Many runners and joggers don’t know it, but there is danger in running and jogging, especially when performed daily.
These Western exercises serve to compensate for the sedentary lifestyles of many Americans who spend 6-8 hours a day sitting at a desk job.
Joint Pain and Cartilage Damage
Many runners and joggers experience foot, ankle, knee, and leg injuries-and understandably so.
Some longtime runners and/or joggers develop a condition known as chondromalacia, medically defined as a softening of the cartilage. It develops in response to the softening of the cartilage under the kneecaps (patella) that result in small areas of breakdown and pain around the knee.
Running and jogging over long periods of time, and especially on cement or asphalt, destroys cartilage in the joints. It’s the reason why many runners and joggers later suffer from stiffness in their knees. The stiffness is also attributed to a buildup of lactic acid in the muscles. Lactic acid makes you stiff, not the workout itself.
Tendonitis
Tendonitis (inflammation of the tendons) may also develop from long periods of running and jogging.
The inflammation in tendonitis results from acidic mucus buildup in the tendons. The mucus develops to protect the damage done in the tendons, but the problem with the mucus stems from people continuing to do the activity that produces more mucus. So much mucus is produced that the mucus itself becomes a problem. It also triggers inflammation.
Mucus is generated by an acid-based diet. An acid-based diet is one that consists mainly of meat products, dairy products, refined grain products, processed and refined so-called foods or foodstuffs, and low pH acidic effervescent beverages such as soda pop and diet soda pop that contain deleterious phosphoric acid which eats away at the bones and robs the body of calcium.
Other Health Issues from Running and Jogging
Some people believe that when women jog on cement or asphalt without shock absorbers in their shoes, they can injure their uterus. With every step of a run or jog, a physical shock is being sent from the feet’s metatarsal bones all the way to the uterus.
Running and jogging will undoubtedly cause loss of calcium. Many commercial health food stores such as GNC, Great Earth, Vitamin Shoppe, et al make a fortune selling synthetic grades of calcium to athletes. For calcium or any other mineral to work in your body, it must be organic, must be able to be digested by the body fully, and must be able to be absorbed and assimilated.
Nature produces two types of calcium and you must know which type the human body requires for optimal health and wellbeing. The kind of calcium humans require is called calcium phosphate, aka organic calcium.
However, some commercial health stores and supermarkets sell inorganic calcium that is indigestible and harms health and wellbeing. Most of this type of calcium is urinated right out of the body and residues remain lodged in the body trapped in the tissues of the body and also play a role in the formation of calcium deposits in the body.
Your calcium must be organic or plant-based, i.e. comfrey root and leaf, oatstraw, horsetail, and nettle. Calcium is denoted by the color green and not white. Many of the biggest brands of calcium are synthetic and have no nutritional value.
Commercial health food stores also sell chondroitin and glucosamine for bone, tendon, and ligament problems. This is a waste of money. Chondroitin is made from a cow’s trachea and glucosamine is derived from chicken bones. You may be able to find non-animal sources of these products, but they are very rare.
Runners and joggers can also harm their adrenal glands. We are designed to run to save our lives, as in fight or flight situations whereby our bodies produce extreme amounts of adrenaline to help us escape from danger. Excessive amounts of adrenaline can hurt the body, especially the heart.
Astrology and Running
People born under the astrological signs of Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces are very prone to problems (injuries) of the knees, legs, ankle, and feet as these particular signs govern these body parts.
- Capricorn governs the knees and legs and thus Capricorn people (born between December 23 and January 19) are more prone to injuries of the knees and legs.
- Aquarius governs the ankles so Aquarians or Aquarius people (born between January 20 and February 19) are more prone to problems (injuries) of the ankles.
- Pisces governs the feet and toes so Pisceans (born between February 20 and March 19) are more prone to problems (injuries) of the feet and toes.
Natural Healing From the Damage of Running and Jogging
If you are going to run and jog, by all means make sure you run and/or jog on grass, dirt, or sand. Avoid running and/or jogging on cement or asphalt.
Refrain from running or jogging for long miles. Keep your sessions short, only a few miles. Some people run 5-10 miles daily which is insane when you know the damage being done to your body. You might even consider replacing running and/or jogging with bicycling. Bicycling is better for the knees and tendons.
If you still feel the need to run or jog as your primary form of exercise, get a pair of shock absorbers for your shoes.
Every morning, drink a glass full of room temperature water with one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar added to the water. This will greatly help your joints.
Start performing the sea salt soak as much as possible. Bathe or soak in sea salt rather than Epsom salt.
Rub warm oil (plant-based i.e. olive, almond, coconut, etc.) on your sore joints. Then massage in a few drops (3-5 drops) of essentials oil such as Wintergreen, Spearmint, Peppermint, and/or Eucalyptus.
Consider replacing strenuous exercises with subtle exercises such as yoga, Pilates, tai chi, or basic stretching.
More natural healing options include acupressure, energy healing, and chiropractic exercises.
Magnetic therapy can aid in repairing damaged feet, ankles, legs, and knees. You can purchase magnetic ankle pads and knee pads to wear daily or as needed. Magnetic therapy is great for palliating and eradicating pain as magnets increase circulation to injured areas and thus provide much needed oxygen and minerals to injured areas.
Vincent Stevens is the senior content writer at Dherbs. As a fitness and health and wellness enthusiast, he enjoys covering a variety of topics, including the latest health, fitness, beauty, and lifestyle trends. His goal is to inform people of different ways they can improve their overall health, which aligns with Dherbs’ core values. He received his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Redlands, graduating summa cum laude. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.
