Running, on the road to health 【Patriotic Health Month】

April is the 34th Patriotic Health Month, and this year's theme is "Civilized, Healthy, Green environmental protection".

I like to run and enjoy the happy mood of running. Enjoy running and fall in love with the blissful feeling of running. You who love to run, run right, in order to run out of health, run out of happiness.

Nowadays, more and more people like to use running to relieve stress and release vitality. Running has become a very popular form of leisure exercise. It is not only a sport, but also a way for modern people to show their individuality and exert their vitality.

It is really a pleasant thing to take a relaxed step, breathe fresh air, and feel the beautiful life brought about by the development of the new era.

01

Running has great health benefits

Running has many benefits and can improve people's overall health.

Running can prevent disease. Running for at least 10 minutes a day can significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. For women, running helps reduce the risk of breast cancer and stroke. Running can also improve joint and back health. A study of 675 runners found that their incidence of arthritis was lower than in other populations, and that the longer they ran with age, the lower the likelihood of back health problems.

Running is an aerobic exercise that increases the heart rate and sweats in the body, and these changes can increase the size of the hippocampus, the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning. If you notice a tendency for memory loss, get up and running!

Running can not only improve memory, but also help the brain become more active and reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease!

Running is also very helpful for staying in shape as well as losing weight. Running for half an hour can burn 300 to 700 calories, depending on your body shape and speed.

In addition, running can also relieve stress, improve sleep quality, and enhance self-confidence.

02

Safe running, a few suggestions

Healthy running, the focus is not how fast to run, or how far to run, but to see if you take running as a habit, make a reasonable running plan, master the correct running posture, choose a pair of comfortable running shoes, and run scientifically and moderately, in order to harvest more health and happiness.

Here are some suggestions for healthy and safe running, which runners should keep in mind.

First, according to the physical condition, make a running plan suitable for yourself, choose a running route, running method, and determine the running distance.

Second, do a good job of warming up before running, avoid eating 1 hour before running, and pay attention to replenishing water during running.

Third, when running outdoors, it is best to carry communication equipment such as mobile phones with you, choose a route with sufficient light and relatively many people, and avoid dangerous and remote areas.

Fourth, when using headphones, turn down the volume and be vigilant about your surroundings.

Fifth, if you run in the early morning or at night, it is best to wear reflective safety equipment, such as headlights, leg straps, arm straps, safety lights, and flashing hats.

Sixth, before running, tell your family where to run and how long to come back. If injured during running, stop immediately and consider seeking medical attention depending on the extent of the injury.

03

In hot weather, run to pay attention to what

Spring and Jingming are good times for running. On the upcoming hot summer day, a refreshing run is not a bad idea, but running in a hot environment is at risk of dehydration, heat stroke and other heat-related diseases, so it's important to keep these precautions in mind.

First, try to choose a suitable running route, running time should be before 10 am and after 4 pm.

Second, wearing light-colored loose clothing can help the body breathe and cool down naturally. Synthetic fiber fabrics (such as polyester fibers) are recommended for materials, as they will suck away moisture from the skin, resulting in a cooling evaporative heat absorption effect. Cotton clothing will soon become damp and thick after absorbing sweat, so that heat accumulates on the body, so try to avoid it.

Third, apply sunscreen with a sunscreen index (SPF) of 15 or more before running, and wear a sun hat, sunglasses, etc. to protect the body from ultraviolet rays.

Fourth, be sure to keep your body well hydrated. Get enough hydration before, during, and after exercise. When running for longer periods, some sports drinks should be considered to replenish lost salt and other minerals.

Fifth, if you feel dizzy, muscle spasms, stop sweating, or when your skin is cold and wet, it is recommended to slow down or stop and stay in the shade to do proper rest.

04

Cold weather, what to pay attention to when running

Running is a sport that requires long-term persistence, and although everyone hopes that running is suitable for running all year round, the truth is not satisfactory. So, how can you run healthier and safer running in cold weather?

Regarding running gear, it is recommended to use a three-layer structure for clothing. The first layer is in direct contact with the skin, so to make sure that the sweat evaporates, choose a moisture-absorbing material such as polyester fiber. The middle layer can be selected as cotton and wool clothing to absorb sweat transferred from the bottom layer while preventing heat loss. The third layer should be made of windproof and waterproof materials.

In general, don't wear too much clothing. A good experience is to choose to wear at a temperature that is 10 to 20 degrees Celsius higher than the actual temperature.

In addition, it is also necessary to wear a hat and gloves to help prevent heat loss.

Before starting the run, choose to warm up indoors as much as possible, such as moving lunges, lifting the knee, opening and closing jumps, etc., to reduce the risk of subsequent sports injuries.

Don't spend too much time outdoors after running in winter. Before doing any static stretching, go back indoors, take off your damp clothes, and take a hot shower as soon as possible. Warm water will promote blood flow, help you warm up faster, and reduce muscle tension or soreness.

As Spanish marathon runner Killian Hornnett mentions in his book "Running out of the Top", "Everyone has their own unique rhythm, some people are suitable for big strides, some people like to run in broken steps; some people look up and hold their chests, and some people sprint with their heads down." For everyone, there is no such thing as a perfect method, only the best way that suits them".

Running is easy and simple. All you need is a pair of shoes, a path, a courage to step out and a healthy knowledge to remember. After that, you can relax, embrace nature, and enjoy a journey to health with enthusiasm and concentration.

Author: Yang Wenjing, Institute of Environmental and Health-related Product Safety, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Review: Expert of the National Health Science Popularization Expert Database

Cheng Yibin, researcher at the Institute of Environmental and Health-related Product Safety of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Curator: Tan Jia

Editor: Liu Yang