Archive for January, 2010
Health Article – Dehydration
Did you know that by the time you are thirsty you are already dehydrated? Dehydration, as little as a 2% loss in fluid, negatively impacts your body and your mind. Dehydration can cause confusion, irritability, constipation, drowsiness, fever, and thirst More signs and symptoms of mild to moderate dehydration include dry, sticky mouth, muscle weakness, stiff joints, headache, dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, cramping, decreased urine, cool extremities, slow capillary refill, and sunken eyes. You can usually reverse mild to moderate dehydration by increasing your intake of fluids.
For athletes or those with physical jobs, the inability to perform and focus as a result of mild dehydration may increase the risk of injury. Athletes and those with physical jobs may suffer a loss of performance of up to 30%. They may experience flushing, low endurance, rapid heart rates, elevated body temperatures, and rapid onset of fatigue. It is imperative that you drink enough fluid before, during, and after your workout or work shift.
Severe dehydration is the loss of 10-15% of body fluids and is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical care. The signs and symptoms of severe dehydration include extreme thirst, irritability and confusion, very dry mouth, dry skin and mucous membranes, lack of sweating, little or no urination, any urine that is produced will be dark yellow, sunken eyes, shriveled and dry skin, rapid heartbeat, fever, coma, and even death. Dehydration of any kind will not correct itself
How much fluid should your drink? It is recommended that you drink the number of ounces in fluid that is equal to half your body weight each day. For example, if you weigh 100 pounds, your hydration goal would be approximately 50 ounces per day with normal activities. You would adjust accordingly for days that you exercise intensely, drinking more.
Most active individuals have some level of dehydration at the end of a workout or work shift. Here is another hydration tip… It is recommended that you drink enough fluids to replace approximately 150% of the weight lost during exercise.
Other than the symptoms of dehydration, how do you know if you are dehydrated? One easy way to detect dehydration is to check urine color. It should be clear or very pale yellow. If it begins to darken in color, fluid intake should increase. Another way to check for dehydration is to weigh yourself immediately before your workout and immediately after your workout. It is important to use a scale at the gym to be sure your weigh in occurs at the correct time. If you have lost weight during your workout, you are dehydrated. If you have gained weight during your workout, you may have taken in more than enough fluid. If your weight is unchanged, GREAT JOB! You likely drank an appropriate amount of fluid.
It is important to replace fluids lost when exercising, but drinking pure water exclusively isn’t always the safest choice for those who participate in very strenuous or long-duration exercise. When significant amounts of fluid are lost through high-intensity exercise, just replacing water can lead to a chemical imbalance in the body and deficiencies in electrolytes (hyponatremia). Sports drinks, like Gatorade, can help restore electrolytes. These drinks should contain carbohydrates, sodium, and some potassium. The electrolytes in our body include sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium and phosphate, but sodium is the substance of most concern when replacing fluids lost through exercising. Electrolytes are essential for proper organ function. The loss of electrolytes may contribute to dehydration headaches. It is imperative that you take in the proper balance of water and electrolytes, especially during exercise.
How do you prevent dehydration? Drink plenty of fluids, especially before, during, and after exercise. Sports drinks can encourage active people to drink more fluids because they are flavored and are higher in sodium. Avoid caffeine and alcohol because both will cause dehydration. Avoid carbonated beverages because the carbonation may cause bloating or a feeling of fullness and prevent adequate consumption of fluids. For most of us, being aware and prepared is the easiest way to prevent dehydration from occurring.
By Karen Goeller, CSCS
By: Karen Goeller
About the Author:
Karen Goeller, CSCS, has been training athletes since 1978. She has an education that includes training in emergency medicine, physical therapy, and nutrition. She has held certifications that include Fitness Trainer, EMT-D, Nutritional Analysis, and many Gymnastics Certifications among others. Goeller has tremendous experience with training in a variety of settings. Karen Goeller is the author of the Swing Set Fitness books, the Gymnastics Drills and Conditioning books, and many additional products. She has written more gymnastics books than anyone in the USA. Her books are used by fitness experts, sports coaches, teachers, and athletes worldwide. Karen Goeller has worked for world famous gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi, owned a gymnastics club for ten years, and has been featured in several newspapers, magazines, and on television. Karen Goeller offers sports performance training in NJ and through the web. Visit http://www.KarenGoeller.com for more info on Karen Goeller.
Silent Auctions, The Secret To Hidden Treasures
As the parents of two children, we’re always attending fundraisers that benefit an organization. Whether it’s their school, gymnastics club, or a charity event there is usually a silent auction being held. I guess since we’re in the Los Angeles area, we’re lucky to see some really cool items especially if you’re into celebrity stuff. I remember one Silent Auction we attended a while back had a lunch with one of the runners up from “The Bachelorette” as one of the prizes. The guy had just come off the series and was cashing in on his 15 minutes of fame. I don’t blame the gent; he was really nice and mingled with all the guests. The moms loved this dashing young hunk and were pushing each other away at the auction table to win the lunch.
At other events, I’ve seen old scripts signed by the cast of Friends, Seinfeld, General Hospital and more. Since we live in area that is near the movie studios, these types of items don’t appeal to us as much as someone who loves the celebrity world, but is to far away to mix with the stars. However the celebrity stuff is only a small part of the treasures of Silent Auctions. The one I recently attended had a signed drum head by Mick Fleetwood, a poster signed by all the members of the Nine Inch Nails, lots of other cool rock & roll stuff, tons of spa stuff, salon stuff, PlayStation Games, WII, Games, Xbox Games… well you get the point.
Here’s the cool part of most silent auctions. The best stuff either gets low ball bids or no bids. Does three pounds of Starbucks coffee with two mugs, and some other Starbucks stuff sound good? Winning bid $10! How about a brand new Tony Hawk Skateboard? Winning bid $30. What would you say to 10 baby sitter sessions at a local gym while you’re working out for free? Winning bid $50.
Because I’m the curious type, I always ask the person running the Silent Auction how the traffic has been and most of the time they’ll say, “Oh just a bunch of lookers, no bidders. This is when I bounce!!! You can get some really great gifts for next to nothing. A recent great buy was an Autographed framed photo of Marcus Allen. I paid $20! Highway robbery I tell you; Marcus is a Hall of Fame player. Shoot, the frame was worth at least $20. I love deals, just like you do however I also feel bad in a way. People donate some really great items and see them go for next to nothing. I bet most think twice about finding items the next time their child has a charity event. We once donated a kids rocking chair that typically sells for $129.00. The high bid was $30, so we ended up buying back our own item. I bet that happens a lot.
Silent Auction Tips Browse the items early Bring a pad and pencil to keep track of items you want or that you would like to gift As the event goes on, stroll back over to the items and see if you might have competition. Having eagle eyes on other bidders will help give you the upper hand when it comes time to make your final bid If you overpay, so what! It’s for charity Make your high offers at the close of the auction in case there is a bidding war for stuff you really want
The truth is that Silent Auctions are meant to bring in money for the Organization. If your kids’ school is having a fundraiser, the proceeds might be going to buy copy paper and other supplies that are desperately needed in the public school system. If it’s a charity event, that organization might need it for keeping an office running. paying the phone bill, electric bill or another needy area. What can an organization do to open the purse strings of event goers? Obviously having alcohol at an event helps loosen things up, however I don’t think most schools would take kindly to loopy patrons on school grounds. Should the kids be sent home with a letter in their backpack as a plea for help? Or are people simply so cheap that if they don’t feel they’re getting a bargain, they’ll simply pass on bidding?
Think about this and offer suggestions to your schools, charities, or other places that have auctions. Pass the word with other parents by subtly hinting on how excited you are about the event and tell them your “Silent Auction” secrets.
My favorite auction win was actually not a silent auction but I still got a good deal and a great prize. We were attending a charity event benefiting kids with special needs. Luc Robitaille was playing with the Los Angeles Kings and donated a Wayne Gretzky autographed hockey stick, two Gretzky signed photos and four tickets to a Kings game. Winning bid was $500 but I was happy to pay it. The organization did a lot of great work with kids who have disabilities including my son. We got to hang out on the backlot of CBS studios where they film a bunch of shows on a street with fake stores, building with facades only, and other movie tricks. Although I said earlier that we’re not that gaga over celebs, its still neat to see how the magic is made for TV shows and films. We even met the drummer from the band X who was playing in a jazz band that night to help keep the party going. All in all there was great food, lots of laughing, some crying when they showed a film with kids who had benefited from this organizations great work, and people who were happy to part with their money to help an excellent cause. Silent auction or regular auction, if you can get out and bid. It’s fun, exciting, and feels good to give.
By: Alycia Shapiro
About the Author:
Do you have a silent auction secret? Drop us a line, we’d love to hear it.
Alycia Shapiro is Vice President in charge of product development for SensoryEdge. She has advocated for special needs children in order to get the therapy services they need. Many parents either have difficulty getting the proper services or might not know these services are available. You can visit her websites to learn more about Educational Toys, Toddler Size Furniture, and Sleeping Bags for Children.
