Q: How much exercise do I need each week? 
We all know that the best way to avoid dehydration is by drinking enough fluids. What most of us do not know is that it is not always that easy to get enough fluid into out body. We often think we have enough even if our body hasn’t gotten its fill. Here are some tips that will help you avoid dehydration and overheating as a result of doing some rigorous physical activity like running, bicycling, playing basketball or tennis.
1. Before, during, and after any physical activity, drink plenty of fluids like juice, sports drinks or plain water. Drinks with caffeine like coffee, tea, or cola do not count here because they help in the dehydration process as they are diuretics–substances or drugs that tend to increase the discharge of liquid from the body. It is advisable always to carry a water bottle when you go to the gym or to a game.
2. Even if you do not feel thirsty, drink fluids on schedule. You should drink them every 20 to 30 minutes, or every hour, depending on the size of drink you take and the activity you are doing. Thirst is a sign of dehydration, so you need to drink fluids before you feel the sign.
3. You must be familiar with the symptoms of dehydration, which include flushed skin, fatigue, increased body temperature, and increased breathing and pulse rate, followed by dizziness, increased weakness, and labored breathing. If you feel any one of these symptoms, you are on your way to dehydration and must rehydrate by taking in as much needed fluid as possible.
4. What you wear also matters. Light apparel is advisable during warm, humid days. Heavy fabric will not allow sweat to evaporate easily, which is bad because it can lead to hyperthermia.
5. The color of your urine also can signal to you that you are dehydrated already. If your urine is darker after the activity, take more water to make it clear again.
The fluid in your body’s tissues and organs help protect you from from all the bumps and shakes that are part and parcel of exercise. Consume enough fluid to keep your engine running smoothly always.
This article was inspired by a four hour tarmac, or grounding, at Logan airport while waiting to depart for Amsterdam.
Allow me to begin by setting the scene. It’s 7:17pm in Boston, Massachusetts, in snowy wintry conditions. The plane should have left two minutes ago, but we’re still boarding because it’s being catered. It’s 7:47—we’re still sitting on the plane; hey, at least we’re on the plane, right? Well, now it’s 9:00, and they are finally telling us that we are waiting for the cargo to be loaded but that this is taking forever because it is so icy. Okay, so it’s 10:00pm, and we’ve been de-iced, but now we’re being taxied back to the gate to check a load? Right, so if we had left at 7:15, would we be turning in the air at this point to go check a load? Okay, okay, 11:00pm, we’re ready to go again, it’s okay, though, because it stopped snowing, so we won’t have to de-ice again, but wait, we can’t go, because a passenger is sick and needs to be deplaned.
People, please fly healthy.
The key point to remember is to eat well before your flight and to stay hydrated. Make sure to drink water, before, during, and after your flight. Commercial flights have low humidity, even lower than the Sahara desert. Avoid alcohol the day before you fly. Eating will keep your energy up, your blood sugar normal, and you’ll be able to fall asleep faster. Also, if food is offered on the plane, you may not like it, recognize it, or you may find out that you cannot stomach it. Bring munchies!
Remember to pack vital medications. Also, wear comfortable clothing and shoes and bring as little carry-on baggage as possible. Planes’ temperatures can vary widely so dress in layers, I know I found myself frequently putting on or taking off my sweatshirt. In your carry-on, you should pack for a situation where you’re left without your baggage for a night.
To be really safe, wipe down your armrests with antibacterial wipes, and wash your hands. Don’t sit next to someone who is sick, and make sure to plan for some rest time after your flight.
Good luck!
I have noticed that more and more “energy” drinks and energy-boosting supplements are popping up in the market. With more and more people today having fast-paced lifestyles, this is not surprising. People want to feel more energized so that they can keep up with the pace. But are these high-tech energy-boosting drinks really the answer? Health experts say that these energy drinks only give quick-fix effects that do not last long; the energy they give is artificial. The best way to boost our energy is the natural way. Here are seven suggested natural ways of boosting energy :
1. Take little breaks during work whenever you can, shifting your awareness to something else every now and then could help keep away fatigue brought about by an eight-to-five job.
2. Believe in the old wisdom of “eight glasses of water a day could help keep the doctor away”. Of course, the eight or more glasses of water should be spaced throughout the day.
3. Learn the art of savoring your food; do not eat mechanically. You are a human being and not a robot, so you need to enjoy your food and use the joy brought about by eating to do away with undesirable feelings like loneliness and anxiety.
4. Be more in touch with nature. Don’t let your busy day stop you from noticing how green the grass is in your lawn.
5. Don’t let your work take over your life and your relationships. The warmth of love you radiate to your family and friends and the warmth of their love to you are the best energy boosters.
6. Live a clean life.
7. Practice the principle of unselfish concern for or devotion to the welfare of others. If you are capable of it, it means that you have a healthy mind. A healthy mind can help your body become more healthy, and of course, with a healthy body you have lots of energy.
Fainting occurs when the blood supply to the brain becomes insufficient. It causes a person to lose consciousness briefly. Fainting either can have no significance or it may be an indication of a serious medical problem. Treating fainting as a medical emergency is important until the cause of the incident in known. If you feel faint, the first thing you need to do is to sit or lie down. Once you are seated, put your head between your knees to redirect blood flow.
If you see someone faint, here are some things you can do:
1. Look at the person’s airway to ensure it’s clear. Watch out for vomiting.
2. Look at vital signs, including breathing, movement, or coughing. If the person is not responding, do CPR and call 911. Continue with CPR until emergency services arrives.
3. Try to restore the person’s blood flow. If the person is breathing, your aim is to restore the supply of blood to the brain. To achieve this, raise the person’s leg over head level. In addition, loosen collars, belts, and other constrictions. In most cases, the person will regain consciousness. If he doesn’t become conscious within one minute, call for medical assistance.
Sometimes, fainting occurs when a person falls and becomes injured. Most of the time, the loss of consciousness is temporary, though immediate medical attention is required to prevent more serious problems. If the person is bleeding, apply direct pressure on the wound so blood loss will be minimized. Fainting should be taken seriously. Though it may not mean anything to some people, the risk associated with it is great.
Neck pain is an almost inevitable part of a person’s life. Everyone will experience neck pain at one point or another with varying severity. Neck pain can be acute or chronic; most of the time though, it is not serious. Poor posture is the primary cause of this condition. However, there are cases when neck pain is a symptom of a more serious problem. If you experience severe neck pain despite several days of self-care, it is important to seek medical attention.
Symptoms of Neck Pain
Neck pain can manifest itself in different ways. Signs and symptoms of this condition may include:
• Sharp or dull pain in the neck
• Stiffness
• Shoulder pain together with neck pain
• Back pain together with neck pain
• Difficulty in doing everyday tasks because of an uncomfortable sensation in the neck
Causes of Neck Pain
Muscle strains, worn joints, disk disorders, and injuries are the common causes of neck pain. Straining your muscles because of poor posture at work, hunching over the steering wheel, and sleeping uncomfortably can trigger muscle strain. Neck muscles become fatigued when this happens, and chronic pain can develop. And similar to other joints in the body, the neck joints will suffer from wear and tear as time goes by. This can cause osteoarthritis to occur in the neck.
Injuries are also a major cause of neck pain. When rear-end collisions occur, the head is jolted forward and back. The movement strains the tissues of the neck when it is pushed beyond its limits. Meanwhile, disk disorders occur when the disk between the vertebrae becomes stiff. It narrows the space in the spinal cord, and the disk in the neck becomes likely to herniate.
Treatment of Neck Pain
In most cases, the neck will respond positively to self-care. Some treatments you can try at home include taking over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers. Alternating hot and cold on the neck for 20 minutes a day also can relieve some of the pain. Other effective treatments include giving your neck time to rest, gentle stretching, and applying pain cream.
