Active lifestyle key to healthy aging

Marathoner at 80 runs his 37th marathon – from Marathon Athens – he has run even after having both hips replaced. Amazing stuff.

It’s Official: Runner’s High Is Not a Myth

A study recently released by German researchers offers proof of what many longtime runners have felt for years: Exercise alters your mood. The study suggests that running or any other intense exercise floods the brain with feel-good chemicals called endorphins, which, in turn, improves your state of mind.

 Running the right way will prevent injuries

Fitness specialists say a runner will enjoy running more and possibly avoid injury by maintaining some posture and other basics. Every person is different, and running style will reflect the individual body. But there are generalities that most runners should heed. Read more

Who says you are too old to run. Take inspiration from Dr Ashish Roy who at 80, ran his 114th Marathon in Gurgaon with us, and he only ran his 1st marathon post 50, when he retired from the Indian Air Force

 Living Smart: Bring your workout routine ‘up to speed’ with running

By Ann Sirianni
Published: Saturday, March 8, 2008

Running is one of the most effective, time-efficient and popular workouts.

It offers tremendous physical and mental health benefits, but like any exercise, creates potential risks as well.

If you are older and thinking of adding running to your exercise routine, take a few minutes to review these tips for senior runners and consider if running is right for you.

Read more

 Exercise makes you younger by 9 yrs

30 Jan 2008, 0006 hrs IST,REUTERS
LONDON: Exercise may hold the key to youth, according to a study published on Monday, which showed people who keep fit are up to nine years biologically younger than those who do not. The study of 2,401 twins found that a sedentary lifestyle raises the risk of a range of problems from heart disease to cancer and appears to play a key role in the ageing process. The researchers from King’s College London wrote in the Archives of Internal Medicine – Exercise lowers the risk of a range of problems such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer, the researchers said. “It is not just walking around the block. It is really working up a sweat,” said Tim Spector, a genetic epidemiologist who led the study, in a telephone interview. The study found people who exercised vigorously 3 hours each week were biologically 9 years younger than people who did under 15 minutes. Spector’s team, also adjusted for body weight, smoking, economic status and physical activity at work.

 Natural compound and exercise boost memory in mice May help protect against cognitive decline in aging

WASHINGTON, DC May 29, 2007 – A natural compound found in blueberries, tea, grapes, and cocoa enhances memory in mice, according to newly published research. This effect increased further when mice also exercised regularly. “This finding is an important advance because it identifies a single natural chemical with memory-enhancing effects, suggesting that it may be possible to optimize brain function by combining exercise and dietary supplementation,” says Mark Mattson, PhD, at the National Institute on Aging.

 Exercise may boost brain’s natural antidepressant

Dec 6, 2007 Exercise seems to increase the production of naturally occurring brain chemical with antidepressant effects in mice, researchers reported.

The researchers found that mice that had a week’s worth of workouts on a running wheel showed altered activity not identified before. In particular, exercise enhanced activity in the gene for a nerve growth factor known as VGF. Moreover, when the researchers infused a synthetic version of VGF into the brains of the mice, it produced a “robust antidepressant effect” in standardized tests of animals placed in stressful situations. “The major finding is that we have identified a key factor that underlies the antidepressant effects of exercise” Exercise “clearly has effects on the brain” and they are both direct and indirect.

It’s possible, he explained, that the current findings reflect a direct effect of exercise on nerve cells in the hippocampus, or more general changes in the brain, like better blood flow or increased hormonal activity.

For mailers on running news, info and our runs – email us with your name and city of residence contactus@runningandliving.com

So Get Fitter, Younger, Refreshed and Energised, to Unleash your Potential
Or to cut a long story short
Get FIRED UP!
Start running and living today!!

 Read these two amazing e mails from Gowri Shankar in Vellore

From: Gowri Shankar
Sent: Friday, June 06, 2008 9:55 PM

Dear Sir,
I’m from Vellore (Tamilnadu). I’m taking sleeping pills to sleep. I have been taking tablets for 5 years. Because of that I can’t wake up in the morning. I plan to go running every day. But I can’t wake up. This is my big problem. I’m more and more interested to run. But my sleep problem is stopping me. Last month I planned to run. But I ran only for 3 days. The 4th day, as usual I slept. What can I do? Thanks a lot for your quick reply.

And then post running:

Dear Sir,
I stopped pills before 10 days. I’m quite normal after initial struggle. Now I’m going running regularly and I’m fine. Thanks a lot

Prasun Banerjee – in his 40’s in Bangalore:
“I had a triple by-pass surgery in 2004 after being diagnosed with a 90% left main block. Now I am fit and back on my feet and guess what? I have got into running/jogging AFTER the surgery. I never tried to run before. I got into running cos I suddenly started to feel good about it. Guess after getting cleaned up, the strong blood flow got the limbs itching. In fact the doc never said anything about running..only walking. actually 4 months prior to the surgery, I had gone on a 6 hour trek up a 6000 ft peak in Coorg. Nearing the top, we had to negotiate a steep leech infested wooded area, and we were literally running uphill and hurdling over tree branches to avoid the leech’s. By God’s grace I survived without incident, considering was doing it all with a 90% block.
I have a neighbourhood walking group, who have been quite fascinated seeing me run, and sadly just unable to follow cos they sorely lack the fitness, so I am at the receiving end of their jibes. Good fun though but I’m nowhere near marathon running.”

Sandeep Goel in his 30’s in Gurgaon:
“I was a bulky 94 kgs in 2004 when my life was taking a great turn both on the personal front with a cute baby girl and the professional front with an initiative to start a Sports Sponsorships Business in the company.

I blamed my life style and decided to change. I came across the running community while managing the sponsorship of the Lipton Bangalore Marathon and started running on 25th Sept 2004. I also controlled my diet. My weight started coming down and I started feeling better.

I started with just a mile a day for 3 days in a week. As I lost weight, my capacity to run longer and faster, improved. My family, friends and colleagues started noticing the change.

Since 20th March 2007 I have been a streak runner (run continuously without a break at least a mile a day).
The results are very exciting. So far I have done more than 7000 kms (inclusive of 3000+ km in streak running). I have lost 30 kgs and most important is that I have maintained it for the last 4 yrs. I feel very healthy and mentally disciplined. Join the running community. It is never late to take up running…..”

Prabhakaran in his 50’s- Virudhnagar Tamil Nadu
“I am 54 years old. Doctors used to ask me you have any family history of diabetes. My parents are diabetic, sisters are diabetic. All grand parents had diabetic death. One maternal uncle and maternal aunt had diabetic death. Two paternal uncles died of diabeties. Last 20 years I am jogging. 400metres in 3minutes. I jog Kilometres a day. Cycling for 30 minutes to 7 kilometres. All these has kept diabetes away! We are agroup of people of different age group jog together. Lowest age is 20 and highest is 65. All of us are very very fit not even small health problem. We agree that all information given in your website is true. We are the living examples. We appreciate your interest in health”

Anand in his 30’s- Chennai
“I am 35 years old and have been severely asthmatic for the last 3 yrs. Every alternate day was spent either with a steroid injection or a nebulization. Somehow, the more intense my attacks, the more I was determined to run .I do not know why. I have never done a shred of exercise before I started having these sapping attacks . I could hardly run a distance of 300 mts without using my inhalers and puffing like a whale with bronchospasms when I started out. But now I can jog close to 5 kms at a stretch which for me is a life saver. There were times when I have gone to depths of depression because of these repeated attacks and every time it was forcing myself to run the next morning, albeit with continuous broncho dialation that actually saved my sanity. A severe enough asthma attack precludes you from doing anything –including breathing, standing,walking and talking –in addition to the panic attacks that ensue. It was Running which helped me tide over all these negative impressions in my mind by giving me something to look forward to — a tough personal target that I could reach and focus on.”

V Madhavan in his 50’s- Hyderabad
“I can vouch and say with confidence that due to the regular habit of jogging, I have not had any health related problem like common cold, headache, fever, cough over the last six years.”

Anna Chandy in her 40’s – Bangalore
“I was 83kgs severely asthmatic and repeatedly falling ill, when a friend suggested that I enroll myself in an exercise program. After a great deal of thought and several attempts at various new fad diets I enrolled in a gym and have never looked back .

For six months I exercised six days a week. I would run for a half hour followed by a combination of weights and stretches. There were days that I felt low when I would self talk myself into recommencing my workout. I realized that after each workout I felt high, invigorated and happy. That in itself became my motivator!

It has been a decade since I have maintained my weight at 58kgs . I feel energized, youthful and happy and never had an asthma attack. Running is an integral part of my daily routine that enables me to maintain a work life balance ”

I continue to exercise if not daily at least thrice a week.

If you have an amazing story to tell, write in to us contactus@runningandliving.com and send us a picture if you can

Help others to start running and living today

“Do not lower your goals to match your abilities but raise your abilities to match your goals”

“I am no athlete. My quickest 100m time in school that I remember was a superfast 16 seconds!! I have since been a jogger just like the rest of you – running 15-20 minutes, a few days a week, a few weeks a month, a few months a year. You get the drift.”

“I then ran my first marathon at the age of 41 when I was posted to Chicago, and things have never been quite the same again”

“My younger daughter who was 6 then, used to tell her friends – running a marathon is simple – First you buy a book, then a T shirt and shoes, then you tell everyone that you’re going to run, and then you run!! My 1st marathon was pretty much quite like that. Having braved my first Chicago Winter with a treadmill in the basement, I could, at the end of the few months, run 3 miles non stop (5km) without stopping, which was a tremendous achievement for me. And then in May – I told everyone I knew, that I was going to run in the October Chicago marathon”

“My times have varied from 3 hours and 40 minutes in New Orleans to 5 hours and 30 minutes in New York with a fall and cramps included.”

“Running is fun, and a really healthy way to get you going. To keep your engine well oiled and in good shape for your nineties, like Fauja Singh! I have managed a weight loss of 9kgs (20lbs) in 2 months and reduced my cholesterol level from 260 to 180 – all mainly via running and some sensible eating.”

The benefits of running go way beyond health, into building self confidence, perseverance and ultimately optimism. It is like a miracle drug with good side effects, which even gets you on a high. It’s the simplest way to break your self-imposed mental barriers and unleash your potential. These are well documented by studies across the world, over time, and with testimonials of non athletes from all over the world, including India.

“I found it incredibly difficult to get any information on running – books, websites or magazines, in India and then decided to set up a website which will always have current information, links and a link for Q&A to ensure that runners like yourself have a place they can go to for information, or for inputs and views from other runners so that you can get closer to you goal, and ultimately build a vibrant running community.”

“I then quit my corporate career of 25 years with Unilever, Nestle and Motorola to focus on promoting running and helping at least 200 million people re-experience their first run after a long time.”

Since then, we have had amazing stories of people who have experienced life changing experiences post taking up running – overcoming insomnia, managing asthma and blood sugar levels, becoming positive and optimistic, apart from feeling more toned, losing weight and more.

People ask me why only running – and I tell them it’s a very holistic thing – as I too discovered over the last 17 years. You get more aware of yourself and your lifestyle and look at your sleeping, eating and exercise habits more closely. You get to check your drinking and smoking, late nights in moderation, junk food intake is managed, you look at your strength training, flexibility, concentration, mental strength and more.

It’s akin to playing cricket where a batsman needs to have concentration and focus, mental alertness, be physically fit, flexible, with great reflexes. While fielding – be able to anticipate, sprint, dive, jump, aim and throw and more. All this while ensuring proper nutrition, hydration, sleep, rest, mental relaxation, work life balance and more

Try it. You can do it. Running is perhaps the simplest way to change your life – Forever.

Rahul S Verghese,
Chief Believer, Running and Living

For mailers on running news, info and our runs – email us with your name and city of residence contactus@runningandliving.com

So Get Fitter, Younger, Refreshed and Energised, to Unleash your Potential
Or to cut a long story short
Get FIRED UP!
Start running and living today!!