Mohamad-Ali Salloum is a Pharmacist and science writer. He loves simplifying science to the general public and healthcare students through words and illustrations. When he's not working, you can usually find him in the gym, reading a book, or learning a new skill.
Running: START NOW!!
Mohamad-Ali Salloum, PharmD • December 30, 2022
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Running (or jogging) is the most simple exercise, yet, it is one of the most important and beneficial.
In this article I will use one term, which is “running”, but I also mean jogging for those that wish to run less intense runs.
👏IT DOES NOT COST YOU ANYTHING!👏
Now that I grabbed your attention, you just need:
- Two legs,
- A sports-ware,
- Good running shoes. (This may cost you a little…but who does not want nice running shoes???)
Even time-wise, it does not cost you your precious time.
You can always run for 10 minutes before taking the shower you already have. Cut off 10 minutes from social media and put it into running. In a while, this 10-minute will turn into 30 minutes and even hours :) (trust me..)
So running will cost you neither money nor time.
Let me add to the equation. It can even benefit you!!!
CAN YOU IMAGINE?! 😮
These are the health benefits that you can gain from running: (1)
· Burn a lot of Calories (obviously..)
· Improve Cardiovascular Health
· Build Muscular strength
· Increase bone density
· Improve markers of Health
· Reduce stress
· Boost Confidence
Not to forget the positive effects of running on mental health: (2) (3)
· Improved working memory and focus
· Better task-switching ability
· Elevated mood
For amateur runners, you don’t even have to plan for anything or do any program. Just stretch a little, set the timer for 10 minutes, and go for a run. After a while, you’ll notice that a 10-minute run is too easy for you. Then, you will start increasing the run time.
Just for your information, as I am writing this article, I also started my running journey. I casually run in the gym or on weekends for fun, but I never took running seriously.
In November 2022, I decided to start a running journey and see how much I can push my limits and discover what I will be able to achieve (physically and mentally)
For that reason, I created a blog that will be dedicated to running to motivate those who want to run and know more about running and its benefits. I hope that you join me in this journey and share your experiences.
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Mohamad-Ali Salloum, PharmD
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References: Qiang S, Wu J, Zheng D, et al. The effect of stress mindset on psychological pain: the chain mediating roles of cognitive reappraisal and self-identity. Front Psychol. 2025;16. 1 Bosshard M, Gomez P. Effectiveness of stress arousal reappraisal and stressisenhancing mindset interventions on task performance outcomes: a meta-analysis. Sci Rep. 2024. 2 Zhao S, Chen P, Jin L, et al. Unlocking Emotional Well-Being: Evaluation of a Stress Mindset Intervention With a Metacognitive Approach. Emotion. 2025;25(5):1169–1184. 4 Meyer HH, Stutts LA. The Effect of Mindset Interventions on Stress and Academic Motivation in College Students. Innov High Educ. 2024;49:783–798. 7 Crum AJ, Santoro E, Handley-Miner I, et al. Evaluation of the “Rethink Stress” Mindset Intervention: A Metacognitive Approach to Changing Mindsets. J Exp Psychol Gen. 2023. 3 Laferton JAC, Fischer S, Ebert DD, et al. The Effects of Stress Beliefs on Daily Affective Stress Responses. Ann Behav Med. 2020;54(4):258–267. 5 UCSF Stress Measurement Network. Beliefs about Stress . 2026. 6
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