Are you feeling stressed out, depressed or anxious? Rather than reach for an alcoholic beverage or a piece of cake to alleviate your symptoms, you might want to put on your running shoes. The Huffington Post recently issued a piece on the effects of exercise on your body, and the impact of exercise is simply extraordinary. Let’s take a look at some of the ways exercise can help your body.

You’ll build muscles: Everyone who has worked out hard has experienced the soreness the day after. This is a good thing. This means your muscles are healing as tiny tears have formed in these muscles. This healing process enables your muscles to strengthen and grow bigger. In addition to this, the greater the amount of muscle, the higher your metabolism will need to be to sustain them which means weight loss.

You’ll strengthen your lungs: When you exercise, your lungs are certainly getting a workout as well. Your body needs oxygen, and your lungs will need to work hard to provide it, working up to fifteen times harder than when at rest.

Your brain will provide good feelings: We’ve all heard of the runner’s high that euphoric feeling runners get after logging a few miles. Well that’s from the neurotransmitters released by the brain after exercise. However, the benefits of exercise on the brain extend well past that. Those who are anxious or depressed might benefit from as little as a half hour of exercise a day. Also, increased blood flow causes your brain to turn genes on or off, which could boost cell activity. Increased cell activity can protect your body against a host of cancers, cognitive diseases and stroke.

Your heart will be better able to handle stress: Your heart also has to work extra hard during exercise to increase blood flow to the brain and other organs. In order to do this, it must beat faster. Overtime, your heart will get used to stress and be better able to adapt to it. On top of that, your body will create new blood vessels as a response to increased blood flow and your blood pressure may lower.

Now if all of this sounds great, the one question that comes to mind is what you should do to get started? Here are some things to keep in mind:

• Consult your doctor first to make sure you can handle a workout regimen.
• Buy the right gear. You can’t run with the same shoes you go to work or the store with. Running shoes provide the support necessary to handle the pounding your feet will surely get. A heart monitor, sweat band, water bottle and clothing designed to keep you cool are also good buys.
• Feed your body correctly. Your body will only be able to function as well as you feed it. Leafy greens, fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and whole grains are a must. Supplements can be beneficial, but that depends on where or what you buy. If you’re looking for vitamins and minerals to help you get through your workout, you can find great endurance supplements here.

There’s no doubt that your body will thank you if you start a workout regimen. You’ll feel better and you just might live a little longer too. We’ll see you out on the track!

Featured images:

• Image credit Cheap photos

Jim is a running enthusiast who has found a new lease on life through exercise and diet. He hopes his tips can help others feel as well as he now does.