Health Benefits of Running
In the modern community, more and more people choose running for a workout and running has become one of the most prevalent sports. A considerable number of people are accustomed to run every day. Some people like to run in the morning, while others prefer to run in the evening. Generally speaking, not only running is an easier way to do exercise, but also the most important thing is that running is beneficial to health. Running can reduce anxiety, prevent cancer and promote brain plasticity.
Running is beneficial for reducing anxiety. This is also the reason why some people under stress select running. Some people who are under great stress feel relax and release tension after running. They seem to forget the stress that they had before. Landers who conducts analyses about anxiety, points out that “Running or other exercise are associated with reductions in anxiety, but only for aerobic forms of exercise” (A Meta-Analysis). The aerobic forms of exercise have characteristics of low intensity, having rhythm, no interruption and lasting for a long time. People running under aerobic forms will breathe normally and feel relaxed. Apparently, people running under anaerobic forms can’t breathe enough oxygen and will easily feel more tired. Maybe this will affect people to work or study. Each exercise has two aspects. If people run in error way it will not be benefit for health. In contrast, people run properly will achieve reducing anxiety.
Another benefit in relation to running is to prevent cancer. Recent years, people who have cancer have accounted for a large proportion. There are many reasons causing cancer, such as eating an unhealthy diet, working pressure and lack of sleep. Lack of exercise is an important reason causing cancer. People lack of exercise are easier to get cancer risk. However, if people insist on running or other healthy exercise, it can help people reduce risk of cancer. According to Duncan’s research, she claims that “running exercise may reduce risk for lung and hepatic cancer and prevent an ethanol-induced increase in risk for hepatic cancer by enhancing activity of antioxidant and phase II enzymes”(Running exercise). Running will cause a series of chemical reaction in the body by ethanol, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione- S -transferase (GST) and others. It can enhance UDP-GT activity in lung and liver, so running can reduce risk for lung and hepatic cancer which cancer cells live in lung and liver. For female, running can reduce risk of breast cancer is another benefit. In Bernstein’s article, he suggests that “Physical activity offers one modifiable lifestyle characteristic that may substantially reduce a woman's lifetime risk of breast cancer” (Physical exercise). When young females are running, their whole bodies get exercise. Bernstein also states that activity will adjust menstrual cycle even can alter the production of ovarian hormones and it may reduce breast cancer risk. Perhaps this is a useful information for female and this is a way to protect themselves. Therefore, young females should insist on a regular running so that can prevent breast cancer.
Besides reducing anxiety and preventing cancer, running can also promote brain plasticity. The brain is an essential part of the body and the control center of the whole body. What people think and how people behave are all operated by brain. If people want to promote brain plasticity, exercise, including running is an effective way. According to Cotman’s article, she points out that “Exercise could provide a simple means to maintain brain function and promote brain plasticity” (Exercise: a behavioral). Voluntary exercise can increase levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and other growth factors, stimulate neurogenesis increase resistance to brain insult and improve learning and mental performance. Students can improve learning efficiency and study quality through running, in the same way, adults can increase productivity in offices through running.
Running has such a great deal of benefits for health in relation to reduce anxiety, prevent cancer and promote brain plasticity, that people should insist on it or do not give up halfway. It is a process and it will take a long time that running can be beneficial to health. Running only once or twice doesn’t work at all. Therefore, being a healthy person just need to insist on running.

Works Cited
Carl W. Cotman , Nicole C. Berchtold “Exercise: a behavioral intervention to enhance brain health and plasticity” Trends in Neurosciences Volume 25, Issue 6, 1 June 2002, Pages 295–301

Daniel M. Landers, Steven J. Petruzzello, Brad D. Hatfield, Karla A. Kubitz and Walter Salazar “A Meta-Analysis on the Anxiety-Reducing Effects of Acute and Chronic Exercise” Sports Medicine March 1991, Volume 11, Issue 3, pp 143-182 First online: 23 October 2012

Karen Duncan, Sandra Harris, C Murray Ardies “Running exercise may reduce risk for lung and liver cancer by inducing activity of antioxidant and phase II enzymes” Cancer Letters Volume 116, Issue 2 , 24 June 1997, Pages 151–158

Leslie Bernstein , Brain E. Henderson , Rosemarie Hanisch , Jane Sullivan-Halley and Ronald K. Ross “Physical Exercise and Reduced Risk of Breast Cancer in Young Women”
JNCI J Natl Cancer Inst (1994)86 (18): 1403-1408, 29 June 1994