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Runner’s Diary: Probiotics vs Prebiotics

 

Probiotics are also known to be the good, aka health-promoting bacteria which are mostly found in different fermented food products such as kimchi, yogurt, and kombucha among others.

Probiotics are also found in our guts which are constantly trying to balance our bacteria towards the good ones.

They do that by fighting the bad bacteria and preventing them from overpowering our system and then causing different gastronomical symptoms, infections, and inflammation, all linked to diarrhea and the famous syndrome known as Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

On the other hand, Prebiotics aren’t considered to be living organisms but instead, they are fermentable fibers that our system is unable to properly digest.

Since these fibers are almost impossible for our stomachs to digest alone, the probiotics we consume come into action and ferment them into short-chain fatty acids. These acids are the ones that then provide us with all the good benefits.

Incorporating probiotics and prebiotics into your diet

There is no doubt that both of these elements are great for your health, however, if you’re like most of us, you probably don’t know how to properly incorporate them into your daily meal plan.

You should keep in mind that when it comes to the first element, probiotics, the most natural sources are yogurt and kimchi. Experts suggest going for these options instead of supplements.

Probiotic-friendly foods

The main reason it’s because the probiotics in supplements, since they have nothing to eat and stay alive, they will eventually die and by the time you get to take the supplement, you’re practically taking zero of these good bacteria.

On the other hand, when taken directly from food sources, these bacteria are constantly feeding themselves with other nutrients a certain food contains such as carbs and sugars, and by the time you eat the products, they are strong and ready to start working on your system.

What about prebiotics?

Prebiotic-friendly foods

Just like probiotics, prebiotics should also be consumed through natural food and not through supplements.

Luckily, thanks to their high fiber content, onions, garlics, beans, and chicory roots among others, are a great source of prebiotics and you can find them almost everywhere.

Oats, legumes, and green bananas are also a great way to take these fibers.

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Pregnant runners: Why it’s super cool to run during summer

 

Almost every pregnant mom-to-be has thought at least one time whether she should go out for a run, especially when it’s burning hot.

Since pregnant women are fully aware that their physical condition is not the same anymore, and being extra cautious when it comes to what you should consume and do, is a must, running might seem like a tough, challenging, and muscle-breaking activity which translates into a big no-no for pregnant women.

In reality, things don’t need to be so black and white. According to a recent study conducted by the British Journal of Sports Medicine, running during hot summer days doesn’t necessarily translates into a bad thing, quite the opposite in fact.

Even though going out for a run during peak temperatures isn’t the best thing you can do, choosing another time during the day when temperatures tend to be lower, is always the smartest choice. Running has tons of benefits and if you love doing it, you should.

What studies have to say

Now a long time ago, an international team of researchers decided to conduct a systematic review of different studies related to pregnant women and their core temperature.

After carefully examining the data, they came up with the conclusion that pregnant women can in fact continue to exercise in a more safely manner for even up to 35 minutes a day at around 85 percent max heart rate in 75 degrees F.

In other words, the results indicate that pregnant women are free to go for a run, and for a pretty intense one as well, in a normal summer day. However, that doesn’t mean that every woman should hit the road.

It all depends on the way running makes you feel and the type of pregnancy you might be experiencing.

“There are some people who should not exercise during pregnancy. Higher-risk people: anyone with significant lung disease, or any heart disease that’s valve-related and would increase the risk of heart attack. Anyone at risk of pre-term labor,” Lia Wrenn, M.D., a gynecologist at Affiliates in Ob/Gyn in Burlington, Vermont, said during an interview for Runner’s World.

Experts suggest that if you experience any of the below-mentioned symptoms while running, you should stop exercising and call your doctor immediately:

  • Dizziness
  • Chest pain
  • Amniotic fluid leakage
  • Vaginal bleeding
  • Regular painful contractions
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3 reasons why every runner should start Yoga ASAP

 

We know, you love running and you probably don’t feel the need to add anything else to your fitness routine.

However, the thing experts have started to suggest hasn’t much to do with your love for running rather than it has to do with the way you enjoy and perform this type of physical activity.

You see, several studies have shown how beneficial yoga can be when performed alone and also, when accompanied by other activities such as swimming, running, and weight lifting among others.

Yoga acts like a balancer, a routine that can help you both mentally and physically to better handle different physical challenges. It can also bring a set of other benefits related to your posture, muscle relaxation, bones, and breathing techniques.

Let’s find out the main benefits Yoga can bring to your favorite workout routine:

 It will help you gain more stability

Everybody knows Yoga “obligates” its performers to move their body in different challenging and demanding positions while keeping themselves balanced from one point to another.

This means it can strongly increase your muscle efficiency and your stability and strength while running. For example, whenever you perform the Warrior II pose, it means you will have to bend your knees and try to keep your pelvises as stable as possible, increasing their efficiency while running as well.

It keeps you going

Yoga is a great mind-body negotiator and it certainly helps your mental health stay in shape.

Since it works on making you more focused and aware of your challenges, surroundings, and capacities, it won’t let you give up so easily but instead, a yoga-trained mind is more capable in seeking a solution to whatever life thoughts at you.

This means, in your next race, you will certainly be more mentally prepared than your competitors who don’t see Yoga as a great coach that is able to help them deal with tough situations.

You will learn to resist more while breathing properly

One of the main benefits Yoga can bring has to do with breathing techniques. People know that in a certain way, their breath works as their inner GPS that helps them better plan the next move, its pace, and the amount of effort needed to handle a certain move.

Well, when it comes to breathing, yoga can help you better control it so your body can save as much energy as it can, at least enough to send you at the finish line.

If you don’t learn how to talk to your body through breathing, it won’t be able to detect whether you’re running from someone who is trying to hurt you or just for fun.

Breathing can help your body save a lot of energy so you don’t end up exhausted whenever you’re running from “nobody”.

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Fitness Apps make NO difference to one’s health, study finds

 

Researchers have been studying different fitness-related apps for a while now and the recent discovery indicated that almost not a single app has proven to be beneficial for users’ health.

Experts suggest that almost every one of them failed miserably to deliver any type of improvement or in some cases, made the problem even worse.

The researchers from the Bond University in Queensland, after examining more than 250,000 fitness, diet, and weight loss apps available, came to a shocking conclusion.

They found out that, after choosing some of them to investigate their benefits in a more long-term way, almost none of them proved to bring any real benefit.

“However, the overall evidence of effectiveness was of very low quality, which hinders the prescribability of those apps,” the research that was published in the international journal Nature a few days ago, found.

“Our recommendations for improving the quality of evidence and reducing research waste and potential harm in this nascent field includes encouraging app effectiveness testing prior to release, designing less biased trials, and conducting better reviews.”

According to the lead author of this study, Dr Oyuka Byambasuren, any app that strongly claims that it can improve one’s help, should automatically bring enough evidence to back the claim up.

There have been also several time so far that different US-based app developers have been fined for large sums of money for making false claims about their app’s health benefits.

“The evidence for many apps is low but I still believe apps have potential to change health-related behaviours and help people with chronic conditions,” Byambasuren added.

“But evidence is a must. And the truth is it’s just really hard to change human behaviour and health-related behaviours. No matter how many apps you download, they only work if you change your behaviour.”

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A “Joggling” Record! Boston man sets a record for running while Juggling

 

Boston, May 2018: A Massachusetts college student has just set a new record in the running world and we bet it has never been in your bucket list before.

The Boston-based student has decided to run one of the fastest miles by setting a record while juggling, aka “Joggling”.

The man whose name is Zach Prescott, a business student on Boston University, was able to run for 4 minutes, 43.2 seconds on Tuesday this week while juggling not two, but three lacrosse balls!

In an interview minutes after the achieving the milestone, Prescott told The Boston Globe that it is all about rhythms and focus. “Once you get used to the speed I’m running, you’re pretty much just juggling in place,” he told the journalist.

Even though the record still needs to be verified, the Boston-based student’s time would beat the old world record by 0.6 seconds.

Currently speaking, there is a Guinness World Records spokeswoman who is evaluating the case.

He said that the organization is fully aware of Prescott’s feat and that they are currently deciding whether he beat the old record which was set in 1986 or not.

This process can take weeks if not months before the organization can reach to a conclusion.

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Here’s what running can do to your health backed by science itself

 

 

We’re sure you have heard at least once in your life how running is a true medicine. Well, it’s not just a simple expression, it the reality!  There already exists tons of scientific evidence that back this expression and also can convince us how important and life-changing running can be.

Some of the most evident benefits one can get from running include prevention type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, lower high blood pressure, prevention of several types of cancers and stroke among others.

Another area running has proven to be quite beneficial has to do with your mental health. This cardio activity helps regulate our overall mood and makes us happier.

Running has the potential to make us fit

Well, the first benefit is quite obvious right? People all over the world use running as a great, effective tool to shed some extra pounds and get back in shape.

Running has the potential to make us burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time due to its intense rhythm and overall body movements.

Several studies have also indicated that running boosts the “afterburn” effect, which indicates the calories burned after the workout is done.

Running can make us feel happier

There is nothing that can discuss the fact that any type of exercise, especially the ones similar to running, no matter your current mood, has the potential to put you in a better mental place with the help of the “runner’s high” effect.

This effect indicates the rush of happy hormones in our body.

Many studies have shown how even 30 minutes of slow-intense running can improve one’s mood even when the individual might be suffering from clinical depression.

Running reduces the risk of life-threatening diseases

We’re not claiming that running has the potential to cure cancer or similar diseases, but we’re completely convinced that it helps prevent them! And this is not just our honest opinion here. Science has been proving this as a true fact for a long time now.

The truth is, according to a study by Journal of Nutrition, proved that exercise, especially running, is directly associated with a reduced risk of many types of cancers.

Also, experts claim that running can significantly help people who are already suffering from cancer as well. This activity can help one better cope with chemotherapy and feel happier while undergoing the necessary treatments.

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17,000 runners conquered Belfast’s city streets with a Common Cause

 

 

Yesterday, May 7, nearly 17,000 runners and athletes conquered Belfast’s city streets to complete the annual marathon map and also, raise money for different charity causes in the area.

Yesterday’s event marked the 37th annual race which features both men’s and women’s races.

This season, the one to dominate both of the race segments were Kenyans with Eric Koech, who won the men’s race, and Caroline Kepchirchir who took the women’s one.

Second place went to Kilkeel’s Laura Graham, who won last year’s women’s race.

 

This year, there were more than 300 members of Co Tyrone GAA clubs: Clonoe O’Rahilly and Pomeroy Plunketts, who had decided to become part of the major, challenging event.

Everyone can recall the tragedy the Plunketts suffered last year when two of their players lost their lives.  Christopher Colhoun, who passed away after being diagnosed with severe flu, and Colin McCreesh.

Colhoun’s wife Lisa was running the other day in memory of her husband and all the raised money are expected to go at St Patrick’s Primary School where her husband had been working for many years.

On the other hand, Castlecaulfield runner Spiderman (Chris Morrow), decided to team up with four other superheroes in memory of his little cousin Jayden Morrow who passed away in August 2017 from cancer.

“We are raising money for Angel Wishes. They supported Jayden for a year and did everything for him. The target was £2,000 but I have raised £2,000 myself. I ran the marathon two years ago for him as well but this year is the hardest as he is no longer with us,” Chris Morrow said.

“His mum and dad will be at the finishing line in Ormeau Park with his brother and we have had a banner made for them to hold. It will be an emotional finish,” Morrow added.

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Global Running Day: Auckland, the first location to start the series

The International Association of Athletics Federations has just announced the “Run 24:1”. The said event is a brand new series of one-mile long runs that will take place in 24 cities all around the world with the main intention to celebrate the Global Running Day.

The first inaugural run will kick off in Auckland on June 6 at 5am. Right after that, the celebration will head to Sydney, followed by Tokyo and then move to Minsk, Europe and in Addis Ababa in Africa.

The global event is expected to unite thousands of runners into one big, running event which also aims to spread awareness and make more people get involve in the sport.

 

The IAAF is partnering with several city governments, event organizers and sport ministries all around the world in order for the international running initiative to go as smoothly as possible.

The races are divided across 15 different time zones and each one of them is set to start at the exact local time in order to create the perfect, simultaneous International running celebration.

“Running is accessible to everyone, it is fun, it is competitive. It can be social, it can be solitary. It is testing, it is personal but most of all it builds strength, stamina, fitness and health. It is the mother of all sports,” IAAF President Sebastian Coe, said.

“On Wednesday 6th of June, we want as many people as possible to celebrate Global Running Day the biggest annual celebration of running.”