Healthy Seasonal Tips from Dr. Jamie McManus

Posted by Dr. Jamie McManus on Jan 11, 2013 in Health

You might have heard (or noticed by way of your empty school or workplace) that this year’s flu season is off to a bad start. How bad? Reports are that this flu season is the worst we’ve seen in about 10 years. The flu is so bad this year that Bostonhas declared a public health emergency. You can also take a look at the flu tracker from Google, which lets you compare previous years to this one and shows the dramatic increase in people with flu this year (with no end in sight).
Having the flu is no fun, but there are ways to avoid getting it in the first place:

• Wash Your Hands: Despite all the high-tech wizardry we have, the best protection is still the simplest: wash your hands. The problem isn’t with what you get on your hands, it’s when you move your hands to your face. Estimates are that most people touch their face somewhere between 5 and 20 times every hour. That means whatever is on a doorknob, sink, desk, or the person’s hand you just shook is going to make it to your nose, mouth, or eye. Once there, it is a short trip until you are sick.
• Cover Your Nose and Mouth: When you cough and sneeze make sure you cover your nose and mouth. Throw away tissues after you use them.
• Be Healthy: Your body can better handle a bug if you are healthy. This means getting plenty of sleep, eating healthy, drinking plenty of fluids, and exercising.
• Boost Your Immune System: I like to include lots of garlic and onions in my food during flu season. Onions and garlic have long been used for their healing properties and they are a tasty addition to any meal (especially soups). There are many other herbs and nutrients that can also help support your immune system; make sure you get enough of them as well.

With a little planning you could make it through this flu season in your best health.

Jamie McManus, M.D., FAAFP
Chair of Medical Affairs, Health Science, & Education

Smart Hydration for Better Workouts

Did you know the human body is made up of 60% water? Physiologically, fluids assist in the transportation of oxygen and nutrients through the bloodstream, provide lubrication in our joints and cushioning for our organs, and carry heat generated by exercise to the skin where it can be dissipated as sweat to cool the body. An adult loses about 2 liters of fluid per day through sweat, urine, respiration, and bowel movements, and that's why we often make the recommendation to drink eight glasses of water daily for proper hydration.

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But as individuals, we all have different metabolic rates, we all live and exercise in different environments, and we all experience unique rates of sweat loss. Failure to replace lost fluids raises the risk of dehydration and increases the chance athletic performance and even health can be compromised. In addition to water, sweat contains electrolytes such as sodium and potassium that need to be replenished to support optimal fluid balance in the body.  Consider these hydration strategies to help get the most out of your workouts: PREHYDRATION is a relatively new concept, but the goal is to prevent dehydration from occurring by properly hydrating and assuring normal plasma-electrolyte levels prior to exercise. Prehydrating can be accomplished by drinking water or sports drinks, and by consuming foods with a high water content several hours before exercise. Most of us can benefit by drinking two to three cups of fluid in the hours before exercise. HYDRATION during exercise helps to prevent dehydration and electrolyte imbalances and to minimize adverse effects on athletic and mental performance. Losing as little as 2% of body weight (or just 3 pounds in a 150-pound person) during exercise has been shown to compromise athletic performance. Drinking cool liquids early and often, and opting for sports drinks that contain electrolytes and energy-sustaining carbohydrates can be beneficial. In hot and humid conditions, you should drink half a cup or more of fluid every 15 to 20 minutes that you exercise. REHYDRATION after exercise is important to enhance the recovery process and to make up any remaining fluid or electrolyte deficits. In the hours after exercise, try to rehydrate with 2 cups of fluid (yes, 2 cups!) for every pound of weight lost during your workout. If weighing yourself is not an option, checking your urine color is a simple indicator of hydration status. A pale or clear color is usually a sign of proper hydration, whereas a dark yellow or tea-colored urine is a common indicator of dehydration. So let's all get out and exercise—and drink up for peak athletic performance!