Returning to exercise after flu or illness

If you are coming down with an illness, it is best not to strenuously exercise. Your body needs to use it’s energy to overcome the illness.  Exercising strenuously is like burning the candle at both ends.  The body doesn't have the energy to fight illness, so the illness takes longer to overcome.

 Never exercise if feverish.  A fever indicates your body is fighting an infection.  Exercise can cause your body temperature to rise dangerously high and lead to  heatstroke. This can also  lead to dangerous dehydration and even heart failure. Good advice is when returning to exercise, work out one day at a low intensity for every two days you were ill. I tell patients to cut their intensity to 50% of what they normally do, and start back with a short duration say 20 minutes or so.  Use the two hour rule. You should feel fully recovered two hours after exercise. If you are exhausted for the remainder of the day it is too much on your body. It should take at least two full weeks to build build back up following a nasty cold or flu bug.  Drink plenty of water during this time to help thin any mucus secretions from the lungs, this helps your body to expel these. Be aware that some antibiotics   –  Cipro and Levaquin –  are known to increase the likelihood of muscle rupture, therefore go slow and stretch. 

There is no such thing as “sweating out” toxins, germs or viruses. so put all your energy towards resting and getting well.

Nausea Vomiting / Diarrhea  These can cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. Wait to exercise until the symptoms have stopped completely and you are re hydrated. One way to know if properly re hydrated is looking at the color of your urine. If the urine is bright yellow you are not hydrated. The color should be a very pale yellow. Also look at the skin on the back of your hand and give it a pinch. Does the skin stay up for several seconds, or does it quickly go back down. It should quickly go back down.  Electrolyte depletion can be very serious in heart patients, especially those on diuretics.  If in doubt or concerned ask your physician to draw electrolytes.  A weak 50%water to 50% electrolyte drink such as Power aid, or Gator Aid might be advisable.  Of course eating a banana which is easier on the belly than something like orange juice, also helps.  

Most importantly listen to your body, go slow, give yourself the time to heal. Stop exercise if you notice your heart racing, shortness of breath, chest discomfort, weakness.

10 tips to Live by or Heart-Healthy Families

Fitness for Aging

Fitness as we age

It is important to work on physical fitness life long.

Physical fitness benefits include reduction of heart disease, reduction in Alzheimer’s and most importantly independence.  A recent study showed Finnish men who lost more than 15% of their cardiorespiratory fitness over a 10-year period faced a near doubling of their risk of acute MI over the subsequent decade and more than twice the risk of dying of any cause, a new study shows. But as we age fitness programs change. It isn’t realistic to ask the very elderly to jog, participate in spinning classes, hit the elliptical or rowing machine like those who are younger. The issues with mobility and frailty prevent such activities for most. So what does one do for fitness as they age?

Walking, stationary biking, water aerobics, swimming laps with a kick board, recumbent bike or  recumbent steppers are some of my favorite means of obtaining aerobic exercise. Also programs such as Sit and Be Fit. http://www.sitandbefit.org/   Any is exercise is better than no exercise. If exercise is done in a group or a class you also get the additional benefits of socialization. As we age socialization is vital. The more socially isolated a person becomes the worse the predictors for health. I found over the years many adhered to light continuous aerobic exercise because of the socialization of the classes more than the physical benefits of the exercise. New interns would come aboard and roll their eyes when they noted the workloads of many of the elderly, then I would point out the ages of many of my clients being in upper 80′s to mid 90′s and regularly attending classes 2-3 times per week, aerobically exercising, resistance training, stretching and socializing.

Resistance training is very important as we age as well as I am frequently promoting the following:

Your Strength is your Independence

This is what allows you to live in your own home, to care for yourself, to get up off the floor if you fall, to carry in the groceries.  It is your ability to cope with emergencies, to interact with the grandkids by walking up the bleachers, or across the soccer field, to lift up the two-year old, to get to their musicals across a long parking lot, to walk the hills at the nature center etc.

Here are a few simple strengthening exercise that most can perform. Wall squat

Wall Squats

With feet 8-12 inches apart and approximately 6 inches from the wall, slide down the wall a few inches. Hold this position as long as able. Push back up to standing. Repeat as many times as possible. Don’t go down to far, and if you fear not being able to stand all the way back up, keep a chair next to you for assistance. Breath out as you push back  up.

Toe Raises

This exercise is surprisingly hard for many of the elderly to perform. Go up on tip toes and back down as many times as possible. To make harder try on a stair step or try doing on only one leg.

Wall push ups

Just like the old-fashioned push up but do against a wall. Breath out as you are pushing yourself back from the wall. Exhale on Exertion! I say this because many hold their breath which is hard on the heart and blood pressure.

Lateral leg exercises

These are really important for maintaining a good gait when we walk as we get older. Lying on side – do in bed – as easier than getting up from the floor. Lift leg out and back down. Do as many as possible.

Be a mentor, assist to make it happen

As most blog readers tend to be younger, pass this advice on to your elders, work out with them, purchase and arrange for transportation to fitness classes, make a big deal out of wanting them to stay fit and healthy to participate in life with you. We all need encouragement at times. Don’t assume being old means sitting in the recliner all day. Keep those in your live vital through physical activity. And have a great day!

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The unhappy meal

Childhood Obesity

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Fast Food Facts

Has your family tried Kale chips?

 

I found this today while on web. It is interesting. I certainly hope that we can add more local fresh fruits and vegetables into our lunches. I also question why a starch with the example of pizza, one wouldn't need another serving of a starch, especially if the vegetable was a starchy vegetable. Why can't we offer choices between milk and/or water? Of course not bottled water use a paper cup and pitcher or cooler and have it self serve.

This infographic by GOOD shows the difference between a prison lunch and a school lunch. Both are roughly the same cost (just over $2.60) and contain about the same amount of calories (around 1400). But surprisingly, prisoners get more items to eat and healthier options, with 1/2 cup of vegetables and one serving of fruit or dessert, compared to the school children’s 1/2 cup of vegetables or fruit.

via PSFK: http://www.psfk.com/2012/09/prison-or-school-lunch-healthier.html#ixzz27E3NH8LK

Family Health

Health care tends to focus only on the individual and not the family units. When prevention is discussed it is usually in the context of secondary prevention, meaning that the main health event has already occurred and the goal is to prevent a secondary health issue. It is kind of a day late and a dollar short approach. When a health care professional counsels one on health and wellness, it should encompass the whole family.

We are all responsible to work towards not only our own health, but that of those around us. It starts with personal health goals, then progresses to family health goals, including parents mentoring kids, kids mentoring parents. Grandparents too play a role, the idea of the grandparent spoiling the children can be detrimental to the future of the child if the spoiling occurs through inviting and encouraging unhealthy behaviours.

Family health and wellness should include:

• Healthy Eating
• Exercise
• Healthy responses to stress
• Emotional support
• Social support
• Sharing of information of family risks, health issues, histories

This is the inaugural blog in which I hope to share my knowledge and experience with you. Topics I plan to discuss include:

• Keeping your family moving
• Eating healthy on the run
• Teenagers nutritional issues
• Mentoring 
• Leading health issues such as cholesterol, blood pressure, weight, smoking, risk factor reduction

A little about me though. I have worked in healthcare in the fields of emergency medicine, sports medicine, cardiac rehabilitation and exercise physiology for over twenty years. I too am raising teenagers. I strive to be as active as possible but profess am not a master of any particular sports. My activities include jogging, biking, cross country skiing, down hill skiing, kayaking, hiking, swimming, stand up paddle boarding, yoga and probably a few others I forgot to mention. I strive to teach healthy eating to my family and friends. I am proud to say my two teens eat quite healthy, but of course like any person have a few foods they just won't do...yet
.

I look forward to meeting and sharing information with you! For reference I have another blog entirely on recovering from heart disease http://rehabilitateyourheart.wordpress.com/