Healthy e-Tip: (Just One Hour!)

January in the Gym:  I've been spending some time with corporate clients this January getting them started on safe and appropriate exercise for their level of fitness and mental readiness. I'm amazed at how bad many of the gym trainers are with clients who are paying them good money to get hurt! I wish I could spend one hour with everyone in the country that wanted to start exercising and teach them some basics on biomechanics and safe progressions!

Here's one example from last week--I'm doing my dynamic warm-up waiting for my client, and a trainer shows up behind me with his client. The client starts complaining about how sore he had been lately to which the trainer replies, "Yeah...since you met me!" The trainer throws him (about 35 years old, overweight, not very fit) onto a stability ball and barks at him to do abdominal crunches for three full minutes. I don't even do them for three full minutes! I can't help but watch as his client does limited range of motion abdominal crunches with his hands behind his neck. The guy was so over his level of ability that he couldn't do a full range of motion and had to "yank" on his neck every time he came up. One of the greatest benefits to stability ball crunches is to get the back "extension" as you lower your torso. This guy was going so fast and so recklessly that he ruined most of the benefits to the exercise--and also was in danger of hurting is neck. To make matters worse, the trainer kept kicking his feet together narrowing his base of support which was the exact "opposite" of what the client needed! I always make sure people starting use a wide base of support to better stabilize themselves on the ball so they don't fall off. You want to challenge people in a safe manner so they don't get hurt and quit. But wait--it gets worse! After two minutes, the trainer has the guy lift one leg completely off the ground while doing the crunches--and guess what? The client fell completely off the ball! The trainer throws him back on the ball laughing and the poor guy somehow completes the last minute.

See the Stability Ball Chop-My Favorite ABS Exercise on the ball!

My point is this--any trainer can go hard and hurt people. There seems to be this mentality for trainers to show a client everything they know the very first session. I can drop you in five minutes--so what's the point? There isn't one as a wellness coach wanting the most amount of people healthy and fit. My recommendation is to find someone that can help you with exercise that will assess where YOU are both physically and mentally then assist you with an appropriate and SAFE exercise program. There is nothing wrong with modifying for safety and to help people get their confidence as they begin--it's smart!

Oh! Remember last week's message about empty calories in beverages? I did some math on the "medium" Frappuccino from last week. Considering that many people get the same kind of coffee each day of the work week, that one coffee per day will give you 112,800 calories per year. Not a big deal? You might want to see below. Factoring that most average adults in reasonable shape can only burn about 600 calories per hour in a "hard" workout, this is what it will take to burn off the Frappuccino!

Coffee Calories:
470 (one "medium" Frappuccino blended-whip per work day)
470x5=2350 calories (one week)
2350x4=9400 calories (one month)
9400x12=112,800 calories (one year)

Exercising Off Calories!
600 *(average calories per hour burned in "hard" adult workout with good fitness level ability)
112,800÷600=188 hours (exercise required to burn off a year's worth of Frappuccino)
188÷12=15.7 hours (exercise per month)
15.7÷4=3.9 hours (exercise per week)
3.9÷5=.8 hours (exercise per work day)

Think of it this way--it will take you as long to burn off the coffee as it takes you to drink it! *AND--most Americans are not in good enough shape to burn 600 calories per hour and many have the "large" coffee and not the medium! Reality? Many are drinking more calories per day and doing absolutely no exercise to get them off; hence, I must leave you with a quote today which will apply to most of the general population...

Enjoy the Frappuccino...see you in the gym! :o)

Healthy e-Tip: (Empty Calorie Drinks) Small things over a period of time add up in Wellness. This morning I stopped for a juice drink on the way to work. I had a choice. Either choose a 100+ calorie healthy drink or choose a 100+ calorie "empty" drink. What's the difference if they are both a little over 100 calories you might ask...one has great nutritional value and the other has calories that are "empty" of any health benefits. If I'm going to drink calories in the morning for part of my breakfast, I want them to be healthy! Additionally, I got a cup of coffee for the road. There are actually some health benefits to drinking a little coffee in terms of increasing your metabolic fat burning--"BUTT" beware! A little coffee education can go a long way to either slimming your booty or super sizing it big time!

For around 15-16 ounces, these are good examples.

Examples:
Naked Brand "Antioxidant" 100% Juice Smoothie (15.2 oz)

• Calories=120
• Fat=0
• Cholesterol=0
• Vitamins: A=100%, C=210%, E=300%
• Includes: Raspberries (3), Blackberries (2), Apples (2), Strawberry (1), & Banana (1/2)

Coke Classic (16 oz)

• Calories=194!
• Fat=0
• Cholesterol=0
• Vitamins: Forget about them Bucko!
• Includes: Lots of artificial chemicals that are not good for your organs, teeth, and health

Plain Coffee: Brewed from grounds with tap water (16 oz.)

• Calories=2
• Fat Grams=0.05
• Cholesterol=0

Starbuck's Frappuccino Blended-whip (16 oz.)

• Calories=470!
• Fat Calories=140
• Fat Grams=16
• Cholesterol=65 mg

The choice is clear--choose health! People have been making fun of me for 20 years, but last time I looked, there was not a whole lot "behind me" compared to most other Americans! I'll stick with my process because it has worked well for over two decades to keep my weight balanced and my health and fitness at the top of my performance curve...care to join me? :o)

What are YOU doing today to help your body perform with optimal health? Most Americans are doing nothing. Sorry--junk food and sodas don't qualify as performance food. If you break your body, where will you live?! Think about it--then do something positive to help yourself TODAY!

Healthy e-Tip: (Chili Peppers-Nature's Red Hot Superfood!)  The chemical capsaicin in chili peppers not only makes them hot--but also very healthy.  Chilies are also high in antioxidant carotenes and flavonoids and contain twice the Vitamin C found in citrus.  Here's a condensed list of health benefits found in chilies.  For details, explore links below.

• Improves digestion by stimulating stomach secretions.  Think peppers give you ulcers?  A myth!  They actually "help" your stomach.

• Contains vitamins A, C, E, folic acid, and potassium.

• Lowers triglycerides

• Have laxative effects

• Triggers release of endorphins--nature's pain killer chemical.  Did you know that endorphins are 400 times "stronger" than morphine?  No wonder people feel better after a workout!

• Unclogs stuffy noses by irritating mucous membranes

• May reduce high blood pressure

• May protect against some forms of cancer

• Increases metabolic rate and helps with fat burning.  Don't think so?  Try chomping on a real hot pepper and sweating a while.  Sweating is a MAJOR way to burn calories!

• Relieves and prevents headaches

• This low-fat, low-calorie, nutritional food is a great way to spice up your meals--really good for diabetic diets that can be somewhat bland at times.  Using peppers and other spices is a healthy way to get a lot of flavor into your meals without all the unhealthy sugar, fat, and processed chemicals.

• Superfood #7: Hot Peppers (Oprah.Com)

• Spice Up Your Meal With Spicy Foods (Cooking-and-Food.Com)

Healthy e-Tip: (Chili Pepper Heat Ratings) Have you ever wondered why chili peppers are so hot?  It’s because of a chemical called “capsaicin.” This chemical is concentrated in the veins of the fruit and NOT the seeds like most people think. Peppers are rated according to heat by the “Scoville Scale” which was invented by Wilbur Scoville, a pharmacist, in 1912.  The pepper heat scale ranges from 100-500 (Bell Peppers) to 100,000-350,000 (Habanero; Scotch Bonnet Peppers). Pepper heat is affected by the local weather conditions where the peppers are grown.  The hottest, baddest, most macho pepper is the Mexican Habanero which measures 350,000 units of heat—Mucho Caliente! Wanna bite a Habanero?  Get a fire hose quick! Tabasco Pepper Sauce measures about 30,000-50,000 on the Scoville Scale.  Peppers also have numerous health benefits…stay tuned for next week’s pepper update on how peppers can heat up your wellness!

Healthy e-Tip: (Healthy Gifts for Kids) Got kids in your life? Gift the best gift of all this year--the gift of HEALTH! Click to see healthy book recommendations for young children that emphasize life-long activity.

Health e-Tip: (Back Extension) Got back pain? If so, you might not be "extending" your spine enough. Most people are in chronic "flexion" bending over a desk, driving, sitting, etc. Click to see a simple and gentle back exercise called the "Press Up" to reduce pain and increase spinal mobility through spinal extension.

Healthy e-Tip: (Knee ACL Injury Prevention) Do you weeble, wobble, then fall down? Have you had ACL knee problems? Is your knee really the "root cause" of the problem? Maybe not. Emerging research has indicated that in many ACL failures, the problem was not the knee itself but the lack of hip stability higher up in the chain of movement.  Poor hip stabilizer strength allows the knee to shift out of position.  The knee is a "hinge" joint that does not do well with "lateral" bending.  With weak hips, knees get too much lateral movement.  Amazingly, by isolating the hip stabilizers and strengthening them, I've been able to significantly reduce the amount of lateral ACL stress in knees and keep people away from excessive lateral force to their ACLs along with improving sport and movement performance.  Click to see how a $2.95 ankle band can possibly fix your knee and potentially save you a costly ACL knee surgery!  Many times the BEST solution is the SIMPLE solution!  Another good example that Wellness Works!

Health e-Tip: (School Lunches!)  Here's some "food for thought", but don't eat it! Child obesity is an epidemic. Government is spending millions on obesity studies. Have "you" asked what your child's school serves for lunch and activities? I just received an e-mail from an upset parent--the elementary school lunch menu today is "Chili Cheese Biscuits & Hot Dogs."   Make sure your kids don't eat it!  Why are we spending millions on obesity research while we feed our kids cheese biscuits and hot dogs?!  It defies logic!  My corporate clients have also been asking these questions.  Many of the managers now offer "healthy choices" for meeting snacks which have included fruit, lower-fat bagels, yogurt, veggies, water, and 100% juice drinks.  Wellness is good for business and good for your families!  Consider getting involved in your child's school menu selections--giving your child the gift of health is the best gift of all.

Healthy e-Tip: ("Focusing" on Safety-Using Sport Psychology For Industrial Safety) In the science of performance psychology, "attention focus" is the most important mental intervention. A major technique to block distractions that can distract your concentration is called "filtering."  Many times accidents are caused by someone or something distracting you from the immediate task at hand.  Learning to "be focused" on your job task and pre-work planning can keep you alive and safe!  Thinking about what you'll have for dinner that night is not important while doing your job.  What is important is your job task and the variables in your environment that are safety concerns!  Stay Safe By Staying Focused!

Sport/Performance Psychology Summary of Attention Focus & Filtering from my CSUN Thesis Project on Mental Skills Training for Athletes:

• Selective Attention & Filtering: Selective attention refers to selecting certain information for processing while filtering out or ignoring non-relevant information.  For example, what does an athlete need to pay attention to as they perform? Does a baseball batter need to listen to the catcher talk trash or do they need to filter out the catcher’s comments?  The comments are not important. What is important is watching the pitch. The batter needs to filter out the comments along with any other performance-robbing distractions.

• Think of the cat stalking a bird.  This is a perfect example of selective attention!  The cat is very focused on the bird while at some remote level still being aware enough of the environment to notice another animal stalking it like the dog next door. The cat “filters out” everything possible except what is relevant to catching the bird and staying alive itself (dog or other predators). The cat moves in a flow state with control—it has heightened arousal optimal for the task but is also appropriately relaxed…don’t think so?  You try sitting in one position for over an hour staring at a bird!  This is referred to in sport psychology as “relaxed intensity.” 

• To book a Mental Skills Training Workshop for your school's sport program or your corporation's safety meeting, contact Ron Jones.

Health e-Tip: (Portion Sizes)  Research indicates that the more food you have in front of your face, the more food you eat! When bowls, plates, and serving spoons are bigger--so are the portions! Click to read one of the latest portion study summaries.

Health e-Tip:  (Big Meal Dangers)  Planning on big meals for the holidays and football season?  You might want to think twice because a meal high in calories may quadruple the risk of a heart attack in those at risk to coronary heart disease.  Researchers theorize that the large meals may temporarily elevate blood pressure, which could break loose some atherosclerotic plaque in the artery.  This free-floating plaque in the bloodstream could lead to a blood clot in a coronary artery.  Enjoy your meals, but eating in moderation is good heart health as well as weight control!  (Source: www.drlenkravitz.com , Exercise Physiologist, University of New Mexico)

Health e-Tip: (Take the Stairs!)  Taking the stairs instead of the elevator burns approximately 1 calorie for every 5 steps.  Given the fact that the average flight of stairs contains 15 steps, individuals who choose to use their feet instead of an elevator to go up and down three flights of stairs once daily (every day of the week) can lose more than 8 pounds during the course of a year (all other factors being equal).  Take the stairs to your desk on the 2nd or 3rd floor.  If your desk is on the 1st floor, use the restroom on the 2nd or 3rd floor.  If you don't have stairs at work, take the stairs whenever possible at the mall or airport!  It's not that hard, and the benefits are worth it!  (Source: American College of Sports Medicine Health & Fitness Journal)

Health e-Tip: (Circulatory System) Our amazing bodies! Did you know that the human heart pumps the equivalent of 5,000-6,000 quarts of blood each day! What have "you" done to help your heart today? Eating fruits, veggies, exercise, and drinking plenty of water all helps promote healthy and happy hearts!  (Source: www.bodiestheexhibition.com)

Health e-Tip: (Child Obesity) "Honey We're Killing The Kids!" Prevalence of overweight children has nearly tripled in the past two decades, and we have a national epidemic of obesity! L The Learning Channel has a dramatic new parent and family education program called "Honey We're Killing The Kids!"  This program is a startling wake-up call for parents of obese children to change the family culture towards wellness before it's too late.  The show has been getting major press and great reviews.  Their website has helpful tools for parents on nutrition, kid fitness, family activity guides, etc.  The best gift you can ever give your children is the gift of a healthy life! I have a great one-page handout for parents on how to create "Fit for Life" Kids--please read and use!  You can also use the on-line calculator to determine your child's BMI (body fatness).  Child BMI must be determined differently than adult BMI, so this takes a special equation and calculator which is listed below. Because there are so many fat children today, fatness looks "normal" is accepted socially; however, you might be very surprised to learn your child's BMI and how they fit into the normal vs. overweight categories. 

• Honey We're Killing The Kids! (The Learning Channel Family Education Program)

• Fit for Life Kids: Begin Lifetime Health Today! (Parent Handout)

• Child Body Mass Index-BMI Calculator (On-Line Tool)

• What is BMI? (General Info & Adult BMI Scale Handout)

• Child Obesity Help & Support (Important Stats & Weblinks)

• Background:  Aera Wellcoach Ron Jones has worked at a national level on Child Obesity Prevention and has been featured on Fox News live with Neil Cavuto's Real World business show discussing the costs of child obesity on American corporations.  Ron also designed the "Fit for Life" Program for  Kaiser-Permanente, Bakersfield City School District, and Boys & Girls Club.  Fit for Life was a successful after-school obesity prevention program based on physical fitness activity rather than competitive sports. Ron is a fully-credentialed teacher in Health Science, Physical Education, and English--take advantage of Ron's help to improve your own family's wellness at home!

Health e-Tip: (Fit Facts) American Council on Exercise (ACE) has posted a great "Top Ten Fit Facts" with 1-page handouts on such topics as flexibility, warm ups, choosing exercise shoes, worksite back health, understanding supplements, proper hydration, and more. Click here to see full list.

Health e-Tip: (Phone Hygiene) Got phone funk?! Latest studies indicate that our cell phones are carrying some nasty bacteria. When's the last time you cleaned your phone?  Probably never!  L Just think about all the sneezing, coughing, and spitting you do on your phone and what you carry on your hands when you grab your phone then put it on your lips--Yikes!  Consider wiping off your phone with an anti-bacterial wipe at least once a week.  Use a dry clean cloth to remove any chemical residue after the moist cleaning to prevent any skin irritations.

Health e-Tip: (Ankle & Hand Weights)  To weight or not to weight? Should you run with extra weights around your ankles or carry hand weights while walking or running? Are extra weights even safe?  There are numerous issues surrounding ankle and hand weights that most people don't realize--let's look at some of them:

• Observation: I was on the bike path last week and saw an overweight man running with ankle weights.  He was struggling to run because of his "body weight" yet was adding even more weight to his exertion level with the ankle weights.  On my way back, he had stopped running and could barely walk.  In reality, just running with his body weight alone was probably too hard.  By adding ankle weights, he completely overloaded his capacity to maintain a run pace and put his knees in danger of injury with the extra load--NOT good!

• Magnifying Compensations:  Many people struggle to "run clean" without compensations and biomechanical deviations.  I'm a big "body weight first" person which means learn how to exercise with your body weight first before getting carried away with adding extra weights, resistance, and speed.  If you want to tear yourself in half, just strap on some ankle weights to magnify your stride, foot, knee, and hip problems--not good!  Hand weights can have a similar effect.  If a person runs with poor posture and is slumping forward (like most do), adding more upper body weight can magnify their poor upper body mechanics and eventually even cause lower body problems with stride biomechanics.  If you need upper body strength, do it before or after your cardio run and walk workouts--but not during with hand weights.

• Ankle Weights & Knee Strain:  I stopped recommending ankle-weight running years ago.  The ankle weights put too much load on the knee joints.  Knees are not designed to "lift heavy weight" off the ground below them.  They are designed to help propel the body weight "above them" when standing, walking, or running.  (For similar reasons, I don't recommend knee flexion/extension machines anymore.)  Also, considering the fact that most Americans are overweight anyway, the knees are already getting worn out too fast and under additional strain--OUCH!  L

• Stride Efficiency:  Having your lower leg loaded COMPLETELY changes your natural running stride and alters the efficiency of your lower body biomechanics!  What eventually happens is that people end up almost dragging their feet along the trail because their legs get so tired and heavy.  You can actually injure your knees from running with ankle weights plus you end up running like a burned out T-Rex instead of a gazelle!  For most people I've observed, the last thing they need is "added" weight during running or power walking.  They would be better off just maintaining a quality heart rate for a longer period of time with body weight alone.  For people that truly need extra loading for sport or occupation, the new recommendation is a weight "vest" that distributes the extra weight around the whole torso and lower body instead of just loading the knees alone.  If you are a forest fighter, soldier needing to carry a 100 pound pack in the mountains of Afghanistan, or training for a high-altitude attempt on Mt. Everest, then you "might" need extra weight loading with your training.  If you don't fit into the above categories, you're probably better off to stick with body weight.

• Bottom Line!  If you want to run or walk, then just do them without added weights.  If you need more upper body strength, fit a strength workout in before or after your cardio session.  If must fit everything into one session, try taking a break half way out and adding body weight push ups and pull ups before you run or walk home.  Above all, run and walk clean to prevent injury and increase enjoyment of your exercise sessions!  See you on the trail...and leave the sandbags at home!

Health e-Tip: (Eating Out)  Eating out can be a challenge if you need to lose weight! Which is the low-fat choice: Bearnaise, parmigiana, roasted, or flaky? To learn more helpful tips on eating out to keep fat and calories under control from the American Council on Exercise, see "Best Choices When Eating Out" article

Health e-Tip: (Spinal Injuries & Football)  Pre-season high school football is upon us—an exciting time of the year for your sons’ athletic career.  To keep your son healthy and playing at his absolute best, think about the following recommendations and precautions.

According to the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, over half of high school sport injuries occur during practice with football having the highest injury rates.  Football also has the highest rates for head/neck/spine injuries.  Having experience with high school and collegiate football conditioning, I can tell you the following based on my personal observations:

• Football players have terribly weak core muscles in their trunks and very poor joint function.

• Many football players by the time they reach college have a legacy of chronic injury and poor rehab that have severely decreased their abilities to move efficiently.  Why?  Most high schools don’t have a full-time “certified” athletic trainer or a full-time strength and conditioning “specialist” that are nationally certified to ensure quality control.

• Football coaches know football—but not strength conditioning and high-performance fitness conditioning.  If you want to see how to “NOT” perform strength conditioning and weight lifting—go to a local high school.  High school gyms are famous for inefficient if not unsafe to outright dangerous lifting practices with football being the worst.

Head/Neck/Spine Injuries: There are two basic spine injury categories—the head/neck and trunk (or midsection).  Head/neck injuries can be prevented with heads up tackling (no spearing) and neck strengthening exercises.  I’ll address the trunk injury category.  Trunk is the body’s “core” which includes not only back muscles but also front abdominals and side obliques.  “Core training” trains ALL the muscles around the trunk.  Core muscles help to stabilize the spinal column to increase efficiency of movement and prevent back injuries.  Core is the body’s “Pillar of Strength.”  The most important series of exercises to prevent back injuries are called “bridges.”  Spinal bridging exercises are performed in different positions while the body is held in a “plank” (straight line) with the spine locked in neutral.  Bridging builds DEEP endurance and stability for the spinal column.  Bridge positions are held for about 30 seconds each with strict attention to neutral spine, alignment, posture, and technique.  If your son is not bridging to prevent spinal injury and increase efficient movement—he should be—NOW!  Not later after the injury but “before” to at least minimize the risk for injury.  Core bridging photos and directions can be accessed off my website's Core Exercise Section.  Just look for the bridges (face up, face down, sides) at the top of the page list.  Bridge now to move better and pain free later! 

• Many of  my corporate and private clients have "fixed themselves" with the bridging exercises I've shown them and thus have removed their own chronic back pain--join them!

• *Ron Jones is a fitness & Core conditioning consultant for BC Collegiate Football & Pepperdine University X-Country & Track.  BC Football has experienced its lowest injury rates in over 20 years thanks to Ron's new core & fitness program designs!

Health e-Tip: (Rotator Cuff Injuries & Back Strength) Row your way into back and shoulder health! "Rowing" exercises help pull shoulder blades back into place. Weak "forward" shoulders lead to rotator cuff injuries because the shoulder is out of balance and cannot work efficiently. Are your shoulders too far forward and out of balance?  The center of your shoulders should be in alignment with your spinal midline.  If your shoulders are out in front of your spine then you probably need more back strength along with some stretching in the front.  Stretch what is tight (front shoulders) and strengthen what is weak (back of shoulders and mid back)  Back rows with tubing, dumbbells, or cable machines are examples of good fundamental back strength exercises.  Row now to avoid pain later!  Click here to see a sample Tubing Back Row.

Healthy e-Tip: (Fruit=Hydration!)  Eat your water! A great way to help hydration in hot weather is to eat plenty of fresh fruit. Many fruits are not only loaded with water--but also contain many wonderful vitamins, minerals, and fiber, so eat up and cool down!

Health e-Tip: (Safe Sweating) Trying to "sweat" off the pounds? Don't do it with an exercise sweat suit! Forcing excessive sweat with a rubber suit will NOT cause permanent fat weight loss--only temporary water loss and possible heat emergency!  I'm amazed at how many people still do this--I just saw a guy last week running in this hot weather with a sweat suit!  You have four ways to transfer heat out of your body so you don't overheat--conduction, convection, radiation, and evaporation.  Evaporation accounts for 80% of total heat loss during exercise; therefore, you have to let your sweat evaporate to regulate your core temperature.  What happens if you don't dissipate the increased heat of exercise in summer weather like this week?  You can have heat exhaustion, heat stroke, or even die!  Click here to read full article by American College of Sports Medicine Fit Society Summer 2006 Newsletter. *(See Page 8 "Salt & Athletes: Shake it or Leave it?")

Health e-Tip: (Dumbbells) Dumbbells are smart! Strength training with dumbbells instead of machines and bars can increase shoulder stability more efficiently. Using free weights requires more technique and instruction, but dumbbells can still be quite safe if you know how to use them.  Be smart and get fit--use dumbbells!

Health e-Tip: (Core Training)  Your “core” is the trunk area of your body from waist to chest, front, sides, and back—all the way around.  Training your core gives you more stability and strength around your spinal column.  Having a solid core means you have a “pillar of strength” built around one of the most important areas of your body—your spinal column which encloses critical nerves for bodily function.  Train your “core” first after a brief warm up instead of throwing it in at the end of your workouts when you are tired.  You should also do more than just the “ABS” in the front.  Core is all the way around so also work the sides (obliques) and back (rotators and extensors) for optimal health and back injury prevention.  Click here to view quality core exercises.

Health e-Tip: (Back Pain)  Chronic back pain has been linked to weak back extensor muscles according to research. Most people are "flexed" too much (folded forward) but rarely extend the spine up straight. The Stability Ball Chop is a great exercise to increase back strength-See link for directions

Health e-Tip: (5-A-Day Fruits & Veggies) Eat "5-A-Day" (servings) of fruits and veggies for optimal health! A fruit serving=1 cup fruit or 100% fruit juice or 1/2 cup dried fruit. A veggie serving=1 cup raw or cooked veggies or veggie juice--or 2 cups of raw leafy greens. Be Healthy. Eat 5-A-Day!

Health e-Tip: (Keep Kids Hydrated—Defeat The Heat!)  Summer is here—finally!  Our kids are in the pool, families are off to the lake, and kids are outside playing hard—in the heat.  Keeping kids hydrated with plenty of fluids (sodas don’t count!) is critical not only to sport performance—but also for health to eliminate serious heat exhaustion, heat stroke—or even death.  Some latest research shows that about 2/3s of kids are significantly dehydrated before sport practice and that during a typical 4-6 hour practice session those kids NEVER regain normal hydration even though fluids were available.  The key—drink before, during, and after events and practices!  Hydration is very critical with children for a number of reasons.  Children produce more heat per pound than adults.  Even though kids have more heat to get rid of per pound, they don’t have the capacity to sweat as much making it more difficult to rid themselves of heat and excessive core temperature.  Kids have a real cooling disadvantage which is even more reason to make absolutely sure they stay hydrated during summer activities.  Kids also do not have the behavioral or psychological drive like adults to stop and drink—adults must make sure they STOP and drink on schedule.  Surprisingly, even though kids have a decreased capacity to sweat, children can still lose up to a quart of sweat in a two hour period on a hot day putting them in serious danger if they don’t replace these fluid volumes!

There are tricks to getting kids to drink.  One is offering a “flavored” sport drink like Gatorade because it tastes better—plus it also provides important electrolytes lost in sweat to maintain a proper fluid balance.  Now true—sport drinks are “high calorie” which is NOT good for overweight and obese children; however, if it comes between your kid dehydrating and getting sick or getting some extra calories, I’d recommend going for the sports drink.  Cool temperature fluids also taste better on hot days which will encourage more drinking and help to reduce inner core temperatures.

For extreme “summer” temperatures and moderate to severe humidity, the recommendation is 5-10 minutes of rest and fluid break per 25-30 minutes of activity.  Below is a table by the National Association of Athletic Trainers and American Academy of Pediatrics to help with guidelines for drinking volumes:

Kids and dehydration is nothing to play around with this summer.  A heat stroke will permanently damage the thermoregulatory system of your child.  Defeat the heat this summer—be smart and hydrate properly and on schedule! 

Health e-Tip: (Fish)  Eat fish twice per week. Fish contain healthy oils that are good for your heart. Some fish need to be restricted because of contamination like shark, swordfish, & bass. Other warnings exist for children and pregnant women. Click here to learn more Fish Facts!

Health e-Tip: (Weight Loss)  Less than 5% of people that lose weight keep it off because fad dieting never works for long-term weight loss. Use "Balance, Variety, & Moderation" when eating to facilitate permanent weight loss and improved wellness FOR LIFE.

Health e-Tip:  (Beverage Calories)  Did you know that 20% of Americans' daily calorie intake comes from beverages alone? Drinking more water will reduce these calories. Drinking plenty water is also one of the top recommendations for permanent weight loss.  Regarding children, child obesity, and fruit juice, The American Academy of Pediatrics has the following recommendation about juice:

* Children under 6 years old, should not drink more than 4-6 ounces of juice per day.
* Older children, 7-18 years old, can drink 8 to 12 ounces of 100% juice each day.
* Juice should not be introduced until your infant is about 6 months old.
* Never put juice in a bottle, try to offer it in a cup only.
* Use of only 100% fruit juice.
* No unpasteurized juices should be given to children of any age.

For more info, click link:  http://www.acefitness.org/newsletters/archive/2006-05-health-etips_files/drink.pdf

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(Updated 10.16.07)