Yep, that'd be right...no diff between the benefits of chocolate and running. Gee, hmmm...which one to choose to do...really, eating chocolate saves your life.
- Running for Health Benefits
Studies have shown the health benefits of running to be tremendous,
reducing your chances of everything from the common cold to cancer.
Running is among the best aerobic exercises for physical conditioning of
your heart and lungs. It helps ensure the efficient flow of blood and
oxygen throughout the body, things that are proven to help to decrease the
risk of a heart attack.
Running -- like
other types of exercise -- is a great stress-reliever and may even relieve mild
depression. Many runners enjoy reaching the "runner's high" -- that
euphoric, clear, and calm state they feel after a long run.
Research shows
that healthy adults who exercise regularly are generally happier than those who
don't. As a runner, you'll likely feel more energetic and creative.
Running helps you
improve your fitness and stamina. As a weight-bearing exercise, running also
increases bone density, which can fend off osteoporosis.
Ten benefits of chocolate…
High in Antioxidants
Cocoa contains
flavanols, a type of flavanoid that is only found in cocoa and chocolate. Flavanoids
are naturally-occurring compounds that occur in plant foods that act as
antioxidants and help counteract free radicals in the body.
Blood Pressure
Benefits
Dark chocolate has been shown in studies to lower blood pressure in people with
elevated blood pressure.
Lower LDL
Cholesterol
Eating dark chocolate on a regular basis has been shown to reduce LDL
cholesterol by as much as 10 percent.
Natural
Anti-Depressant
Chocolate contains serotonin, a natural anti-depressant. Chocolate also
stimulates endorphin production, which creates feelings of happiness and
pleasure. In fact, one study found that melting chocolate in the mouth produced
feelings of pleasure longer than passionate kissing. This may explain why many
people naturally reach for chocolate when they're depressed.
Cancer Fighter
Several studies have found chocolate to be one of the best cancer-fighting
foods along with foods like red wine, blueberries, garlic, and tea. Two ways
that chocolate works as a cancer fighter is by inhibiting cell division and
reducing inflammation, though research is ongoing and will probably find
additional ways in which chocolate fights cancer.
Prevents Tooth Decay
Research has found that the theobromine in chocolate prevents tooth decay by
eliminating streptococcus mutans, a bacteria found in the oral cavity
that contributes to tooth decay.
Longer Life and Less
Disease
One Dutch study followed 200 men over 20 years and found that those who
consumed large amounts of chocolate, both milk chocolate and dark, lived longer
and had lower overall disease rates than men who ate little or no chocolate.
High in Magnesium Cacao
is higher in magnesium than any other plant. Magnesium is an important mineral
that helps in the regulation of the digestive, neurological, and cardiovascular
systems
Artery Cleanup
Studies have shown that the antioxidants in cacao work like brooms in sweeping
plaque out of the arteries.
Brain Health
Many studies have shown that dark chocolate is good for the brain. Researchers
at Johns Hopkins University
found that it can protect the brain after a stroke by shielding the nerve cells
from further damage. Dark chocolate has also been found to improve memory.
Researchers at California's
Salk Institute found that a chemical in chocolate called epicatechin improved
the memory of mice.
longer life with
less disease than your non-chocolate-eating peers.
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