Thursday, August 31, 2017
Wednesday, August 30, 2017
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
Monday, August 28, 2017
Sunday, August 27, 2017
BLOG 126 SUNSCREEN
BLOG 126 SUNSCREEN
Lathering on sunscreen should be part of our daily regime
and “getting ready” process in the morning. The harmful UV rays of the sun are
cancer causing and dangerous, yet we still have to live our lives and be
exposed. In fact, being tan is part of our Southern California state of mind.
Tanning beds still exist. Being properly protected and taking the necessary
preventative measures are extremely important. So put on that sunscreen.
So how do which know what to buy?? Which is the best?? You
definitely want both UVA and UVB rays to be covered. UVA doesn’t have a number
associated with it but UVB does with SPF 15 or higher. One must know what SPF
refers to: “The SPF factor rates how effective the sunscreen is in preventing
sunburn caused by UVB rays. If you'd normally burn in 10 minutes, SPF 15
multiplies that by a factor of 15, meaning you could go 150 minutes before
burning” (http://www.webmd.com/beauty/features/whats-best-sunscreen#1).
You should also take into consideration water and sweat resistance.
To put this in simpler terms, make sure to look for a
sunscreen based on its SPF and one that contains one or more of the following ingredients:
camsule, avobenzone, oxybenzone, titanium dioxide, sulisobenzone, or zinc oxide. Truth be told this can still be a bit
confusing because having a higher SPF doesn’t mean the sunscreen is that much
better. It just means the longer it lasts. Here was an example I found, “Contrary
to what you might think, SPF 30 isn't twice as strong as SPF 15. While SPF 15
filters out 93% of UVB, SPF 30 filters out 97%, only a slight improvement” (http://www.webmd.com/beauty/features/whats-best-sunscreen#1).
Be sure to wear some form of protection and research which
brand is appropriate for your skin type, time spent in the sun and what
activities you will be doing. Protect your skin while you are young, prevent
further damage, and be adamant about doing this daily. We hear from our elders
so often that they wish they would have done this. Sunscreen!!!! There’s no
counter argument here 😊
Saturday, August 26, 2017
Friday, August 25, 2017
Thursday, August 24, 2017
Wednesday, August 23, 2017
Tuesday, August 22, 2017
Monday, August 21, 2017
Sunday, August 20, 2017
BLOG 125 SLEEP APNEA
BLOG 125 SLEEP
APNEA
Sleep is part of each cycle in our day. We are sensitive to
how much sleep we get and are aware of the bare minimum to make it through the
day. Sometimes this nightly routine is not easy and sometimes it’s amazing.
However, sleep apnea is a common but very serious sleep disorder among more
folks than one might think. So let’s take a look a closer look at this
condition.
Definitions are always a good start. Thus, “Sleep
apnea is a serious sleep disorder that occurs when a person's
breathing is interrupted during sleep. People with untreated sleep
apnea stop
breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times. This
means the brain -- and the rest of the body -- may
not get enough oxygen” (https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox). There are 2 types of this.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OPA) is the more common type in which the airway is
blocked and the throat collapses. Central sleep apnea is when the brain isn’t
signaling the body to breathe. Communication is ineffective with the respiratory
system.
Here are the common risk factors for sleep apnea:
·
Being male
·
Being overweight
·
Being over age 40
·
Having a large neck size (17 inches or greater in men and 16 inches or
greater in women)
·
Having large tonsils, a large tongue, or a small
jaw bone
·
Having a family history of sleep apnea
·
Nasal obstruction due to a deviated septum, allergies, or sinus problems
And here are the health risks if left untreated:
- High blood pressure
- Stroke
- Heart failure, irregular heart beats, and heart attacks
- Diabetes
- Depression
- Worsening of ADHD
- Headaches
If you have
any of these symptoms, go see your doctor. From there, they might have you to
do a sleep study to monitor your eye movement, heart rate, breathing, choking, and/or
snoring. This may result in the following: “The treatment of choice for obstructive sleep apnea is
continuous positive airway pressure device (CPAP). CPAP is a mask that fits over the
nose and/or mouth, and gently blows air into the airway to help keep it open
during sleep. This method of treatment is highly effective” (https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-disorders-problems/sleep-apnea-treatment). And then, “Other
methods of treating sleep apnea include: dental appliances which reposition
the lower jaw and tongue; upper airway surgery to remove tissue in the airway;
nasal expiratory positive airway pressure where a disposable valve covers the
nostrils; and treatment using hypoglossal nerve stimulation where a stimulator
is implanted in the patient’s chest with leads connected to the hypoglossal
nerve that controls tongue movement as well as to a breathing sensor” (https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-disorders-problems/sleep-apnea-treatment). Other lifestyle changes like
losing weight and cutting out alcohol and smoking can help.
It's hard to
argue that lack of sleep is not fun. Sadly, many of us are used to this with
life’s demands. However, serious cases when sleep deprivation is continuous
need to be addressed. We want our mind and body to be operating as best as
possible on our fitness journeys so be sure to get those zzzzzz’s.
Saturday, August 19, 2017
Friday, August 18, 2017
Thursday, August 17, 2017
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Monday, August 14, 2017
Sunday, August 13, 2017
BLOG 124 PAIN KILLERS
BLOG 124 PAIN KILLERS
Every BODY has their own level of tolerance for pain.
Sometimes we need assistance to overcome a hurt or sensation that is terribly
uncomfortable say from the dentist, a surgery, or from an injury. Doctors will
then prescribe medications to alleviate this discomfort, understanding this is
a temporary solution for a medical need. But somehow, the use of painkillers
has become an apparent problem in our habit forming society who rarely does
anything in moderation. On our fitness journeys, pain can occur from injuries
and setbacks, thus, let’s take a look at these pills and inspect what they do
to our bodies.
Our body detects pain and tells us and boy oh boy we feel
it. Here’s the low down: “When part of your body is injured, special nerve
endings send pain messages back to your brain. Painkilling drugs interfere with
these messages, either at the site of the injury, in the spinal cord or in the
brain itself” (http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/whoami/findoutmore/yourbrain/howdodrugsaffectyourbrain/howdopainkillerswork).
Aspirin and opiates are the two types which are the foundational ingredient. Aspirin
comes from willow bark and it helps alleviate pain from inflammation. It helps
with swelling. Opiates come from the opiate poppy and are the more dangerous
form: “The most active substance in opium is morphine - named after Morpheus,
the Greek god of dreams. Codeine, a less powerful drug, is also found in opium.
Both these opiates relieve pain, relax muscles and cause drowsiness. All
opiates mimic your body's own painkillers. Morphine is a very powerful
painkiller, but it is also very addictive” (http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/whoami/findoutmore/yourbrain/howdodrugsaffectyourbrain/howdopainkillerswork/whatareopiates).
The reality is that when something makes us feel good, we
like it and want more. Human nature at its finest. In fact, “In the last ten
years, stimulant prescriptions have seen an increase from 5 million to 45
million, while opiate/opioid
prescriptions grew from 30 million to 180 million” (http://drugabuse.com/). Even worse check this
out: “n 2012, 259 million prescriptions for painkillers, such as Vicodin, OxyContin, and Opana, were written in the U.S. When used
improperly, these legal opioid drugs can present some of the same risks as
illicit heroin sold on the street. While 467,000 people in the U.S. struggled
with heroin addiction in 2012, over 2 million were estimated to abuse opioid
painkillers” (http://drugabuse.com/featured/the-effects-of-opiates-on-the-body/).
Veins can collapse, heart lining can become infected, sedation can occur,
breathing becomes slowed causing respiratory issues that can be fatal, you can
actually become more sensitive to pain, and your immune system becomes
suppressed. The liver is greatly damaged trying to process all this.
Pills and drugs are quick fix solutions and band aids, not
part of the life style changes we are aiming to create. Know yourself and your
personality when faced with pain and let your doctor know. Communication is
critical. Body awareness and self-control are troublesome when tested with
convenience but you are so much stronger than you think you are.
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