Month: April 2016

Categories
Lifestyle

What Is (And What Should Be) In Your First Aid Kit?

One of the most useful and important things that you can carry with you when you travel is a well-stocked first aid kit. Not only does it provide easy access to some basic medical supplies, it is much more convenient to have those items close at hand instead of having to run to a drug store when you need something. But what exactly should you put in your travel medical kit? Here are the basics that every traveler should take with them when they hit the road.

Band-Aids

Probably the most important item to have in your first aid kit is a supply of Band-Aids. The iconic adhesive strip bandages are useful for a number of issues, including cuts, scrapes, insect bites, blisters, and more. Carry a variety of sizes to cover all of your needs.

Personal Medications

It should go without saying, but if you’re currently taking prescription medications for any kind of ailments or existing conditions be sure to pack them in your first aid kit. You’ll need them while you’re traveling, and it is much harder to obtain replacement drugs while you’re on the road, especially if you’re visiting a foreign country.

Antiseptic Wipes and Antibiotic Ointment

You’ll face the potential when traveling of being exposed to germs and bacteria that your body is not accustomed to encountering. This can lead to infection or illness, which is the last thing you need when you’re on the road. Antiseptic wipes and antibiotic ointments can help clean cuts and scrapes, killing dangerous germs in the process. This will help prevent an infection from ever getting started.

Basic Painkillers

Everyone gets headaches from time to time. Having basic painkillers such as ibuprofen or Tylenol on hand can help stave off minor aches and pains, allowing you to be more comfortable in the process. Depending on the situation, these simple medicines could actually play a vital role in how much you enjoy your trip.

Anti-Diarrheals 

One of the most common ailments that we face when away from home is the dreaded “traveler’s tummy” aka “Montezuma’s Revenge” or “Delhi Belly.” If you have Immodium or a similar anti-diarrheal in your med kit you can get relief for this affliction quickly and get back on the road to recovery. This is one of those items that you hope you never need, but are so glad to have when you do.

Anti–Motion Sickness Medications

Many people suffer from motion sickness, but it isn’t something that they experience in their day-to-day lives. Instead, it is an affliction that often appears while people are traveling and find themselves on boats, buses, airplanes, and other modes of transportation that could potentially cause motion sickness. Having medications designed specifically to deal with this issue could save your entire vacation.

Blister Pads or Moleskin

While exploring a new location we usually end up spending a lot of time on our feet. This can lead to unexpected blisters, which can become extremely painful if left untreated. Blister pads or moleskin can help save your feet from unnecessary punishment and get you back to enjoying your vacation quickly.

Electrolyte Hydration Tablets

It is not uncommon for people to become dehydrated while taking part in an active excursion or visiting a warm, humid destination. This can lead to all kinds of issues, including dizziness, disorientation, and nausea. Electrolyte tablets can help overcome those issues and get the person back on the road to recovery.

Sleep Aids

Many people find that they have trouble sleeping when they are staying in hotels, hostels, or campsites. Carrying a mild sleep aid, such as Unisom, can help. These medications are designed to make you drowsy and fall asleep easier—something we can all appreciate at times.

Tools

Round out your travel first aid kit with a set of tools that could come in handy while you’re away from home. For instance, a thermometer is useful for diagnosing a fever; tweezers will allow you to remove splinters or insect stingers and clean debris from cuts and scrapes. Medical scissors are great for cutting bandages or tape. Safety pins have a number of uses too. Be sure to carry these items in your kit at all times. You’ll be glad you have them.

Categories
Wellbeing

Turn Unhappiness Into Happiness In 5 Easy Steps

Everyone wants to be happy. In fact, happiness is probably at the top of your list of goals in life, and I’m sure it’s been a New Year’s resolution in the past. Wishing you were happier won’t get you very far because as you’ll learn, your happiness is actually something you can control. But what about your unhappiness? You aren’t alone focusing on what you want and neglecting how you feel. It seems intuitive to avoid negative feelings because they’re uncomfortable and feel bad, but by ignoring them you’re actually losing some valuable information that can change you and your life on a deep level.

I like to teach about the equation of pain + reflection = wisdom.

Emotions on their own are really just energy passing through your body. It’s what you attach to your feelings that generates the experience you have and the amount of suffering you can cause yourself. It’s not a good idea to ruminate on feelings or overanalyze them, but sometimes—and this is the case with unhappiness—you can really learn a lot by understanding what is being communicated through your feelings.
Most of the time you probably know you’re unhappy and wonder why you’re not happy, but it’s rare that I see people ask themselves why they’re unhappy. Digging into this kind of self-inquiry can be really fruitful because it’s very hard to turn unhappiness into authentic happiness if you’re not clear about what you need to shift in your life.

Step One: Make a list of reasons why you’re unhappy (here are some examples):

  • Single and lonely
  • Hate your job
  • Going through a breakup
  • Stressed about money
  • Don’t like where you live
  • Feeling lost and adrift
  • Bored with your life
  • No social life

Step Two: Get clear about what happiness is.

Happiness is a state of being, not an end goal. There are things that you do or don’t do that contribute to your level of happiness at any given time. For example, people who socialize more are more likely to live happier lives than people who isolate or spend too much time alone. Happiness is connected to your brain’s wiring so when you stimulate certain parts of your brain and the neurochemicals housed in there, you are “triggering” your happiness.

Step Three: Uncover your happiness triggers.

Give some thought to what does make you happy or where you feel the most happiness. It might be on vacation, hanging out with friends, or on a hike. What do you feel in those situations? There will always be things in your life that make you feel happier and those that make you feel unhappy, so learn to add to your happiness quota. Picture the counter-balance of an English coin scale with one side being happiness and the other unhappiness. The more you add to each side, the lower the other side will be.

Step Four: Practice being happy.

In essence, happiness requires action; it doesn’t just happen all the time. Like with gratitude or self-compassion, you have to practice at being happy regularly. This takes effort, but it’s completely in your control. This means reaching out to make plans so you can feel connected even if you don’t feel like it, spending a Saturday volunteering because altruistic behavior increases happiness, or spending some time in nature instead of in front of your computer. All of these activities will increase your happiness quotient.

Step Five: Choose happiness over unhappiness.

As you look through your unhappiness list ask yourself if you can choose happiness in any of those situations. Making a conscious choice to feel happier sets an intention and commitment to yourself to live as often as you can in a more positive mindset. It’s easy to feel sorry for yourself and get stuck in feeling like you don’t have any power to change your unhappiness, but in reality, you are the only person who can. You don’t have to change what’s making you unhappy, you need to make sure you’re adding more happiness-promoting ingredients to your life soup.
Relieve yourself of any unrealistic expectations of being happy all the time. Unhappiness is an important part of life because it’s a reminder that things aren’t as good as they could be, and it can motivate you to make changes in your life. Most unhappiness comes from a feeling of being trapped or like we don’t have control over what’s happening in our lives, but the one thing you can almost always control is how you feel.

Categories
Wellbeing

Deconstructing The Military Diet

Growing up in a military family made me appreciate the discipline and commitment that are required to be in the military. The so-called military diet that is making the rounds on the internet again is not endorsed by any branch of the military, but it is being hailed by its devotees as a way to jump-start or perk up your [linkbuilder id=”6535″ text=”weight loss efforts”].
HealthyWay
Before you raise your hand to salute the military diet, make sure you know the pros and cons.

  • The Military Diet Plan Theory

    No one is certain where the military diet originated, although there is a website for it. The diet works on the theory that regulating your food intake to a certain balance of carbohydrates and calories for three days will help you burn fat and lose a few pounds in a week.*
    *Disclaimer: Causes for being overweight vary for every individual. This means no individual result should be seen as typical, and results may vary for every person who tries a diet or weight loss program.
    It all sounds good in theory, but let’s be real. This theory is just based on the known scientific fact that lowering calories results in weight loss. There is no science behind the foods you eat during the three days of the diet. It’s simply a low-calorie diet with specific foods to consume.

    What You Drink

    Drink water. A lot of it, all day. The best way to increase water consumption throughout the day is to have a water bottle on hand that keeps water cool for up to 24 hours. Not only will you stay hydrated, but you will feel fuller throughout the day. On top of that, you are allowed to drink tea and coffee. However, you can only use stevia—no artificial sweeteners whatsoever.

  • What You Eat

    The Military Diet plan website indicates your meal plan for the three days of the diet should look like this:

    Day 1

    Breakfast: 1 slice of toast with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, 1/2 grapefruit, 1 cup coffee or tea without sweetener
    HealthyWay
    Lunch: 1/2 cup tuna, 1 slice of plain toast, 1 cup unsweetened coffee or tea
    Dinner: 3 ounces of meat, 1 cup green beans, 1 small apple, 1/2 banana, 1 cup vanilla ice cream

    Day 2

    Breakfast: 1 egg, 1 slice toast, 1/2 banana
    Lunch: 1 hard-boiled egg, 1 cup cottage cheese, 5 saltine crackers
    HealthyWay
    Dinner: 2 hot dogs without buns, 1/2 cup of raw carrots, 1 cup raw broccoli, 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup vanilla ice cream

    Day 3

    Breakfast: 1 slice of cheddar cheese (approximately 1 ounce), 1 small apple, 5 saltine crackers
    Lunch: 1 slice of bread or toast, 1 egg
    HealthyWay
    Dinner: 1 cup tuna, 1/2 banana, 1 cup vanilla ice cream
    This requires significant meal-prep, so it helps to use plastic storage containers for keeping your food fresh.

    Substitution Options

    You can see from the above menu that the diet is extremely restrictive and low in calories. Substitutions are allowed, but you need to be careful that you do not significantly alter the daily calorie allotment or the diet will not be as effective.
    HealthyWay
    If you want to try the diet but don’t eat meat, you can substitute beans or eggs for the meat portions. Don’t like bananas? Have an apple or orange instead. Try to substitute like food groups for like food groups. For example, don’t substitute grains for vegetables or fruit for meat.

  • The Difficulty of Sticking to the Military Diet Plan

    Like many fad diets, the challenge to staying on this diet is actually following the food recommendations. I have tried a lot of diets over the years. And anytime I tried a fad diet such as this one I did well on the first day, so-so on the second day, and I binged on chocolate and chips by the third day.
    HealthyWay
    If you are really committed to trying this diet, I recommend emptying your pantry and refrigerator of junk food. Then purchase what you need for the next three days and do your best to stick with the recommended foods.
    If you are not used to eating at the calorie intake levels the diet provides, you will get hungry. And if you are like most people, when you get too hungry, you eat a lot at one time. There are no nutritious snack options in the diet to assuage your hunger, so you’re going to have to handle the inevitable hunger as best you can if you insist on trying the diet.

  • Should you try the Military Diet?

    I cannot recommend this diet for several reasons.
    HealthyWay
    First, it falls into the fad diet category, which means it is inherently unhealthy and sets up unrealistic expectations for success. Second, the calorie levels are substantially lower than most physicians recommend. And third, why go on a fad diet when other healthier diet plans are readily available?
    Cookbooks are an effective way to help you lose weight; an entire category of cookbooks is dedicated to healthy eating and striking a balance between what tastes good and what’s low-calorie. It might be worth checking out cookbooks like The Skinnytaste Cookbook if you’re trying to lose weight.

  • Trying the Military Diet Anyway?

    Remember that this is a three-day plan, and the instructions indicate that after three days you should eat about 1,500 calories a day before restarting the diet.
    Don’t set yourself up for failure by trying to stick to this diet for the long term. If you do try it, think of it as a way to jump-start your weight loss and then switch to a more reasonable, realistic, and sustainable diet plan.

Categories
Nosh

Plant Eaters Listen Up: Are You Getting Enough B12?

Plant-based diets are beneficial to your health. They lower your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, and can even help with weight loss. But one nutrient that must come from animal sources is B12. Vegans especially are more likely to be deficient in this critical B vitamin, which can lead to symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, constipation, and vision loss, and mental problems that include memory loss and depression.

What’s B12 anyway?

We humans need B12 to make red blood cells and for maintenance of the nervous system, synthesis of DNA, and for the basic smooth functioning of the body’s systems. Specifically, our nerves are covered in a sheath called myelin; over time a B12 deficiency can cause a breakdown in this covering, which can cause permanent (yes permanent!) damage to the nervous system.
B12 is also crucial to a child’s growth and development. So if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, it’s especially important to ensure that you’re not deficient. Deficiencies can cause anemia, fatigue, neuropathy, stroke, degeneration of the nervous system, and poor resistance to infection.

How do I know if I’m deficient?

Unfortunately, deficiencies are sneaky and can catch up to us with little warning. Strict vegans who don’t eat any animal products are at risk, as are people with digestive disorders like Crohn’s and celiac disease who have difficulty with nutrient absorption. The inability to properly absorb B12 is actually much more common than a dietary deficiency. Those who often take medicines like Zantac and Nexium for stomach acid are also at risk.
You may want to get your levels checked if you fall into any of the categories above or if you’re over the age of 50. The average adult needs 2.4 micrograms daily to avoid deficiency.

What foods contain B12?

Cooked clams are the best source of B12, with 84 mg in 3 ounces. Beef liver, mackerel, crab, salmon, fish eggs, tuna, sardines, grass-fed beef, milk, raw cheese, eggs—as well as bran cereal and tofu that’s fortified with B12—are also good sources.
Although some have claimed that algae like spirulina contain B12, further analysis has shown that this is not the case. Instead, algae actually contain similar B12 compounds that are not absorbable to humans.

A Vegan Deficiency

Vegans are at a real risk of being deficient in B12 because they eat very few food sources that contain the nutrient. In fact, famous vegan cookbook author and television chef Christina Pirello of Christina Cooks spoke candidly about how a B12 deficiency likely partially caused her brain aneurysm in 1998. Pirello, who is also a registered nutritionist, claims that the fact that she had avoided animal products for a decade likely contributed to her serious health scare (along with some hereditary health issues). Today Pirello recommends getting a blood test to check levels and supplementing B12 in your diet if necessary. When you don’t get enough in your diet it usually takes about five years for symptoms of a deficiency to crop up.

Should vegans supplement B12?

As Pirello says, if you think you’re deficient, talk to your doctor about blood tests. But according to the Vegan Society, you can get enough B12 in a vegan diet by eating foods that are fortified with B12—such as tofu, cereal, and plant-based milks—at least three times per day. Yeast extracts like agar, vegemite, and nutritional yeast, which are often used in vegetarian recipes, are also good sources of B12.
But if you do want to supplement, you can take a daily 10 mg supplement or a weekly 2,000 mg supplement. B12 is best absorbed in small amounts, although it is water soluble so you can’t overdo it like you can with fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin D. Other herbivorous animals get B12 from bacteria in their own digestive system, but humans aren’t able to do this.
A carefully planned plant-based diet has been shown to have a number of health benefits. But B12 is one vitamin that is difficult to obtain without including any animal products in your diet. In some cases, you may be getting enough in your diet, but your body’s inability to absorb the nutrient may be causing a deficiency. Either way, if you’re feeling some of the sneaky symptoms listed above or you’re in a vulnerable group, consider getting a blood test and then talking to your doctor about supplementation.

Categories
Wellbeing

When Your Loved Ones Don't Support Your Running Journey

For most of us, running is a passion that we did not grow up with, but instead discovered later on in life. I mean, let’s face it, not many of us actually enjoyed running the mile in middle school gym class, did we? For some, the love of running stemmed initially from a weight loss journey. Others started running with the intention of completing a race, perhaps a bucket list item. Or maybe a co-worker suckered you into racing a local 5K. Whatever the reason, you now find yourself utterly hooked on running. You want to spend all of your free time training or racing. You constantly want to talk about running, read about running, or watch movies about running. You want to share your love of running with everyone you meet!

Unfortunately, not everyone is as enthusiastic about running as you are. And what’s worse…sometimes those who are not in the running fan club are the same people who are normally in your fan club: your loved ones. Not having support from your loved ones can be more than simply disappointing, it can be downright hurtful. So what do you do when your loved ones don’t support your running journey?

Talk to Them.

Perhaps your partner or family simply don’t understand exactly why you are suddenly so enthusiastic about running, and that confuses or scares them. Maybe they have fears and insecurities that are convincing them you want to spend less time with them, so you are literally running away. Maybe they think you are going overboard with your “weight loss” method (because some people don’t understand that there is any other reason to run). Or maybe they simply want you to stop talking about running for five minutes so they can discuss something they enjoy talking about.

Keep an open line of communication with your loved ones. Explain exactly what running means to you, why it is important to you, and why you are pursuing the sport. Genuinely ask what their hesitations are regarding your love for running, and truly listen to them when they explain their concerns. Talking freely, openly, and regularly can help prevent any resentment on either end.

Look inward. 

Let’s take a moment to discuss a harsh truth: Too much of a good thing can be bad. Yes, you love to run, but has running taken over your life? Has running replaced much of your free time with your loved ones? Is running affecting your life or your family’s lives in a negative way—emotionally, physically, or financially? Have your priorities changed in a way that negatively affects those closest to you?

Now, I’m certainly not pointing fingers. If you have gone from a sedentary, unhealthy lifestyle to an active, healthy one, then your change in priorities is clearly a beneficial one. If someone doesn’t support a change that improves your health, then perhaps they are the negative one in this situation. If this is the case, maybe the re-evaluating you should be doing here is whether that person is a positive influence in your life. But if running has become such a priority to you that other important things and people in your life are beginning to suffer, then perhaps you need to re-evaluate how your actions are possibly hurting others.

Accept that not everyone will understand.

Some people will never understand why we choose to run for fun. These are generally the same people who will say something like “I only run when being chased by a bear.” And the truth is, it’s okay for them not to understand. If you’ve talked to your loved ones about your passion for running and they’ve talked to you about their lack thereof, then maybe it’s time to “agree to disagree.” There are certainly still plenty of things that you share in common—after all, they are the most important people in your life!

Find a support system. 

Even if you agree to disagree about your love for running, it is still incredibly helpful to have people in your life who do understand and support you. Your best bet here is other runners. Finding a running support system will give you someone to celebrate your new 5K training personal best time with and someone to vent your frustration to over a race that didn’t go the way you planned. Or maybe it would be nice for you to simply have someone to ramble on with about the latest release of your favorite sneakers and other topics that would be meaningless and uninteresting to non-runners.

At the end of the day, not everyone is going to understand your love for running, just as you may not understand the appeal of someone else’s hobby. It can be a tough pill to swallow, emotionally, to know that your loved ones aren’t jumping up and down with excitement over your running. 

So remember why you took up the sport of running. My guess is because you love it. Don’t let anyone ruin that passion for you. As long as you can find a balance that ensures there is no resentment between you and your loved ones, then keep on running.

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Sweat

Making Sacrifices To Lose Weight: Are They Worth It?

Missed television shows, hours in the gym instead of sitting at home, giving up foods you love, and eating differently from your friends and family are just a few of the sacrifices you might make when dieting. Sure, losing weight is a lot of work and requires many sacrifices on your part, but are those sacrifices worth losing weight for?

Let’s face it. The word sacrifice isn’t one with a lot of positive connotations. One dictionary defines sacrifice as the “Forfeiture of something highly valued for the sake of one considered to have a greater value or claim.”

In some ways, it doesn’t even seem fair that you’d have to sacrifice anything to lose weight. Just clean up your diet and boom—you’ve fixed the problem.

The issue is that cleaning up your diet does require sacrifices. The longer you’ve been overweight the more sacrificial those changes feel.

You have to make sacrifices to lose weight because the habits you’ve developed that caused you to become overweight in the first place are the ones contributing to your weight problem today.

And in most cases, those are the habits you’ve got to give up.

Common Sacrifices When Losing Weight

I think you might find it helpful to make a list of some of the changes or sacrifices you need to make when losing weight. So in addition to the few sacrifices I mentioned in the introductory paragraph, I’ve put together a list of four more. I am a list maker; when I lost my weight, knowing what I was giving up and what I was gaining helped me stay focused and committed to the long-term prospect of losing weight.

1. Sleep – You might have to get up a little earlier or go to bed a little later to get your exercise time in.

2. Relaxation Time – Instead of sitting around visiting with friends, watching movies, or surfing the internet, you might have to give up some of that time to plan meals, exercise, or prepare food for the next day.

3. Comfortable Relationships – For some people, myself included, one of the hardest sacrifices to make is losing relationships that were built around food. When I changed my diet, some of my friends weren’t happy and stopped including me when they went out to dinner or had a food-centered party. They didn’t want my new diet to ruin their fun.

4. Junk Food – You don’t have to give up every single junk food item you enjoy when losing weight, but you will need to cut back drastically and cut some of them out entirely.

Looking at Sacrifices in a Positive Light

You might be thinking that the sacrifices you make or the foods you give up aren’t worth it. But I promise you they are.

It’s all in your perspective.

If you go into your diet bemoaning the fact that you can no longer eat M&M’s for lunch or have an appetizer and a dessert at your favorite restaurant, you will be miserable.

Instead of thinking about sacrifices as only a loss, consider instead what you gain.

For example, if you get up 30 minutes earlier to take a brisk walk, you’ve burned some calories, ramped up your metabolism for a few hours, and started your day on a healthy note. That’s all positive.

When you turn down the offer of dessert or junk food, you’ve given yourself more room in your diet for healthy, filling foods. That’s a positive.

And when you can finally get back into a smaller sized pair of pants, fulfill a long-desired fitness goal, or feel comfortable in your own skin, all the sacrifices you made to get there are 100 percent worth it.

Categories
Sweat

How Much Vitamin D Do You Really Need?

In recent decades, an emphasis on sun damage has led many of us to avoid the sun. But the other side of this coin is that without the sun you can become deficient in vitamin D, a nutrient that’s crucial to optimal health. In fact, vitamin D plays a role in the inner workings of nearly every system in our bodies. As a result, supplementing with vitamin D has become a common practice. But is it necessary? Let’s take a closer look at this critical nutrient.

What’s Vitamin D?

Unlike many other vitamins, the body can make its own vitamin D when it’s exposed to the sun. This is not true of vitamins such as A and C, which the body cannot make and therefore need to be obtained through diet. Once the body makes vitamin D it converts it to a hormone called calcitriol, which is important to many of the body’s systems. For example, vitamin D is critical to strong bones because it helps with the absorption of calcium and phosphorus. In fact, even if you get ample calcium from the foods you eat, without vitamin D, the body cannot properly absorb these minerals.
To a large degree, there’s a lot we don’t know about how vitamin D works in the body, but we do know that it’s found in nearly every cell and that it’s important for the optimal function of the muscles, heart, and lungs, as well as having important anti-cancer benefits. Research has shown that those who are deficient are at an increased risk of having a heart attack. Vitamin D has also been shown to help the body fight off infection.

How Much Vitamin D Do You Need?

The National Institutes of Health and the Health and Medicine Division of the National Academies of Science both currently state that number is around 600 international units (IU) for the majority of adults. It’s the same for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Infants from birth to one year only need 400 IU, and seniors age 71 and older need 800 IU. This is largely due to the fact that the elderly are at an increased risk of osteoporosis. Recent scientific evidence has shown that this number may be statistically flawed, however, because the recommendations were based on averages that were far too low and that the daily allowance may actually be more like 8,000 IUs. This is a wide range, so it’s best to get your blood tested and establish with your doctor what your safe levels should be.

How to Get Enough Vitamin D From the Sun

It’s difficult to quantify how much sun each individual needs to avoid a vitamin D deficiency because your skin’s pigment plays an important role. Sun strength is also important, based on the time of day. For example, if you’re fair skinned, being outside at noon for just a few minutes per day may be plenty. Experts say that for a fair-skinned individual, going out in the sun for just 10 minutes when the sun is strong can produce 10,000 IU of vitamin D, which can last you through cloudy and rainy days. Going beyond that time may be too much sun. But if you have a darker skin tone it may take around 15 minutes or more.

Can You Get Vitamin D From Foods?

It’s difficult to get enough vitamin D from your diet because it’s not found in very many sources. But there are a few foods that contain ample amounts. Fatty fish like mackerel and salmon contain between 400 and 600 IU, whereas eggs yolks and beef liver contain around 40 IU. Canned fish like tuna and sardines contain around 140 IU, and fortified foods like milk, almond milk, yogurt, orange juice, tofu, cereals, and oatmeal contain between 100 and 200 IU.

Can You Overdo Vitamin D?

Yes you can. Some doctors fear that too many people are over supplementing, taking in excessive amounts of the vitamin (another reason why you need to get tested). Too much vitamin D can cause overly high blood calcium levels, which lead to nausea, constipation, and even kidney stones.
The bottom line is that you can have too much of a good thing. Although there’s differing evidence when it comes to how much is too much, getting the vitamin through supplementation does put you at risk of overdoing it. If you are supplementing, talk to your doctor about how much you really need.
Vitamin D is an important nutrient for the optimal function of the body’s systems. But a little sunshine combined with a diet rich in fatty fish, eggs, milk, and tofu may be all you really need.

Categories
Sweat

Running & Restrooms: How To Plan Ahead

As with many things in life, there are some running subjects that people conveniently forget to discuss with new runners. For example, the fact that running is not an inexpensive sport, after you factor in all of the cool gear and race entries that you are eventually going to want. Or that some really odd and maybe even gross things might start happening to your body once you become a regular runner. 

Another topic people tend to forget to talk about? Bathroom breaks. 

A question often asked by my new runners once they start approaching longer and longer training runs is something along the lines of “where am I going to go if I have to use the bathroom?” The question is almost always asked with a look of both fear and surprise, once they realize that this is indeed a valid concern to have. Because chances are if you are out running for an hour or more, you might find yourself needing to use the bathroom. 

For some people, this is not a big deal at all, and they will figure it out if and when they need to. For others, this can evoke feelings of anxiety over the “what if” possibilities, especially if there are health concerns or other circumstances that require frequent or even immediate bathroom visits. If you are in the latter group, and the thought of not being near a restroom concerns you, here’s what you do:

Stay close to home.

This first option is the easiest one, if your neighborhood is runnable. Stay within whatever radius of your home that you feel you can safely make it back to once nature calls. Bonus points for not having to do the uncomfortable public restroom who-knows-what’s-on-this-seat hover squat, because you are using your own toilet! 

Know where the public restrooms are.

If you have a longer route planned, make sure you know where, if any, public restrooms are located. This could be anything from a park bathroom to a port-a-potty at a ball field. If you are seriously concerned about bathroom stops, it might be worth checking to see if these public restrooms or port-a-potties are ever locked, which could be a very unwelcome surprise. 

Swing through a store. 

Or a hotel, or a restaurant, or any other place with a restroom…but make sure you are welcome to use the restroom first. Here at the beach where I live, many of the oceanfront hotels are more than happy to allow runners from our local group to quickly use the restroom located in the main lobby. 

Other establishments, however, reserve restrooms for customers only. Be sure to ask permission first, and be understanding if the answer is “no.” And if the answer is “yes,” be sure to show your appreciation with kindness, or better yet, thank them with some sort of purchase. This, of course, is much easier with a convenience store than, say, a hotel. But you get the idea. 

Duck into the woods. 

I know, many people don’t even like to consider the possibility of this one, never mind actually do it. But sometimes emergencies happen or you are simply out on a remote trail and have no other choice. Regardless, there are a few things to keep in mind if you decide to use mother nature as your latrine. 

First, make sure you are well off the trail and out of sight; you don’t want to surprise any of your fellow runners or an innocent passerby. Second, be sure to cover up what you leave behind. This includes any excrement (preferably, dig a hole for #2) and toilet tissue you might have used. Be sure to use biodegradable paper…if you remembered to pack any. If you didn’t, avoid using leaves unless you are absolutely sure that the plant is not poisonous or won’t cause any negative skin reactions. 

In the end, it simply takes a little bit of planning ahead to ease any running and restroom fears. And if an emergency arises, don’t fret. In running we often joke that there is “no such thing as too much information,” and this topic is no exception. It’s a natural human function; we’ve all been there and survived to run another day.

Categories
Nosh

Is Scheduled Eating Backfiring On You?

“Eat every few hours,” intones a weight loss guru. “Eat six small meals spaced evenly thoroughly the day,” suggests another expert. “Schedule your eating to ensure you lose the most weight possible,” an article on the internet suggests. Although these pieces of advice can work, there can be a downside to eating on a strict schedule. If you are eating five or six times a day on a strict schedule to lose weight and not having success, here are some possible reasons why the strategy could backfire.

Why Is Scheduled Eating Recommended?

The volume of advice on weight loss can be overwhelming. Not every expert recommends scheduled eating, but many do. Scheduled eating does has some advantages:

  1. You know when you will eat next.
  2. You can easily plan your meals around your work and leisure schedule.
  3. Hunger may be minimized because you don’t allow yourself to get hungry.

Does It Always Work?

Scheduled eating doesn’t work for everyone. If it did, that would be the universal recommendation from doctors and weight loss professionals alike.

In fact, there is research and anecdotal evidence that scheduled eating doesn’t always work for weight loss.

For instance, a 2006 article published in the International Journal of Obesity examined the eating habits of young and old people. The researchers found that “In both age groups, eating frequency was positively associated with energy intake, and eating more than three times a day was associated with being overweight or obese.”

Personally, I’ve had some clients who do well with scheduled eating and others who did not.

Who Does It Work For?

Scheduled eating tends to work best for people who function well with set guidelines rather than loose suggestions.

If you are a person who doesn’t like to follow the directions when assembling a piece of equipment or someone who likes to find your own way, you might not respond well to scheduled eating.

If, on the other hand, you find yourself being the most productive and successful when following directions or eating according to prescribed guidelines, scheduled eating can definitely work.

What’s the Problem With Scheduled Eating?

There are two potential problems with scheduled eating.

Potential Problem #1:

If it doesn’t fit your personality you are going to be unhappy. I did not do as well with scheduled eating as some of my clients do. I am a bit of a free spirit when it comes to following directions, and scheduled eating made me crazy. I was always thinking about when the next meal would be and whether it would be okay to eat before the scheduled time or even skip a planned meal. That didn’t help normalize my relationship with food.

Potential Problem #2:

This problem is more detrimental to weight loss. For some people, eating on a schedule means the removal or diminishing of natural hunger cues. Additionally, when you eat on a schedule you might eat more than you really need just because the clock tells you it is time to eat.

For example, if you have a set schedule of eating every 3 hours starting at 8:00 a.m., do you ever learn what foods fill you up? Do you ever learn what times of day you are not as hungry? Do you really learn to eat as you will once you hit weight maintenance?

Maybe or maybe not.

If you find yourself losing weight at a slower rate than you expect based on your food intake and exercise, try going a little longer between one or two of your meals. Determine if you are truly hungry enough to eat again or if you might do better skipping a snack time or pushing lunch back an hour or two.

This can help you keep your calories under control, learn to develop mindful eating skills, and train yourself to eat when you are truly hungry and not just based on the time on a clock.

Categories
Wellbeing

Feel The Love: Can Hugs Make Us Healthier?

Hugs seem so much a part of life that we may not realize how powerful they really are. Of course, there are the evolutionary factors. A hug is the first thing that happens to help mothers and infants attach properly to each other. Research shows that unless there is a premature birth or illness, moms should hold and hug their infants as much as possible. This is especially true during the first few weeks of life—but we need hugs throughout our life.

A hug activates oxytocin—the cuddle hormone that not only helps with bonding and reduces stress, but also seems to stimulate powerful neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin. These brain chemicals are often associated with the regulation of mood, and lower levels of these neurotransmitters have been linked to depression, self-doubt, and lack of motivation. Higher levels tend to make us feel good—and hugs have the ability to boost these levels. The longer and more frequent the hug, the greater the effect.

Remember how you feel the love when you’ve gotten a good hug? With all the changes in hormones and neurotransmitters, it makes sense—and there are physical benefits as well. Your muscles relax, and with the warmth and feeling of safety comes a calming effect. Research also shows it can help increase circulation and even reduce your heart rate. A hug is a reciprocal act that builds trust and safety between the huggers—each benefiting the other. 

But the other side of this coin is also true. When people are in conflict they hug less and the stress-induced reaction makes them more tense and—according to research—less able to ward off cold viruses. A hug brings about changes that not only make us feel good, they may help immunize us as well.

Psychology professor Sheldon Cohen of Carnegie Mellon University led research investigating whether hugging is a type of social support that protects people from getting sick. The research focused on hugging as an indicator of social support because hugging someone typically signifies a closer and more intimate relationship. The study’s findings, published in the journal Psychological Science, were that those who received more frequent hugs and social support were better protected against infections that are associated with stress. They also experienced less severe symptoms when they were sick.

The researchers studied more than 400 adults through questionnaires about the frequency of interpersonal conflicts and hugs. Then they intentionally exposed participants to a common cold virus and monitored the degree to which they got infected and showed symptoms. The risk of infection accompanying conflicts was reduced when perceived social support was greater—with hugs responsible for one-third of the protective effect. Regardless of whether they experienced conflicts, greater perceived social support and more frequent hugs both resulted in less severe illness symptoms among infected participants.

According to Dr. Cohen, “those who receive more hugs are somewhat more protected from infection.”

So go out there and give someone a hug—it just might be the healthiest thing for both of you.