Fight Back!

It's that time of year again, the seasons are changing and the temperatures are rising.  As our bodies adjust to new temperatures, we deal with dust in the air, and university students prepare for exams, we also may find that we're fighting a cold.  I've talked to a few people recently that are dealing with or just got over a runny nose and sore throat.  For Q's Day I try to stick with topics relevant to what's happening.  So today I'm asking:

How do you fight the common cold?

I typically focus on increasing liquids (water, tea, 100% juice) to help stay hydrated, as well as loosen mucus, and help my body remove germs and viruses.  I also focus on getting adequate rest and aiming to include a balanced diet with bright coloured fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low fat dairy.

HealthCastle has some tips and a sample cold menu to help your immune system win the fight!

Feel well!
Steph (Wheler) Langdon, RD
something nutrishus counselling & coaching
www.nutrishus.com

How Much Do You Sweat

Every day you lose fluids, and every day you need to replace those fluids. We are all very unique in the amount of fluid we lose in a day - this depends on factors such as our age, gender, activity level, but also the humidity and temperature of our environment. A great fluid is water, although your milk, juice, coffee, tea, etc. also contribute to your hydration.

Curious about how much fluid you lose?

1. Weigh yourself before your workout and record your weight in kilograms.

2. Workout.

3. Keep track of fluids consumed during your workout.

4. Weigh yourself after your workout and record your weight in kilograms.

Your sweat loss in liters = bodyweight before - bodyweight after

(add on any additional fluids consumed during the workout)

To get your sweat rate, divide the sweat loss by the length of your workout (minutes or hours)

Example: Runner Pre-workout weight 65Kg

- Post-workout weight 64 Kg

+ 500ml water consumed in 1 hour run

** Note: 1 Kg = 1 L fluids

Sweat Rate: 65kg – 64kg = 1 + 0.5L fluids consumed = 1.5L/1 h

Steph Wheler
www.nutrishus.com

Hydrate to Boogie

This Sunday, June 12 is the Saskatoon Bridge City Boogie. You don't have a lot of time before the event, so lets make sure you hydrate well leading up to, during, and after your run. Remember, race day isn't the day to try new foods and fluids since you don't know how your body will respond!

Proper hydration will help you perform well, especially if the weather cooperates and stays nice. If on the other hand you are or get dehydrated, you will see a decrease in your performance. Dehydration leads to less oxygen circulating to your muscles, an increased heart rate, decreased sweat rate, and increased core body temperature. This makes exercise seem harder so you tire earlier, and also have trouble concentrating. You're already asking your body to do a lot, so why not provide the fluids it needs?

It's a good idea for athletes to monitor their urine volume and colour - the goal is plenty of pale yellow urine, as opposed to small amounts of dark (like apple juice colour) urine. Keep in mind that your fluid needs are very specific to you and depend on the type of activity, intensity, duration, and the heat/humidity of the environment.

A few keys to keep in mind:
- drink consistently throughout the pre-race week (or days)
- have 2 cups of water 2 hours before the event to top off your fluid and allow time to go to the bathroom
- during your run aim for 150 - 250 ml (about half to 1 cup) of fluid every 15-20 minutes
- drink beyond thirst after your run to make sure you replace your losses.

Have fun!
Steph Wheler
www.nutrishus.com