BEAT THE HEAT!
With proper preparation, life-threatening heat illness is avoidable. Both heat exposure and dehydration will diminish an athlete’s ability to train and complete; however, even if an athlete is well hydrated, hot weather alone can cause heat illness. When the rate of heat production by the body exceeds the rate of heat dissipation the thermoregulatory system may become overloaded and cause heat cramps, heat exhaustion, or heat stroke.

Heat cramps typically begin as muscle twitching and can progress to localized contractions of the muscles of the legs, arms, or abdomen. Treatment includes cessation of the activity, moving to a cool, shaded area, drinking cold water, and using gentle massage and stretching of the cramped area. Before returning to running the cramp and the pain should be completely gone.

Heat exhaustion is a form of shock due to the inability of the body to meet demands of blood flow to skeletal muscle (exercise) and skin (heat dissipation). Signs and symptoms are weakness, fatigue, profuse sweating, dizziness, fainting, headache, nausea, diarrhea, loss of mental clarity, increased body temperature, increased heart rate, decreased blood pressure, muscle cramps, and loss of coordination.? Treatment includes cessation of running; moving to cool, shaded area; monitoring temperature, pulse, and blood pressure; body cooling with cold water or ice; slow rehydration with cold water or sports drink per the person’s tolerance. If symptoms worsen, call 911. Do not return to activity the same day. Recovery is usually complete within 12 – 48 hours.

Heat stroke is a medical emergency requiring rapid diagnosis and treatment. Signs and symptoms fall into three groups: decline of mental acuity (confusion, forgets details, cannot follow progress of game/race); bizarre behavior (combativeness, loss of temper, blank stare); physical decline (unsteadiness, loss of coordination, nausea/vomiting/diarrhea, unconsciousness, seizure, body temperature >104° F, rapid/shallow breathing, rapid/weak pulse, and decreased blood pressure). 911 must be called IMMEDIATELY. The person must be placed in a cold (ice) bath as quickly as possible (and removed once temperature drops below 102° F). Have the person sip cold water or sports drink until EMS arrives. A health care profession should determine a return to activity date. Heat stroke can cause permanent heat intolerance.

Increased susceptibility to heat illness can be caused by: previous heat difficulties, poor conditioning and acclimatization, obesity, sun burn, heart disease, skin disease, fever, inappropriate clothing, certain medications (beta-blockers, cyclic antidepressants, diuretics, antihistamines, antibiotics), cystic fibrosis, mental retardation, use of ephedra or other stimulant supplement, pushing too hard.

Hyponatremia means too little sodium in the blood. It is caused by taking too much fluid, and is more common in slower runners and women runners than in those who cover the same distance more quickly. Hyponatremia can be deadly. Its symptoms include weakness, nausea, pounding headache, dizziness, vomiting, delirium, bloating, and swollen fingers and ankles. No fluid should be given until urination has begun. In general, fluid intake must be optimized, not maximized. Salty foods are helpful in raising the amount of sodium in the blood.

Dehydration - loss of body fluid - reduces the body’s capacity for heat loss. If you are thirsty, you are about 2% dehydrated. This can cause loss of energy and impaired performance. A 5% loss can cause gastrointestinal problems (nausea, vomiting) and muscle cramps. At 7% coordination loss and hallucinations may occur and a 10% loss may result in circulatory collapse and death. High sweat rates can cause large losses that worsen dehydration. In 1984 Alberto Salazar lost 8.1% of his body weight during his 2 hour 14 minute Olympic race. He lost 1 pound of body weight every 12 minutes.

Here are some guidelines to optimize your performance and prevent hyperthermia and dehydration:

1. Acclimate to the heat over 10 – 14 days. Do not compete in a race if you have not had a chance to acclimate to the heat!

2. Do not run outside when the heat index is over 100 and the air quality index is in the red.

(unhealthy). Run early in the day or train inside. 3. Weigh yourself before and after your run. Drink 16 ounces of cold fluid for each pound lost. You cannot rehydrate by guzzling, so drink throughout the remainder of the day. This is especially important when training on a daily basis in the hot weather.

4. Look at the brim of a cap for that white ring to see if you are a salty sweater. You may need sodium tablets for runs over one hour.

5. Prehydrate by drinking 16 ounces about 30 minutes before you run. Adjust as necessary.

6. If your urine is darker than a chardonnay wine color, you are dehydrated.

7. If your heart rate remains elevated after a run, drink cold water take an ice bath.

8. After a run, cool yourself immediately. Get out of the sun and into a cool environment. At a race, bring a cooler with an ice pack and rub the ice pack over your head, arms, and legs for a few minutes. A great product is called Ice-Up, an ice cup with in its own cooler that stays frozen for up to 10 hours. At home, take a cold shower or bath.

9. Wear light colored, lightweight, moisture wicking clothing and a similar hat.

10. Wear sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15.

ATLANTIS MEDISPA
Congratulations to Dr. Ben Gonzalez on the opening of Atlantis MediSpa right next door to our office. Their services include:
Mesotherapy
Botox
Laser Treatments
Laser Hair Reduction
Microdermabrasion
Restylane
Chemical Peels
Age Management
Clear Concept Acne Treatment
Read more about Atlantis MediSpa on their website. Click on the image above.

FITNESS CORNER - Building Bones
As men and women age, they not only experience a loss of muscle mass but also a decline in bone density, which can lead to osteoporosis. To strengthen their bones, many postmenopausal women increase their daily supply of calcium, but without any physical activity, the calcium is not absorbed into the bones, Devor says.When Devor does bone scans of older women, he can tell immediately who is strength training and who is sedentary.

To build stronger bones, he encourages seniors to not only strength train, but also to engage in weight- bearing cardio exercise like running and walking. While swimming and pedaling a recumbent bike provide a good form of cardiovascular exercise, they don't put a load on the bones in order to increase bone mineral density, he says.

While women may be more prone to osteoporosis, strength training is equally important for older men, Devor says. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, two million American men have osteoporosis, and another 12 million men are at risk for the disease. Men often have larger, stronger bones, which may be the reason men have a lower risk of developing osteoporosis than women.

Strength training can provide a way for both men and women to increase bone mineral density, produce anti-inflammatory effects to ward off chronic diseases and increase their independence and ability to live a full daily life.

“It's not about giving a 75-year-old big biceps,” Devor says. “For that age group, strength training is all about independence.”

From Club Industry's Fitness Business Pro, July 2006, p. 55