Disease,Therapy And Health Care

Running shoes with thickly cushioned heels have only been in use since the mid-1960s Humans have been running barefoot or in thin-soled shoes for thousands of years In reality, new studies are now showing that the “support” and “cushioning” that contemporary running shoes provide actually causes our stride to change in ways that can make us more prone to injury, rather than less.

The truth is that many of the injuries and pains that you may be experiencing as a runner could be eased or eliminated by making the switch to a more minimalist running footwear. Some of the benefits of switching to a minimalist running shoes are:

Correct your stride – When wearing traditional shoes, most runners strike the ground with the heels and then push off the toes. This sends the shock of impact up the legs and into the shins, knees, hips, and back. In contrast, runners wearing light or no shoes usually hit the ground with the outside part of the balls of the feet, or their mid-foot, and then roll their foot inwards. This action not only reduces the suddenness of the impact, but shifts the force to the arch of your foot, which acts as a natural shock absorber. This is how humans have run for thousands of years and this how our feet were meant to work.

Pain-free running – With the shock of impact now being absorbed by the arch of your foot, your ankles, knees, and hips are now freed from the stress they were under. Unlike feet, these bones and joints were not designed for repeated impact, as anyone with an artificial knee can confirm. With the removal of this unnatural stressors and a more natural impact distribution, it won’t be long until your legs and back are thanking you.

Improved balance – As you can imagine, the switch in stride causes some pretty significant changes to your feet Small muscles that are usually left idle while bundled up in running shoes are now activated. The change also awakes muscles in your ankles, legs, and hips that are responsible for better balance and coordination. As these muscles strengthen, you’ll find that your body is better able to adapt to differences in surface and help you keep your balance.

Reduced risk of varicose veins. The newly-strengthened muscles in your feet will also help your blood to flow more efficiently up your legs.

No more blackened, deformed toes. When running with a heel-first stride, it’s hard to avoid the impact of your toes in your shoes as your feet slide from front to back. But, with a more natural stride, your poor toes will no longer be pummeled.

Reduced risk of injuries With barefoot/minimalist shoes, your feet are no longer artificially protected and will let you know sooner if something is going wrong.

Be connected with the ground. Many barefoot and minimalist runners cite this as their favorite aspect of running. With barefoot running shoes, you become more aware of the surface beneath your feet and can react to it. Each stride allows you to connect and respond to your environment. Yes, this reason is a bit more ethereal, but for the spiritually-minded runner, this experience can be the icing on the cake.

Just how much water does a human being need a day? The best rule, I have found so far, is eight, eight ounce glasses. It is easy to remember. But there are so many other variables. And, I have a friend, who recently told me that we are supposed to drink 100 ounces a day. I don’t know about you, but I can’t afford to spend that much time in the bathroom! I am in there enough as it is with 64 ounces.

So, what are these other variables? They include but are not limited to: whether you are male or female, dieting or not, how much one exercises and where one lives.

Males, as with calories in general, tend to need more water than females. Finally something I am not jealous of. Usually they get more calories a day when dieting too. That I am jealous of.

There are all sorts of debates on whether or not a caffeinated beverage is acceptable as one’s daily water intake. Again, the Mayo Clinic states that all drinks are liquids, and count towards daily intake. However, some should be moderately used, such as caffeinated and alcoholic drinks. And, really, alcohol dehydrates. However, in speaking with a medical professional today, if you drink caffeinated beverages regularly, then your body is used to them and they are not going to dehydrate you as much as one who never or rarely drinks caffeine. My best advice, if you are dieting, stick to water (it does help to fill you up, and turn off the, “I must eat now,” part of your brain), and non-caffeinated drinks, oh yeah, and avoid alcohol. Bummer.

Moderate and heavy exercise that produce sweat, deplete the body of liquids, and therefore, one should drink more as they exercise; but, don’t think you are done drinking fluids just because you are done exercising! Keep it coming. Good to drink water before you exercise as well. Also, if you live, or find yourself in a hot, humid and/or dry climate that adds to more sweating, drink more liquids. Indoor heating units can also cause liquid loss-so, in the winter, beverage intake is just as important! The Mayo clinic also advises drinking more liquids in areas that have elevations over 8200 feet. High altitudes can cause rapid breathing and frequent urination. Depleted resources must be replenished and maintained. Keep it coming.

If you are sick, drink, drink, drink fluids, keep it coming. For so many reasons: Replenishing spent liquids and flushing out viruses to name two very important reasons.

Water is generally the wisest choice for fluid intake, but milk and juice are composed mostly of water and can contribute to daily intake. Also, fruits and vegetables can add up to about 20% of your daily liquid intake. 20%! Keep it coming. Another reason to eat those fruits and veggies.

It’s funny… any time the subject of physical fitness comes up, what comes to mind is the multitude of programs that can be bought from an even greater multitude of companies that make the claim that a person can attain peak fitness in “X” number of days, weeks, or months. Does anyone else think that this is a little far-fetched?

What I’ve come to realize in the 30-some-odd years that I’ve been striving to find that “magic formula” and become the perfect physical specimen of the virile man–just kidding (sort of), one thing has become abundantly clear. There is no “magic” anything when it comes to being fit and healthy.

Here is the underlying truth as I see it. Fitness, health and general wellness all take a lifetime of effort and dedication. Now, I know, especially to the internet generation of today that statement is going to ruffle some feathers. I apologize for that and I apologize, in advance, for the rest of this article… the remainder of the things that I have to say probably won’t be any easier to swallow. But, if you stick with me through the rest of what I have to say and really think about it, you will realize that everything that I say here is nothing more than an average guy telling it like it is.

Many things go into being a healthy person… and let me clear this up right now… “healthy” does not necessarily equate to lean, trim or muscular. Granted, that physical appearance is definitely an outward expression of a person who is healthy but, isn’t a prerequisite for a state of well-being. A healthy person can take on most any form. The exception to that statement is that: 1) Obesity is not healthy… in fact being over your optimum weight (and that differs for everybody!) taxes every system in your body; 2) On the opposite end of the spectrum… being emaciated… as my dad used to say “looking like a worm with the $#!* slung out of it”… is just as bad. This means that your body is not getting the nutrients that it needs to thrive and perform at its maximum potential. So, the bottom line is that everyone has a perfect weight for them and that, most times, is not what the media tells us it is.

Now that that is out of the way, let’s talk about the number-one ingredient that must be present in order to live a healthy lifestyle and, if it is your desire, to have the body of a Greek god or goddess… MINDSET! So often, the programs that we see in advertisements ultimately forget or omit this crucial element. One of my favorite sayings of all time is… “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, either way you are right”-Henry Ford. You must have a steely determination that you can and will be healthy and much of that begins with finding a reason to be so. These reasons have as wide a range as the people who create them but, they are all correct if they produce the desired result.

I have a great deal more to say on this subject but, in the interest of making this article something that people will read, I will save that for another time. I will get deeper into each subject that I touched on in later article submissions. Until then, here’s to your health.