Recreational Water Illness - How to Swim Safely

Swimming is a great way to escape from those hot summer days, but before going for a dive, be sure to know the facts! Every time you swim, you put yourself at serious risk for RWI, better known as recreational water illness.

Each year, 10,000 RWI cases of diarrhea and 6.2 million cases of swimmer’s ear occur and those rates are nearly double what they were 10 years ago. For people who need the exercise of swimming, this terrifying fact can keep them away from the only exercise they will do!

In addition to rising rates of RWI, with the rising rates of childhood obesity, a fear of physical activity is the last thing that anyone needs! Luckily, for cases of RWI there are solutions. The biggest solution is chlorinating the water, but completely drying ears and wearing a swimmer’s cap are good suggestions as well.

Many frequent swimmers suggest the “Take and Tug” method for cleaning out ears. Grab the ear by either the side or the lobe and give it a good tug. If done correctly, this will act as a little cork and let any standing water trickle out. Use your towel to dry it further.

But now you are probably wondering what illnesses do you need protection from exactly? Well, let’s go through a couple of the biggest risks.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Leads to: Swimmer’s Ear and Skin Rashes

Cryptosporidium, Giardia lamblia, Shigella, and E. coli
Leads to: Diarrhea

Cercarial dermatitis (Swimmer’s Itch)
Symptoms: tingling, burning, or itching of the skin, small reddish pimples, and/or small blisters that appear within minutes to days after swimming in contaminated water
Leads to: Blisters and Rashes

Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Leads to: Skin Rashes

Now all of these illnesses are typically found in lakes, oceans, poorly maintained swimming pools or hot tubs. Not all swimming locations are unsafe, so don’t be afraid. It is just important to be informed. A swimming pool is meant for fun, so get out there and enjoy yourself. Just remember these swimming tips and dive safely!

Pregnant Moms Exercise Tips

Many women enjoy a healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise and a good diet.

It can be tough to maintain that lifestyle when becoming pregnant, especially during the later stages when you have to carry around that extra passenger. Read more

Exercise During Pregnancy

Many women enjoy a healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise and a good diet.

It can be tough to maintain that lifestyle when becoming pregnant, especially during the later stages when you have to carry around that extra passenger.

Although it is tough, it is still possible to maintain an exercise program up until the last month of pregnancy, so don’t give up hope, talk with your doctor and figure out how best to manage your pregnancy and program for staying in shape. You’ll need to be in shape for delivery!

Pregnancy brings many changes, some easy to welcome and other bringing uncomfortable surprises. Hormone levels go wild, there is of course the weight gain and in the later months of pregnancy, movement becomes increasingly difficult. Changes in the level of progesterone, estrogen and others produce softening of the ligaments near joints. Strain on internal organs, makes it easy to say that back and leg pains are inevitable. At the same time, you’ll put on roughly 30 lbs. Wow…that’s a tall order for a gal!

Sometimes a general depression can also set in during pregnancy. Regular, appropriate exercise can help relieve much of that and help put your body in the best shape possible for labor. That optimizes your comfort and your growing baby’s health which is the best for both of you.

The first step is to adopt a kind of Hippocratic Oath of Pregnancy: First, Do No Harm;

that ancient principle from the Greeks is still valid, more so during pregnancy. Some women are used to running five miles, doing every station at the weight machine or performing Pilates an hour a day. That will have to change fairly quickly for the best interest of your growing child.

But maintaining a good exercise regimen is still possible, just change your workout to fit your changing body. Eliminate crunches or any other form of exercise that stresses the abdominals or back. Go with lighter weights. Avoid jerky movements and forego squats which can separate the placenta from the uterus.

Breathing correctly during exercises performed while pregnant is extremely essential. By breathing incorrectly the oxygen which the baby receives through the umbilical cord could be altered which could, in turn, harm the baby in the long run.

Keep in mind that your resting heartbeat will increase by about 8 beats per minute during the first few weeks. Blood volume increases substantially as you progress. Factor that in when you consider any cardio exercise.

If you’ve been exercising on a regular basis, then you know what to do and what changes to make. If you have been exercising for a while then simply consult your trainer. They will surely know you can best and most safely increase your exercise program. And if you have never exercised on a regular basis then stick to your Pilates or Yoga tape at home; save the gym for after the baby.

Now is not a good time to start an intense workout program if you have never exercised before. Not a smart move at all!

So is it ok to exercise during pregnancy? Be sure to check with your physician to get the official ok since every pregnancy is different, but with medical approval, you bet that exercise during pregnancy is a great idea to keep you healthy and in better shape for the pregnancy, labor and delivery. a

Exercising to Lose Weight Fast

There are so many guys and gals that believe that exercising to get in shape is incredibly dull.

Even though workout fanatics like to say that others are basically too lazy or too spoiled by the present sedentary way of life to exercise regularly, this is not always the case.

Some folks have far too busy daily schedules to press in another activity that consumes both energy and time. Not to mention that a significant number of guys and gals who find the continual repetition of the same motions incredibly boring.

The truth is that the repetition of exercising can only be labeled as joyous by those who feel affection for such things, while other people manage to focus their whole being on the consequences and pay no attention to the tedious routine. If you cannot care for or abolish the mind-numbing portion of an exercise program, then you will probably think of exercising as a thing that you would rather not do.

Regardless of how you really feel, this outlook is pretty bad for your well being. You may have employment that is high stress and high pay that takes away all your waking hours and you may feel that you can forget it until you are in your forties and can afford to lounge and lighten up. But this nice system doesn’t always shake out the way it is supposed to. As you age you have to face the fact that your body is going to age and as you age things fall to gravity.

Here’s the problem with that incredibly stupid thinking and that is by the time you find yourself getting older you may not be able to lay back and enjoy and your well being may not be in top shape exactly because of ignored exercising. Little physical activities such as 30 minutes of jogging or aerobics each day can go a long way toward getting to old age with a healthy heart and a better figure than most others.

It seems many people are terribly impressed prosperity, but wealth cannot gain your healthy youth back again, not to even talk about the fact that often times they are also without direction when it comes to true happiness. If your hectic life has brought you health challenges such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, then material goods is not going to resolve these conditions.

However even just a small amount of exercising everyday could make the difference in your old age. It could also help keep you from securing a spare tire around your waist. Let’s face it, looking soft and flabby as you age really just isn’t all that attractive, so make a decision to do something about it.

So it can be without any excitement at all and suck up loads of your day and doesn’t always cause you to take a deep breath and relex in any way, but it does help you cope with the stress and it does help your survival at all levels.

It is a known fact that many of the members of the opposite sex will also find a well toned body and one that is not overweight more attractive than someone who is a couch potato as evidenced by the condition of their body.

So stop filling up your schedule with so many things to do every single day and take a little time for planning and shopping for weight loss appropriate meals and giving yourself time to exercise and find that well toned and shapely body hiding underneath.