.

So, hold your burger and let me breakdown how many calories you actually burn while running or walking.

I have found the most accurate way to calculate the number of calories you burn running is by using a simple formula. This is consistent no matter what treadmill you run on. Cover up that calorie counter thing on the treadmill and do your own work! It’s not hard!

(Body weight in pounds) x (0.63) x (Distance in miles)

The formula above represents how many calories burned running 5mph or faster.

 (Body weight in pounds) x (0.30) x (Distance in miles)

The formula above represents how many calories you burned walking 5mph or slower.

I find these two formulas to be the most accurate if you would like a simple formula for accurate calorie expenditure. There are a few other more complex formulas that I will discuss at a later time. But for now, get out there and burn some calories!!

Filed under Calories, Running

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