Month: July 2015

Categories
Sweat

How to Get a Head Start in Trail Running

Bored with your normal running routine? Looking for a good way to mix things up and add new challenges? Than why not give trail running a try? Not only is it one of the fastest growing outdoor sports in the world, but it provides some amazing benefits to your overall level of fitness too.

Thanks to the uneven terrain and more difficult trail conditions, trail runners typically end up having a more challenging workout than those who stick to city streets or run indoors on a treadmill. This results in a 10% greater calorie burn over the same distance, which helps to trim fat at a faster rate. Additionally, trail runners typically see improved agility as a result of their training runs, and get a better core workout along the way as well. The fact that they are more engaged with nature brings some additional benefits in the form of stress-relief and greater levels of relaxation too.

Despite the fact that trail running provides a more intense workout, it isn’t particularly difficult to get started with the sport. In fact, if you’re already a runner the adjustments will come fairly easily, and if you’re just starting to run for the first time you’ll be able to pick things up quickly without having to shift away from previous running habits.

Here are some suggestions to help you get going.

Get the Right Shoes

Any runner will tell you that having the right pair of shoes makes all the difference in the level of enjoyment you’ll get from the sport, which in turn helps to keep you motivated for your workouts. This is especially true for trail running, where the demanding trails require a somewhat heavier, more durable shoe to help keep your feet well protected. Unlike running on the streets, trail runners often encounter rock, mud, and even water along their routes. A good shoe will shrug off those challenges and keep you moving at a comfortable pace.

Regular running shoes won’t cut it in that environment for long however, so once you’ve decided trail running is right for you, invest in footwear that is especially made for the sport.

Pick a Trail

Traditionally speaking, trail running is defined as taking place off-road or pavement, but that doesn’t mean it has to be on some incredibly challenging route that takes you deep into rugged, mountainous terrain. Any trail will do, particularly when you’re first getting started.

Look for short, relatively flat routes to begin your trail running routine, and then later expand to longer, more difficult paths. Over time you can mix in elevation changes on hills or mountains to amp up the intensity of your workout and really start burning the calories. But in the beginning it is all about just getting a feel for running on a trail while allowing your body to adapt to the change in environments.

Start Slow

Whenever you start a new workout routine it is important to go slow and ease your way into it. This holds true for beginning trail runners as well, even if they are experienced joggers making the transition over from the road.

Because of the uneven terrain, trail running requires shorter, quicker strides, which will naturally have you running about 20% slower than you would on pavement. This will help you to maintain your balance along the way, and give you a better sense of a connection with the ground. Over time, as you get more accustomed to this style of running, you’ll start to pick up speed again, although it is rare to ever go as fast on a trail as you do on the street.

Be Aware

It is always important for runners to be aware of their surroundings whether they are working out on a trail or on the road.

While trail runners generally don’t have to worry about dealing with traffic, there are other things they need to be extra cautious about instead. For instance, because the trail is uneven, and littered with obstacles, they need to have a greater awareness of surface conditions. Roots, rocks, and mud are just a few of the things you that could cause a stumble or fall, ultimately resulting in an injury. Additionally, depending on your location, wild animals could be more of a concern as well.

Gear Up!

As with most outdoor activities, having the proper gear for trail running can make it a much more enjoyable experience.

For instance, you’ll want technical running clothing that you don’t mind getting muddy, wet, or snagged while out on the trail. Staying hydrated will be important as well, so plan on carrying a water bottle, or better yet a hydration pack. Wearing a pack takes a bit of getting use to at first, but it does allow you to carry an extra layer in case the weather takes a turn for the worse. It also allows you to bring extra items such as a headlamp, cell phone, wallet, or even a snack. Some of those things are simply not needed on a run through your neighborhood, but they could prove very useful on a trail run.

As with most other forms of exercise, trail running gets gradually easier over time. It’s at that point that you’ll not only start to recognize just what a great workout it can be, but how much fun it is too. After all, when the great outdoors becomes your gym, it’s not hard to find the motivation to go.

Categories
Lifestyle

Eating Locally is Easier Than You Think

The farmer’s market is the place to see and be seen in my hometown. Yes, it’s a place to buy local foods, but it’s also a place to meet friends, have coffee or listen to some great music. On Wednesdays and Saturdays in Los Angeles if you’re not at the farmer’s market, you’re missing out. But eating local is about way more than just hitting up the farmer’s market. Dive a little deeper into your local foods community.

1. Join a CSA

Community Supported Agriculture, or CSAs are a great place to start. At the beginning of each season, you can buy a share of the harvest. While it’s more expensive when you’re getting started, buying produce in bulk like this is a more economical way to go. Organic CSAs are available as well if you’re concerned with the use of pesticides.

CSAs give farmers the support they need to thrive in your local community. CSAs also help educate you on what’s really in season locally. When it’s stone fruit season you can uncover and test every applicable recipe and when there’s a bumper crop of squash, you learn how to put the excess to work in your kitchen.

2. Join an Animal Share

In addition to CSAs, if you’re a conscious carnivore, you can also become a member of an animal share. When an animal is slaughtered, you split a portion of the meat with other community members. This way, you’re eating the animal from head to tail and not letting any of it go to waste. What’s more, you’re supporting the producers that raise animals. And by getting to know your farmers and producers personally, you can learn firsthand how your foods are grown and raised. You can ensure that animals are raised humanely, lived a happy life (hopefully on the open range) eaten their real natural diet Mother Nature intended them to eat and not given hormones and antibiotics. I’ve even heard of fish shares in some oceanside communities where you pay a fisherman upfront for a certain lot of seafood. In return, you get a certain amount of points and when the catch comes in, you pay with points. The amount of points you pay depends on the price of the fish.

3. Learn to Cook Like a Locavore

Farmer’s markets and harvest shares give you access to great local food, but learning how to prepare your local eats is crucial. I started off by simplifying the recipes I choose and letting what’s available locally dictate the menu, rather than the other way around. Local eating is more than fruits and vegetables, it’s about eggs, honey, herbs, butter, milk, and so much more.

Not only should you simplify recipes, learn to cook in big batches and freeze the rest for next month. Soups and casseroles are great for freezing. What should you do with the huge batch of heirloom tomatoes? Think creamy tomato bisque. What about some turnip green casserole? Enjoy it tonight and in a month’s time. It means you don’t have to cook and you’re not wasting the local bounty.

4. Grow a Kitchen Garden

Supplement what you can’t find at the farmer’s market or in your CSA with a kitchen garden. Your kitchen garden can be home to all kinds of herbs so you don’t have to waste cash at the grocery store on those tiny plastic containers of basil and mint. I also recommend growing at home what’s expensive at your local market like lemons (If your growing zone will support it).Your pocket book will thank you and it’s incredibly rewarding!

5. Preserve, Preserve, Preserve

Freezing is the easiest way to preserve a bumper crop. If you have tons of melon from your CSA, cut it up and freeze for a smoothie down the road. But the ultimate way to preserve an over allotment of produce is to can it. My friends and I have canning parties where one friend who is well versed in how to can, shows us how to get started. That way, it’s not so intimidating.

6. Support Restaurants That Buy Local

When you go out to eat, remember to support restaurants that support your community as well. Farm to table restaurants are more common than over. A restaurant in Los Angeles is taking it a step further. Forage has a program that allows you to get certified as an approved food source for restaurants and markets so you can bring in food that you’ve grown at home and get paid for it. If you bring in a huge batch of melons, Forage will give you money toward a meal at the restaurant. It’s a win-win for all involved.

Local eating is about celebrating your local eats and the changes that the seasons bring. It’s also about investing and supporting your local community farmers and producers. And it’s one more excuse to love where you live.

Categories
Lifestyle

How 3D Printing Is Revolutionizing The Medical Field

The original Star Trek series took place in the mid-2200s, and to the television audiences of the 1960s, the technology in the show was pure, jaw-dropping science fiction. But in the 50 years since Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) of the U.S.S. Enterprise first uttered the immortal words, “Beam me up, Scotty,” a lot of what then seemed like fantastical technology has actually materialized—200 years early.
Those communicators the crew used every day? You’ve probably got a better one in your pocket right now–and so does everyone you know. Phasers set to stun? We call them tasers now and they do pretty much the same thing. Computers that respond to voice commands and speak to us? Just say “Siri,” “Cortana,” or “OK Google” and you’re on your way. The universal translator is still a ways off, but there’s plenty of software that does a pretty good job of translating to and from a variety of languages. Want to put someone from another ship or planet “on screen”? No problem; Just fire up Skype or Google Hangout or FaceTime. Tricorders and diagnostic beds? Between MRIs and a variety of handheld diagnostic devices, we’re nearly there. Oh, and let’s not forget about GPS, Bluetooth headsets, touchscreen computers, and even floppy—and jump drives—all of which were pipe dreams in the 60s but yawn-inducingly common today.
At least two pieces of Star Wars tech have stubbornly remained out of reach: warp drives and transporters. But a third, the replicator, which produced meals and objects on demand, is here now and has the potential to save millions of lives. We call it 3D printing.

3D 101

3D printing (sometimes also called additive fabrication) has actually been around for decades and was used in manufacturing to produce complex prototypes. Most non-engineers had never heard of it, but when Cody Wilson, a student at the University of Texas showed off the Liberator—a 3D-printed, working handgun—everyone started to pay attention, and the technology is getting cheaper and better every day.
On its most basic level, 3D printing uses a digital 3-dimensional model of an object, and “prints” it by applying hundreds or thousands of incredibly thin layers of material (often some kind of quick-drying liquid plastic or metal) on top of each other until the object is complete. The applications are endless—3D printers can now print almost anything you can imagine (including personalized bobbleheads based on pictures you take) using gold, silver, chocolate, wax, ceramics, and even animal and human cells. These last bits—the cells—have the potential to quite literally change the world we live in.
Let me give you some examples of the absolutely amazing ways doctors and scientists are using 3D printing to improve—and save—lives. We’ll start with “that’s cool,” move on to “wow!” continue through “awesoooooome,” touch on slack-jawed, stunned silence, and finish up with a look into what’s in the pipeline.

Training

A 5-year old boy in Barcelona, Spain had a tumor that was dangerously close to an artery. After two attempts, the surgeons thought it was inoperable. But, unwilling to give up, they 3D printed a detailed model of the tumor that they used to develop—and practice—a new approach. The third surgery was a success. Doctors around the world have used similar modeling to practice dangerous and highly complex surgeries on fingers, hips, optic nerves, heart valves, and others.

Tuning

Scientists treating cancer in the UK have begun using CT scans to print exact replicas of patients’ tumors. They then fill those models with liquid and are able to see how chemotherapy drugs would flow through the tumor. This one’s not quite ready for prime time, but the hope is that oncologists will be able to use this technique to precisely target the best places to deliver those drugs.

Bracing Yourself

Have you ever seen anyone using Invisalign—an alternative to traditional metal braces? Orthodontists create a model of the patient’s current bite, then 3D print a series of clear plastic “aligners” that gradually—and more aesthetically—move his or her teeth to where they’re supposed to be.

Other Braces

Scoliosis patients often have to wear back braces for hours every day. Until recently, those braces were bulky, uncomfortable, and impossible to disguise—a highly embarrassing combination that keeps many young people from wearing them enough to see the benefits. It’s now possible to print up a lightweight, breathable brace that fits the patient’s body perfectly. And it’s so thin that it can be worn under the clothing so it’s less visible. The same basic technique is being used to create splints and casts.

Skull and Bones

Surgeons in several countries have used 3D printing to create skull segments and facial bones that don’t exist (such as a jaw in a baby who was born without one) or have been badly damaged by trauma (like a motorcycle accident) or disease. They use the patients’ own intact bones as models to create replacements that perfectly match the patient’s face or skull. Sometimes the 3D printers use titanium, but they often use calcium phosphate, one of the major ingredients in our natural bones. That helps the implant fuse together with the surrounding bones.

Iron Man and Beyond

Very few people use prosthetic limbs to make a fashion statement. But thanks to 3D printing, a boy born without an arm now has a prosthetic one that looks just like Tony Stark’s, responds to movements, and even has a superhero grip. How cool is that. Making a prosthetic limb the soon-to-be-old-fashioned way can take weeks, but with 3D printing, we’re talking days. Regular prosthetics also tend to be expensive, routinely costing thousands—sometimes tens of thousands—of dollars. That’s a particularly big obstacle when a child is the patient, since kids outgrow their devices and regularly need new ones. Printed prosthetics typically cost hundreds, not thousands. Patients around the world are now wearing prosthetic arms, legs, hands, and feet. 3D printing is also being used to produce lifelike skin, noses, ears, and other external appendages that have been lost to disease, trauma, or birth defects.

Inside Out

It’s a lot easier to print replacements for bones or external body parts than internal ones. Putting any foreign object inside the body involves the risk of infection or rejection. But scientists and doctors are on the case and have already made amazing progress. Researchers have developed 3D printers that print with the patient’s own cells. Using that technique, they’ve successfully grown—and then implanted—veins, bladders, a trachea (a procedure that saved a baby’s life) and a few other not-very-complex organs.

The Holy Grail

In the U.S. alone, there are about 120,000 people on organ transplant lists. Every day, 79 people receive a transplant, but 22—more than 8,000 per year—die. Being able to print customized, rejection-proof organs is the ultimate goal for man researchers. But with complex organs like livers and kidneys, one of the biggest challenges is replicating an organ’s vascular structure (the system of veins and capillaries that keep it supplied with blood and oxygen). If you don’t get that right, the patient dies. But the advances are coming fast and furious. Labs in China and the U.S. have printed miniature, fully functional livers and kidneys (they’re great for research, but we’re still pretty far from human trials). It’s all about when, not if.

Categories
Wellbeing

Pump Up Your Smile!

I was appalled to catch myself on a TV monitor inside an electronics store. The monitor was demonstrating the quality of a home surveillance system. It was sharp, clear, and accurate. When I stopped to check myself out I was stunned by the grumpy look on my face. Grumpy–as in one of the Seven Dwarfs grumpy. If ‘Cantankerous’ or ‘Sullen’ were one of the 7 characters they could have been contenders.

There weren’t many shoppers around so I practiced smiling. The difference was amazing. I indulged myself in becoming 3 of the dwarfs and transformed from Grumpy to Happy to Silly and spent some serious time experimenting with different faces–all the while watching in the monitor. When the salesman came by to see if I were interested in purchasing something–I immediately added a fourth to my repertoire and became Bashful. Somewhere in the mix I am certain he contemplated calling security. It isn’t usual to see a grown man making faces into a surveillance system in mid-town Manhattan.

The grumpy me looked like a face from the wanted flyers in the post office or on newspaper mug shots of the recently convicted– quite a disagreeable character. This is what bothered me most. My face didn’t match who I thought I was–and certainly didn’t seem to reflect how I felt. However, there it was–this is how I look to the world.

The message our face conveys is central to human development and social interactions. Cues from the mother’s face are among the first thing an infant notices to see if the surroundings are safe. If mom is smiling all is right with the world and the baby proceeds. If mom makes a frown–the infant goes on high alert. This is how a child begins to understand social cues. If a baby spotted Mr. Grumpy on the monitor I am certain shoppers would have been treated to a significant wailing.

It was Darwin who elaborated on the nature of a smile and the effect it has on one’s self and others. In the introduction to his book, Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, Darwin gave credit to the French anatomist Guillaume Duchenne for his unique description of the muscles involved in the expression of agreeable emotions. Darwin relied on the pioneering work of Duchenne, who made an interesting observation: There is a way of determining a genuine smile from a false one. The genuine smile (what scientists now refer to as a Duchenne smile) involves contraction of two major muscles. The zygomatic major muscle, which is responsible for raising the corners of the mouth, and the orbicularis oculi muscle that pulls the cheeks upward. When the latter happens it helps form crow’s feet–the little crinkles around the eyes. According to Duchenne raising the corners of the mouth is something that can happen by will. However, only “…the sweet emotions of the soul…” cause the second muscle to pull the cheeks upward to form crow’s feet. Duchenne believed that when we are experiencing a genuine positive emotion the eyes and the mouth are in sync.

Later research would show this genuine smile predicts a better marriage, less depression, and even living longer. In a famous 2001 longitudinal study researchers looked at Mills College yearbook photos of 114 women from the classes 1958 through 1960, all but three of the young women smiled. However, 50 had Duchenne smiles and 61 had non-Duchenne courtesy smiles.

Thirty years later the genuine smile group was more likely to get and stay married, and had higher scores on physical and emotional wellbeing. In 2010 scientists went a bit further. They studied the intensity of smiles in photographs of Major League Baseball players prior to 1950. They separated the photographs into three categories: no smile, partial smile, and a full Duchenne smile. Guess what? The bigger the smile–the longer the player lived.

However, the big news is they’ve found you can learn to generate a Duchenne smile. The results show that this can help you feel better–and has a major impact on how others see you.

To practice making your Duchenne smile first pull up the corners of your mouth (the ‘say cheese’ position). Now, flex your orbicularis oculi and pull up those cheeks until you see the crow’s feet form around your eyes. What science tells us is when you do this it will lower your heart rate and make you feel more positive emotions–but it also affects others. Studies have shown when you do this people will see you as more competent, more hirable, more intelligent, spontaneous, intense, agreeable, generous, and more attractive. One study even found that a Duchenne smile was more important than the clothes you wear.

My recommendation is to practice that Duchenne smile so you’ll be ready to use it. But please–use the bathroom mirror–not a surveillance monitor.

Categories
Nosh

Bottoms Up! Why You Should Be Drinking More Water

Adding water to your diet is one of the simplest things you can do to improve your health.

Unfortunately, many kids in the United States are raised on sugary sodas and juices and grow up skipping the H20. This habit often persists into adulthood with potentially detrimental effects. 

The standard for water intake used to be eight cups a day, but many experts have backed off that guideline in recent years. In reality, everyone needs a different amount of water based on diet, exercise, and various other factors. That being said, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that drinking less than four cups of water a day is probably inadequate for a healthy adult. 

In a 2007 CDC study, 43.7 percent of respondents reported drinking less than four cups of water a day. That doesn’t sound too troubling until you consider that our brains are about 85 percent water, and our muscles are 70-75 percent water. In short, it’s an essential chemical component of our bodies that we should be replenishing.

Here are several ways that increasing your water intake can provide health benefits:

Hydration

The most obvious benefit to drinking more water is hydration. The Internet has helped spread the idea that 75 percent of the country’s population is chronically dehydrated. That’s probably an exaggeration, but there are definitely a lot of people who could use some more of the clear stuff. 

Dehydration can drain your energy, making you sluggish. It can also cause headaches when your body starts to squeeze your brain and muscles for any bit of water it can find. Try grabbing a glass of H20 to counteract these effects. You’ll feel better in no time!

Calorie Control

One of the best things about water is that it has 0 calories. Slamming bottles of water isn’t going to magically make you shed 50 pounds. But when you consider a can of regular soda contains more than 100 calories, it’s an easy substitution that could save you hundreds of calories per day. 

Water might also be valuable in curbing hunger because it fills your stomach. A 2010 clinical trial found that drinking two cups of water before meals decreased calorie intake and aided weight loss. Additionally, drinking cold water forces the body to warm up slightly to keep a consistent temperature of 98.6. It only burns about eight calories, but that’s better than nothing!

Increased Metabolism

Experts have gone back and forth on whether water truly helps people lose weight. A 2004 German study presented interesting results on the subject, though. The study showed that after drinking 17 ounces of water, the subjects’ metabolic rates increased by 30 percent for both men and women. 

The study said the increase started within 10 minutes of drinking water and peaked after about half an hour. The researchers estimated an average person could burn thousands of extra calories a year simply by drinking more water every day. It probably won’t give you a six pack, but it won’t hurt either!

Energizing Muscles

Drinking water is especially important when exercising. If your muscles don’t maintain a normal balance of water and electrolytes, this can lead to muscle fatigue. That’s bad enough, as it can result in reduced power, speed, and mental focus. However, dehydration and muscle fatigue during exercise are also thought to contribute to muscle cramps.

It’s a rather painful ordeal that no one wants to endure. To avoid this, make sure your water intake is adequate before exercising. According to the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines, you should drink 17 ounces (about two cups) of water at least two hours ahead of exercise to avoid dehydration.

Flushing Toxins 

Keeping hydrated is the best way to flush toxins from your body. We get rid of that waste primarily through urine, and drinking plenty of water helps the process because it’s a natural diuretic. More bathroom trips might be annoying, but that’s a small price to pay for your health. 

Evidence also suggests that drinking plenty of water helps prevent kidney stones (something you really don’t want to experience) and urinary tract infections. 

Gastrointestinal Tract

Water also plays an important role in digestion. It can stimulate the gastrointestinal tract, which helps digestion and intestinal transit. That’s a fancy way to say water will help keep you from becoming constipated. 

More often than not, simply drinking more water (instead of relying on harsh laxatives) will resolve problems with constipation.

Smooth Skin

Dry wrinkled skin is another nasty side effect of dehydration. Your skin contains water (like many other parts of your body) and needs it to function properly. Taking in plenty of water will keep you looking your best. 

Remember this the next time someone asks for your drink order!

Categories
Lifestyle

Dominating the Lunch Break Workout

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that all adults need at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week. This can easily be broken down into five 30-minute sessions. Exercise is proven to improve people’s physical and mental health, but if you’re anything like me, finding the time is harder than actually exercising.
I personally prefer doing outdoor activities, but motherhood has made me prioritize my time in ways I never imagined. It’s easy to say that I’ll whip out the jogging stroller once I’m home, but something always seems to prevent me from leaving. Instead of waking up at 5 a.m. to get in a workout, I’ve discovered an even more time-efficient way to get in my cardio: lunch breaks.
This takes a lot more planning than you might imagine. Not only do I have to have an exact plan for my regimen, but time is of the essence. In addition to this constraint, heading back to the office post-workout is tough because I want to appear professional. We all know that even after a shower, you won’t look the same as when you left your desk.
I’ve gotten some of my friends into working out during lunch too, so I thought it was time to share some secrets on how to squeeze in the best workout during your lunch break and still head back to the office looking runway ready.

Plan Ahead

The night before, I always organize my gym bag, making sure I have all of my essentials: shoes, clothes, and shower gear. It’s easy to forget deodorant when bustling around in the morning, so this is a stress and time reducer.
Next, it’s important to figure out where and what type of workout I want to do. Is Tuesday cardio? If so I’ll decide ahead of time if the treadmill, bike, or elliptical is my best option. If there’s a class I’ll grab that because I have no room to drag my feet. Interval or hill workout? It doesn’t matter, but I make sure I’ve decided before getting there. There’s nothing worse than standing aimlessly in the gym. Free weights are ideal when I’m doing strength training. Typically, there are multiple dumbbells with my preferred weight, as well as jump ropes, resistance bands, and whatever else I enjoy. (P.S. Always make sure to have a backup plan in case the equipment is taken.)
You know what really gets my heart rate pumping? Playlists. I cannot get enough dubstep or hip hop. It keeps me on beat while I’m running, but there is nothing more frustrating than having a poor playlist or, worse, none at all. Quite frankly I don’t have time to be switching from song to song. Plus it’s going to take away from my focus. I always make sure that my tech gear is cued up so this trip doesn’t end with me flying off the treadmill or staring at my phone for minutes at a time.

Leg Day

So the day has arrived. I’m swamped with work, but I know that my midday break won’t be in the typical stuffy room or crowded outdoor patio. One tip I always follow is wearing something to work that’s both work and workout appropriate. This easily saves five minutes since I don’t have to worry about changing beforehand. I also use bracelet-like hairbands. They don’t crimp my hair, which I really appreciate if I’m going to wear it down afterward.

Shower Time

Now it’s the dreaded shower time. To me, showering is a time killer, so I cut corners as much as possible. I keep my hair up in a bun and quickly rinse off. I always bring my own soap, because chances are the gym’s is out, plus it tends to dry my skin. Showering should only take about 90 seconds. I hop out, dry off, and–this is the most crucial part–apply baby powder. I toss some baby powder on my underarms and any other body part that tends to sweat post-shower. Then I swipe on some deodorant and reapply my makeup.
I find that it’s easiest to wear minimal makeup on gym days. I’m obviously going to take it off before my workout (using disposable makeup wipes), but having to take the time to reapply it is killer. However, if I have a meeting that day, or just feel like being extra fancy, it can most certainly be done.
Now that my body is dry and my face is ready, it’s time to tackle the mane. I have no problem braiding it or doing a topknot. But that gets old if I decide to work out every day. In this situation my best friends are dry shampoo and texturizer. I’ll spray my roots with the dry shampoo to absorb any sweat, then I’ll flip my hair upside down and spray till there’s a cloud of texture. I like the “piecey” and effortless look, and these sprays have always done the trick.
These are the steps that I’m religious about. If you have tricks of your own, comment below! I’m always interested in improving my game in and out of the gym.

Categories
Sweat

Fear Not, It's All Perfectly Normal… For a Runner

Sprained ankles. Stress fractures. Strained muscles. These are all of the obvious ailments people may think of when you mention “running injuries”. 

But like most things in life, there are ailments runners suffer that you often don’t hear or think of, until you yourself are painfully suffering from them. It’s kind of like giving birth: everyone knows that labor and delivery is a painful process, but very few people know the nitty-gritty details of the experience. These types of things that are conveniently left out of movie scenes and blog post recaps, and then you find yourself in the delivery room going “WHAT IS HAPPENING TO MY BODY?” 

Of course, running is no exception. So, want to know some of the gross, unexpected, actual ailments that runners experience besides the obvious? Let me break the bad news to you (and all of the ways you can try and avoid these mishaps):

Chafing.

You’ll never truly realize the pain of chafed, well, anything, until you get in the shower post run, and the hot water hits all of the places that have been rubbed raw during your last run. The pain hits like white lightning, and you’ll likely scream and jump. It’s at that moment you realize that your sports bra dug into your shoulders over the countless miles, or thighs rubbed together one too many times, and you are now missing a few layers of skin. 

And let me tell you, it hurts. 

Next time, you can avoid that pain by lubing up before your run with a product designed to prevent chafing in athletes, like BodyGlide. Pro tip: you can almost never use TOO much lube. Apply liberally, and if it’s a long run and you have spots that are particular sensitive to chafing, consider carrying that lube with you for reapplication. 

Bloody nipples.

I’ll never forget the first time I witnessed a guy with bloody nipples at a race. His white shirt looked like he had run through a crime scene. I was slightly terrified, and then somewhat amused when I learned that men’s nipples often rub raw on their t-shirts over the course of a longer run or race. Women are often spared this atrocity thanks to their sports bras holding everything in place and avoiding the rubbing of the shirt directly on the skin. 

Guys: to avoid this ailment, and perhaps avoid scaring small children, be sure to use some sort of lubrication to prevent chafing. Want even better protection? Some runners use bandaids, medical tape, or products specifically designed for this issue, like Nip Guards, placed over their nipples. 

Blisters.

It starts as a small hot spot, a slight discomfort. Then the pain begins. Before you know it, you are limping simply to try and prevent the raw, fluid filled bubble on your foot that now impedes your every step from getting even worse. What’s worse, blisters seem to get exponentially worse with longer distances. I’ve seen blisters as small as a pencil eraser, and some larger than a half dollar. 

Nothing, I repeat, NOTHING about a blister is fun.

To prevent them? You guessed it: lube those feet! Also be sure to wear shoes that fit, to avoid sliding around in your shoes and causing extra friction. Lastly, wear socks designed for running; they are more likely to wick away sweat and stay dry, as well as less likely to shift around on your foot. 

Trench foot.

This might be one of the gnarliest running ailments I have ever seen, and one I had not heard of until I became more familiar with multi day and off road events. “Trench foot” is a term given to your feet when they essentially start to fall apart during a race, typically because they have become oversaturated. Skin cracks and peels, numbness occurs, and the outer layer of the foot essentially starts to decay. The term was coined after soldiers suffered this ailment while fighting in trench warfare during World War 1. 

In some instances, such as race courses that consistently go through water or mud, maintaining dry feet is nearly impossible. But do your best, change socks if at all possible (for longer distance races) and use a powder such as Anti Monkey Butt (yes, that is really what it is called) to help absorb extra moisture. 

Black & lost toenails.

The constant pounding of your feet on the ground, or the pounding of your toenail against your shoe, can cause blood to pool underneath the toenail. When the blood dries, you are left with a toenail that looks black…and it tends to stay that way for months. And even worse, sometimes that pounding can actually cause the toenail to separate from the nail bed, causing it to fall off completely.

Gross. 

The number one way to prevent these toenail ailments is to make sure your shoes fit properly. That way, the foot will not slide around, causing the toenail to bump against the front of your shoe. Lastly, keep your nails trimmed. The shorter they are, the less likely they are to catch or hit your shoe. 

Mysterious rashes.

You wake up the morning after a long run to an itchy rash on your legs, or maybe on your chest. What the heck is that? Well the answer is: it could be anything. Did you run through the trails or off-road? Maybe you encountered some poison ivy. Or maybe it was a particularly humid day, and you’ve given yourself a heat rash…or worse, some sort of athlete fungus.

Whatever the mystery rash may be, chances are you might be able to avoid it by showering immediately after your run. If you can’t immediately shower, don’t sit around in your sweaty, wet clothes. Change into something clean and dry. 

Now, these ailments are all pretty common, but are not the only ones runners suffer. But if you’ve noticed there tends to be a recurring theme between them all: wear the appropriate clothing and shoes, and take a few preventative minutes to lube up any place that might experience friction. And hopefully, you’ll be spared from these nitty-gritty ailments that your runner friends “forgot” to tell you about when you first started running. 

Categories
Lifestyle

Don't Flush! Take The "Plunge" on Saving Our Environment

Tossing unwanted trash is a part of our daily routine. It’s so easy to drop that apple peel down the disposal, or trash that unwanted pillow right into the garbage. But let’s get to the real nitty gritty. Show of hands, how many of you flush down your tampons, cotton balls, or even Goldy the goldfish? Come on, don’t be shy. Well, you probably want to pump the breaks on this. Although no one wants an acetone soaked cotton ball or “moist towelette” littering their trash bin the results of flushing them down the loo are actually catastrophic.
Chemicals are being eliminated into the water polluting water systems and killing animals. And remember good ol’ Goldy that you thought was dead? Well, many sewer inspectors say that they’ve found massive goldfish just living down there breathing in all of those fumes. Can you imagine a more horrifying existence than that? Oh don’t forget the condoms you or your significant other have been flushing. Ya, those bad boys are not biodegradable and have a tendency to clog pipes and once again eliminate small ecosystems.
Here’s a quick and easy list of items you should most definitely NOT be flushing.
Tampons: Tampons are the bane of plumbers’ existence. Tampons clog toilets; they’re not even meant to be flushed. So stop, just stop.
Cigarette butts: Not only are they just bad for you, but there are a ton of really disgusting chemicals inside them. All of those toxins that are released into the water eventually have to be filtered out again and chances are some of them are gonna squeeze past that filtering process.
Dental Floss: Even though it’s minuscule in size it is NOT biodegradable.
Animals: No animal should be flushed down the toilet. Whether it’s a minnow to an alligator. We’ve all heard the horror stories. Just don’t do it.
Prescription medicine: You know those climactic scenes in movies where the drug addicts flush their pills? This is extremely harmful on the environment. These drugs kill bacteria, will contaminate groundwater supplies, and can have terrible effects on wildlife downstream. There are various services, such as takebackyourmeds, that will dispose of your meds properly.
Condoms: Condoms don’t break down in water. Enough said.
Wet wipes: Even though they claim to be biodegradable this is when they’re observed for an incredibly long time. Sydney Water claims that 500 tons of wet wipes are removed from Sydney’s sewer each year. Pretty gross, huh?
Hair: Hair clogs showers so what makes flushing hair down the toilet any different? Over time all of that hair you’re flushing will turn into one giant ball that will not only clog major pipes, but the smell that’s been accumulating over time…pretty horrendous.
Cotton balls: Cotton balls are another one of the offenders that don’t break down just piling up bigger and bigger until the entire sewer system just explodes with soggy cotton balls. And let me tell you, no one wants to be around for that!
Some of these are pretty common knowledge while others…not so much. So what’s a good rule of thumb? If it’s not your bodily waste or toilet paper…just chuck it in the trashcan. Wouldn’t you rather whisk it outside than risk it coming back up all over your floor?

Categories
Lifestyle

Running ID – Never Leave Home Without It

“It’s never going to happen to me”.
Famous last words that we are all used to hearing as a warning from others; a warning to never assume that we are immune to the possibility of whatever bad event they are talking about.
I don’t want to sound like a mother lecturing you with my finger wagging in your face (even though I am a mother…and I’m quite possibly about to lecture), but this topic is serious and very important: running with identification.
Because like it or not, a running emergency or accident very well could happen to you, despite taking all of the right precautions.
Serious question: if something were to happen to you while you were out for a run, how would you be identified? How would first responders know who you were, what your possible health concerns might be, or who in your family to contact if you were unable to speak for yourself?
I hate to sound so morbid, but it is one of those unfortunate situations that we truly don’t stop to consider until it is too late. (How is that for another horrible cliché saying?)
But instead of continuing this downer of a conversation, lets talk about what we CAN do to ensure we have proper identification on us at all times when running. Here are my suggestions:
1) Emergency contacts in your phone.
I list this one FIRST because I want you to know that it’s not necessarily the best option. Let’s face it: in this day and age we are pretty attached to our cell phones, and hardly ever leave home without them. Numerous times I’ve heard people say something along the lines of “don’t worry, I have my phone!” But a phone is no guarantee.
Listing “Emergency Contact” or “ICE” (in case of emergency) in your phone may be useful in allowing medical professionals to contact your family after an emergency. However, in an accident, there is no guarantee your phone doesn’t get lost, or break. Or maybe you have your phone password protected, preventing anyone from finding the ICE number. The point is, cell phones are not a great source of identifying a person. So yes, while they can be possibly be useful, they shouldn’t be relied on as your only source of identification.
2) Carry an actual ID card.
Drivers License, student ID, anything that will give a positive picture and identification. Carry it somewhere obvious, but somewhere safe where it won’t get lost.  If you’d rather not carry an actual card, write your information, along with emergency contacts, on an index card and carry it in your running belt or the pocket of your water bottle (just for an example)
3) WEAR an ID.
The running and endurance community has been incredibly proactive about making it virtually effortless to wear an ID. Companies like Road ID, Yikes ID, and 1 Band ID have created ID tags that can be worn on your wrist, on your ankle, on your watch, or even on your shoe laces. These ID tags are obviously customizable, to include your information, your chosen emergency contact, as well as any possible allergies or medial conditions. Most of these items are under $20, making them an affordable, yet invaluable, investment.
In my opinion, wrist ID’s are your best option. Most first responders are trained to look for medial alert bracelets, which are typically worn on the wrist and contain vital health information for those with serious allergies or other medical conditions. While looking for that bracelet, they will stumble upon your ID tag, and voila, you’ve been identified.
4) Tattoo your information on your body.
I’m only kidding. Maybe. (No, I’m just kidding.)
So, now that you’ve read this article, I challenge…no, I implore you acquire some sort of identification to take with you on your next run (if you haven’t already. ) Because it’s better to be safe than sorry (morbid cliché #3).
And remember what your mother always told you: never leave home without clean, uhhh, running shorts and identification.

Categories
Nosh

Changing the Way You Think About Soft Drinks

How Bad Are Soft Drinks For Your Health?

The short answer: Very!

Yes, I can hear the screams now, “Don’t take away my soda!”

But here’s the truth: Soft drinks are the largest source of empty calories in the American diet and soda drinkers are at higher risk for obesity and heart disease.

Before you put your hands over your ears and sing “La la la” to drown out the message, let’s look at how your body digests a soft drink.

Our bodies are designed to digest food slowly through many phases in the stomach, large and small intestines. This slow digestion releases calories as fuel into the body to be used over time, rather than all at once. The process of digestion itself burns calories. Any unused calories are then stored as fat. Soft drinks, however, are liquid calories which need no digestion and are released into almost immediately. For most people it would take an hour of walking at a moderate pace to burn the nearly 200 calories in a typical can of soda. Given that most Americans move just 8 minutes per day, it is easy to see how the empty calories in soft drinks contribute to obesity.

People who drink at least one soft drink per day are 27 percent more likely to be over weight and are likely to eat more calories per day than non-soda drinkers. Drinking soft drinks does not make you feel full and, even worse, stimulates hunger.

So, does this mean you can never have a soft drink?

No, if you really love the taste, have a soda as an occasional treat. Think of soft drinks as what they are, liquid candy, not a beverage.

Would you eat a bag of Skittles as a side dish at dinner?

A 2.6 ounce bag of Skittles contains approximately the same amount of sugar as a 20 ounce soft drink. You body needs water to digest and function properly. Drinking water at meals rather than soda will aid digestion, cut empty calories as well as support your immune system, and keep muscles and joints working well.

But, what about diet soft drinks? That’s better right?

You would think diet soda would be a better choice, but it turns out it may be even worse for your health. Daily diet soda drinkers are nearly 50 percent more likely to have heart disease than non-soda drinkers. Again, drinking soda of any kind doesn’t make you feel full, and artificial sweeteners also stimulate hunger.

The jury is still out on whether artificial sweeteners and other ingredients including in soft drinks cause cancer or other health concerns. In typical studies, rats are fed a “clinical dose” of the ingredients to see what happens. This dose is many times more than a recommended serving. With the average American drinking nearly 600 cans of soft drinks per year, many of us are consuming a clinical dose.

Do your body a favor. Limit soft drinks and be kind to your heart.