As a preventive health-care specialist, Dr. Christiana encourages patients to commit to regular physical exercise. However, due to today's hectic lifestyles, many patients have difficulty squeezing a fitness program into their frenzied schedules. That's why Dr. Christiana suggests that busy patients take up jogging or power-walking.

Why are jogging and walking ideal for people on.the go? First, these sports require no equipment (apart from a good pair of sneake!,s). And, because they may be done almost anywhere at anytime, these activities fit into even the most saturated of schedules. And here's another bonus: unlike gym memberships and exercise classes, jogging and running don't cost a cent. So, whether you're a jet-setting executive or a carpool-juggling parent, jogging or running may be the workout solution you've been searching for.

Still not convinced that walking or running is for you? Read on to learn about late-breaking scientific research Dr. Christiana has compiled on the benefus of these sports.

Live Longer

Walking and running may not only improve your life, but may also extend it.

According to a just-published analysis of 4,658 Danish men, jogging on a regular basis may help you live longer. As part of the study, researchers looked at men who are enrolled in the ongoing Copenhagen City Heart Study. At the study's onset, 217 subjects reported jogging on a regular basis. After five years, 96 of the original joggers were still at it - and 106 men had taken up the sport.

After controlling for factors such as such as smoking, weight, blood pressure, diabetes, household income, education, alcohol consumption and cholesterol level, the authors determined that persistent joggers were 63% less likely to die, compared with non-joggers, those who had discontinued jogging, or who had recently taken up the sport (British Medical Journal 2000;321 :602-3).

Scientific evidence also shows that walking can have a profound impact on your life expectancy. One study, which tracked 107 retired men for 12 years, found that, "the mortality rate among the men who walked less than one mile (1.6 kill) per day was nearly twice that among those who walked more than two miles (3.2 kill) per day." (New England Journal of Medicine 1998;338:94-9.)

Cut Cancer and Heart Disease Risk

A plethora of scientific studies indicate that regular physical activity, such as jogging or walking, can dramatically reduce a person's risk of heart disease and cancer.

For example, one study tracked 1,564 women for 30 years. Findings revealed that women who walked
over six miles a week were 33% less. likely to develop heart disease, compared with their more sedentary peers (American Journal of Epidemiology 1999;150:408-16). Another study, which enrolled 6,017 men, showed that walking more than 40 minutes a day slashes the risk of high blood pressure - a major risk factor of heart disease - by 29% (Annals of Internal Medicine 1999;131:21-6).

Research also indicates that regular physical exercise prevents several types of cancer.

Sleep Soundly

Are you tossing and turning all night long? A daily jog or stroll may help you get your z's. It seems that walking and running fend off insomnia. As part of one study, scientists looked at 319 men and 403 women. Findings showed that subjects who engaged in regular physical exercise, including walking or jogging, had a significantly reduced risk of sleep disorders (Archives of Internal Medicine 1998;158: 1894-8).

Stay Smart

Walking or jogging on a regular basis may not only boost your physical health, but may also keep your mind in top shape. People who exercise regularly enjoy increased cognitive performance. And, according to a report highlighted at the American Academy of Neurology's annual meeting in April 1998, exercise may also ward off Alzheimer's disease. According to the study, which evaluated 126 Alzheimer's patients and 247 healthy control subjects, people who engage in fitness programs such as walking and running slash their risk of developing the mind-robbing disease.

Don't Worry, Be Happy

A brisk 30-minute walk or jog three times a week may be just as effective at relieving major depression as antidepressant medications, according to a Duke University Medical Center study.

Researchers assigned 156 elderly patients with major depression to one of three groups: exercise, sertraline hydrochloride (Zoloft@), or a combination of exercise and sertraline hydrochloride. To die surprise of the researchers, after 16 weeks all three groups showed similar improvement.

"One of the conclusions we can draw from this is that exercise may be just as effective as medication and may be a better alternative for certain patients," said lead researcher, James Blumenthal. "Simply taking a pill is very passive. Pati nts ho exercised may have felt a grecYter sense of mas tery over their condition and gaii1ed,, greater sense of accoJllplishment. They felt more self-confident and had better self-esteem because they were able to do it themselves, and attributed their improvement t04heir(j,bifity to exercise." (Archives of Internal Medicine 1999;159:2349-2356.)

Dodge Diabetes

Running or power-walking nearly halves a woman's risk of type II diabetes, according to a new study. Investigators compared the benefits of moderate physical activity, such as power-walking, to vigorous physical activity, such as jogging. The analysis included 70,102 women aged 40 to 65 years. All subjects were free of diabetes at the study's onset.

After eight years, 2% of the participants had developed type II diabetes. After controlling for various risk factors of diabetes, researchers concluded that women who engaged in the highest levels of vigorous ph sical activity, such as jogging, cut their odds of developing type II diabetes by 46%, compared with nonexercisers. Women who engaged in moderate activities, including walking, enjoyed a 42% lower risk (Journal of the American Medical Association 1999;282: 1433-9).

Use the Buddy System

Need help staying motivated to run or walk? Consider forming a workout club or a partnership with a workout buddy.

Here's another reason to walk or run with pals: it's fun. Group activities provide an opportunity to create new friends and catch up with old ones. And not only is it fun, but it also could make you smarter; scientific research suggests that group exercise has a beneficial effect on cognitive functionJAustralian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 1997;21:45-52). Plus, working out with buddies offers an added element of safety over solitary strolliflg or jogging - an special comforting feature if you workout after dark.

Before Hitting the Pavement, Visit Your Doctor of Chiropractic

Before initiating a jogging or walking program - or any fitness end avor - it's essential to treat yourself to a chiropractic evaluation. Doctors of hiropractic ary prevention experts attd, as such, can provide winning advice on how to ward off jogging- or walking- related inJuries. This advice may include suggestions about proper footwear, stretching, nutrition, motivation, ,training programs and postural health.

Why is postural health important for joggers and walkers? Because many sport's injuries result from postural imbalances. Postural discrepancies in the back or hips may 'jack up" one leg, causing a disproportionate amount of force on that leg's knee and foot during jogging or walking, triggering injury. Often, misaligned spinal segments called vertebral subluxations are the root of these postural imbalances.

Doctors of chiropractic eliminate vertebral subluxations with gentle and effective maneuvers called chiropractic adjustments. Sci ntific research shows that chiropractic adjustments safely and effectively correct vertebral subluxations, in turn staving off the injuries associated with them.

So, before lacing up those new sneakers, follow the example of a growing number of professional and Olympic athletes who are enjoying increased performance and fewer injuries thanks to chiropractic care - schedule an appointment for a chiropractic checkup today!