Mt. Shasta Chamber Weblog

Staying Cool and Hydrated on Hot Summer Days

Recommended reading by The Wellness Center

Regular exercise, often done outdoors, is just as important during the hot months of summer as it is during the cooler seasons. Unfortunately outdoor activities often place people at serious risk of dehydration which can lead to other heat-related illnesses including — heat exhaustion — heat stroke — and in severe cases, death. Millions of Americans are at risk for heat-related illnesses; however, the risk is significantly increased for 4 groups of our population. Those most at risk include:

1. Children: When summer vacation from school arrives, most children spend a great deal of time outdoors being active. Because children have a larger surface area in relation to body mass, they often gain heat faster than adults when the outside air temperature is higher than body temperature.
2. Athletes and exercisers: People who spend hours training and competing in the hot summer sun often do not have an adequate intake of fluids to make up for the loss of fluids caused by their activities.
3. Outdoor workers: Workers such as landscapers, construction crews, police officers, postal employees, and others who spend most of their days in the heat often have little time for bathroom breaks or for drinking fluids, as a result these workers may not consume enough fluids during their workdays.
4. Elderly people: There is a fine line between how heat affects most adults and how is can affect the elderly in a more profound way. It’s is extremely important for senior citizens to practice a gradual acclimatization to heat that puts emphasis on hydration.

Is Your Body Acclimatized to Heat?

How does one acclimatize their body to heat? It takes about 10 to 14 days of working or exercising in the heat for your body to adjust or become acclimatized. You should cut down on the intensity of your exercise or activity during these first days. Once your body is heat acclimatized, the amount of sweat you produce, and other total body fluid losses, increases because you sweat sooner and more than before you became acclimatized.

The good news about summer heat is that staying healthy is as easy as becoming educated about your body’s need for fluids, and the signs and symptoms of dehydration which can lead to heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke and heat exhaustion.

Drinking for Hydration

The best time to consume fluids is before you are thirsty — by the time you are thirsty, your body is already dehydrated. It’s best to drink on a schedule when it is hot outside. Avoid drinks containing caffeine or alcohol while in the sun or heat. These types of drinks stimulate the production of urine thereby promoting dehydration. The best drinks are water, or one of the many flavored sports drinks that are on the market.  Adults need 17 to 20 ounces of fluid before beginning activity, as well as an additional 7 to 10 ounces every 10 to 20 minutes during activity. Your fluid needs don’t stop when your activity is over — you should consume 24 ounces of fluid within the first two hours after outdoor activity.

Children need 4 to 8 ounces of fluid before beginning outdoor activities and 5 to 9 ounces every 20 minutes while they are outside. Once kids return from outside play or activity, they also need to consume 24 ounces of fluids within the first two hours after they stopped their activities.

Did you know? One adult-size gulp of fluid equals one ounce of fluid, and one child-size gulp of fluid equals one-half ounce of fluid.

Signs and Symptoms of Dehydration

• Dry lips and tongue.
• Headache.
• Weakness, dizziness, or extreme fatigue.
• Concentrated urine that appears darker than normal.
• Nausea.
• Muscle cramps.

More Hot Weather Tips

While pouring water over your head might feel good; it does not have any affect on your core body temperature — make sure you put plenty of water and other fluids into your body.

Always wear light-colored and loose-fitting clothing.

Whenever you get a chance, take a break in the shade. It’s important to remember that anytime a person who has been exposed to heat becomes disoriented or unconscious, immediate medical attention for that person must be sought.

Source: The American Medical Athletic Association By Tracee Cornforth, about.com

Strength training tips for hiking, trekking & backpacking

Submitted by The Wellness Center

Hiking, Backpacking & Trekking require cardiovascular endurance, strength endurance, and hiking-specific training. Being in strong physical shape is one of the most important prerequisites for success on a trip.  Your general training should focus on these five major fitness qualities:

• Aerobic Endurance
• Anaerobic Endurance
• Upper Body Strength
• Lower Body Strength
• Flexibility

Traveling in the wilderness requires good cardiovascular endurance, whether you intend to do short day hikes or multi-day high-altitude trekking, scrambling, climbing, or overnight backpacking trips. Walking over varied terrain while carrying a pack is an efficient and effective way to train for such adventures. If you do not have access to hills or mountains, use whatever varied terrain is available to you, such as stairs, short hills, stadium steps, deserted parking ramps, and sandy dunes. Use of machines such as inclined treadmills, stair climbers, or elliptical cross trainers can also be beneficial.

Train the quadriceps for descents; the hips for supporting pack weight over variable terrain; the shoulders, upper back, and trapezius for pack carrying, gear hoisting, and using trekking poles; and the lower back, obliques, and abdominals for transferring power from the legs into forward propulsion. While hikers, trekkers, and backpackers encounter less extreme terrain than scramblers, mountaineers, or climbers do, you will still need to be able to navigate short stretches across boulder, talus, or scree fields, cross streams, traverse heather slopes, or negotiate around tree roots, all of which challenge footing and balance and may require awkward or high steps.

The exercises suggested below point you in the proper direction for sport-specific training for pack-loaded travel. Unilateral (single-limb) lower body exercises such as those listed below are ideal for early season training in order to increase balance and joint integrity throughout the lower body musculature. Bilateral multi-joint core exercises are ideal for middle months where your focus is on building as much strength as possible.

Unilateral Lower Body Exercises: Hip hikes for the Gluteus Medius;   1-leg Hover Step Ups for quadriceps;  Step Downs for Quadriceps;   1-leg Calf Raise for Gastrocnemius;   Forward Straight Leg Raise for Gluteus Medius;  1-Leg Squat for Balance, Gluteus Maximus and Quadriceps;  Lunge Variations for advanced exercises to challenge Balance, Gluteus Maximus and Quadriceps

Bilateral Lower Body & Core Exercises:  Stiff-Leg Deadlifts for Hamstrings;   Snow Shoveler for Rotational Movements;  Plank Variations and Oblique Twists for Rotational Movements;  Reverse Corner Pushouts for Rhomboids;  Back Extensions for Core Development to Help Support a Pack;  Seated Cable Rows to Face for Upper Back Strength Endurance;  Backwards Walking:   Rehabilitation for the Quadriceps;  Outside Fitness Pack Routine includes a number of strength exercises you can do with a weighted pack, no gym required.

Check on the web at www.bodyresults.com for instructions regarding these exercises, additional flexibility training suggestions, and more.

Ready for a challenge? Mt. Shasta Summit Century…

Held in the stunning alpine environment surrounding 14,162′ Mount Shasta, the Mount Shasta Summit Century is an endless parade of breathtaking views – and a challenging set of climbs. A cloverleaf route allows you to really challenge yourself; if you can’t climb another foot, you simply turn around — the finish is only a downhill away.

Our 135 mile Super Century features 16,500′ of climbing. It’s tougher than the Death Ride – but a lot prettier, and a better first ride for those who are new to hilly, mega-century rides.

Our Summit Century offers 10,500′ of climbing. It’s the perfect hilly century for those ready to move beyond standard centuries.

Our Metric Century is moderately hilly – only 4,200′ of climbing in 58 miles. All the views at less than half the suffering!

Our Half Metric is for novices; 30 miles and 2100′ of climbing. Pretty and easy.

To get information about the ride, visit shastasummitcentury.com

Because our 2009 Shasta Summit Century ride jerseys sold out in the first 2.5 hours of the ride, we’re going to offer a short advanced order period this year (we will still offer jerseys at the ride).

The 2010 jersey is similar to last year’s much-loved design – only in a bright, attention-getting red (visible to your envious friends and motorists).

These gorgeous short-sleeve jerseys feature a 3/4 length zip, and will not fade with normal washing. Questions? Contact the ride director at director@shastasummitcentury.com.

Purchase now!

The challenge is on…

To city of Mt. Shasta will celebrate the end of summer on Labor Day Weekend, September 4 and 5, 2010; on Saturday Cool Mountain Nights featuring a Classic Car Show ‘n Shine and a downtown street fair. On Sunday the annual Tin Man swim/bike/run Triathlon in the morning and the Blackberry Festival in the afternoon, with live music, family fun & games and lots of blackberry pie!!

Linda Valenzuela, employed by the Mt. Shasta Fitness, is now challenging all businesses to enter a team in the TIn Man Triathlon. Linda sees this as a great way to build camaraderie between businesses, support the community and improve the fitness level of those training for the event. Linda can be reached at 926-3589.

May the best team win…

Strength training and aerobics for wellbeing

Submitted by Curves for Women

WANT TO KNOCK OFF WEIGHT and fire up your metabolism so it naturally keeps pounds and belly fat off for good? You can do both: The trick is to follow a workout that mixes cardio and strength-training.”Because high-intensity workouts have you working harder than low-intensity ones,you burn more calories in the same amount of time,” explains Gary Hunter,PhD, an exercise physiologist who specializes in metabolism research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Heart-racing exercise boosts your metabolism for 24 to 48 hours after you’ve done sweating.

Strength training builds muscles all over- and since muscle burns more calories than fat (even when you’re lounging around in your jammies), the more muscle you have, the higher your resting metabolic rate will be. “Every pound of muscle burns 30-35 calories a day, while a pound of fat burns only 2-5 calories per day.”says Liz Applegate, PhD, director of sports nutrition at University of California, Davis. That means if you replace fat with muscle, you’ll be torching loads of extra calories without lifting a finger.

So get started on a complete program of strength training and aerobics and a sound and sensible nutrition program and watch the pounds fall off.

Five steps to optimal health

Submitted by Curves for Women

The first step in a program is healthy nutrition and there is ten basic rules:

• Never skip a meal again ( keep the calorie burning furnace burning )
• Eat real, unprocessed foods
• Eat balanced meals ( protein, fat, and carbs in every meal )
• Choose a plant or animal protein as the main nutrient in your meal
• Add some healthy fats (avocado, nuts, seeds, cold water fish, and olive oil )
• Add real carbohydrates (whole grains)
• Add non-starchy vegetables (green and brightly coloured )
• Eat snacks ( keep the calorie burning furnace burning)
• Eat solid food (fiber)
• Drink enough water (body weight x .7 = no. of ounces to drink )

The second step of the program is stress management:

• Make downtime a daily practice  ( you are important )
• Put your life in perspective  (don’t sweat the small stuff)
• Keep track of stress signals (heart rate increase, blood pressure, anxiety, yelling )

The third step is to Avoid all toxic chemicals

• Nicotine
• Alcohol
• Refined sugar
• Artificial sweeteners
• Illegal drugs
• Msg, additives and preservatives
• Fake fats and fat blockers
• Caffeine
• Certain prescription drugs

The fourth step of the program

• Practice cardio, resistance and flexibility/relaxing exercises

The fifth step of the program

• Get plenty of sleep, 6 to 8 hours a night

Article reprinted from Murray Middlemost, a 17 year Health and Fitness Professional. As owner of Phoenix Fitness and YOU its about time! He has helped thousands of people achieve their health and fitness goals.

Health and Nutrition

By Mart Gross Manager of Curves for Women

Mt. Shasta is well known for being a “health conscious community.” It is filled with natural resources and beauty beyond words. Mt. Shasta’s mountains, lakes, parks, camps, trails and several fitness facilities give way to the predominate mindset that people have to enjoy the outdoors and invest in their health and fitness.

As manager of Curves, one thing I know for sure is that it takes both exercise and proper nutrition to create a healthy lifestyle. One is the ball and one is the glove, it takes both and neither can stand alone.

So aside from not smoking, the most important determinants of good health are what we eat and how active we are.

The Harvard School of Public Health replaced the USDA food pyramid in 2005 and updated it in 2008. Today it is the acceptable food pyramid because it is based on the latest and best science. The old food pyramid was quite flawed at showing people what makes up a healthy diet because their recommendations had been based on out of date science and influenced by people with business interests in their messages. The new food pyramid’s foundation is based on daily exercise and weight control, since these two related elements strongly influence your chance of staying healthy.

Below is a photo of the pyramid, showing that we should eat more foods from the bottom part of the pyramid (vegetables and whole grains) and less from the top (red meat, refined grains, and sugary drinks).

Exercise and weight control are also linked through the simple rule of energy balance: Weight change=calories in-calories out. If you burn more than you take in, you lose weight, less that you take in and you gain weight, therefore, exercise is a key part of any weight loss effort. Also, if you are losing weight without exercise you are also losing lean muscle and exercise, strength training especially, prevents that from happening.

So, let’s take a good look at the pyramid.

Whole Grains
The body needs carbohydrates for energy and the best source of them are oatmeal, whole wheat bread, and brown rice. It takes longer to digest these than refined carbohydrates, but in doing so it also controls blood sugar and insulin levels and keeps hunger at bay. In addition, there is plenty of research out that suggests they also protect against heart disease.

Healthy Fats and Oils
Surprised that the Healthy Eating Pyramid puts some fats near the base, indicating they are okay to eat? Although this recommendation seems to go against conventional wisdom, it’s exactly in line with the evidence and with common eating habits of Americans who get one-third or more of their daily calories from fats, so placing them near the foundation of the pyramid makes sense.  Good sources of healthy fats include olive oil, flax oil, raw nuts, and seeds, avocados and fatty fish such as salmon. These healthy fats can improve cholesterol levels and protect the heart from sudden and potentially deadly rhythm problems.

Vegetable and Fruits
A diet rich in vegetables and fruits has bountiful benefits. They can decrease the chance of having a heart attack or stroke; protect against some types of cancer, and certainly lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

Nuts, Seeds, Beans and Tofu
These plant foods are excellent sources of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. These are among my personal favorites and certainly are good for the heart.

Fish, Poultry, and Eggs
These foods are all important sources of protein, fish with all its omega-3 fats, is said to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Dairy
Building bone and keeping it strong takes calcium, vitamin D, exercise and a whole lot more. Dairy products have traditionally been Americans main source of calcium, but they cannot deliver the 1,000 IU of vitamin D as needed per day, and they contain a lot of saturated fats. The latest suggestion calls for non-fat dairy products and supplementation to get higher amounts of calcium and vitamin D.

In conclusion, use white bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, sugary drinks, salts and sweets sparingly, and that goes for red meat and butter as well. Choosing a variety of fresh, raw, whole foods from all food groups will ensure that you get the nutrients you need. A multi-vitamin is a wise insurance policy tool

The Healthy Eating Pyramid summarizes the best dietary information available today.  It is NOT set in stone, because we live in an informational age and undoubtedly, there will be new information in the years to come.