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Monday, August 2, 2010 – Daily News – 5A Vitality & health (MCT) Every summer, well-meaning fitness maga- zines and newspaper arti- cles warn that our brains will melt like ice cream if we exercise outside in the heat of the day. Triple-digit temperatures and sauna-thick humidity are facts of life in some places. But it's a myth that you have to limit your out- door pursuits because of them. Athletes of all levels have learned to embrace the hottest hours of summer, like those who are training right now for Texas's White Rock Marathon in Decem- ber. "For some of our run- ners, our Saturday morning runs are the only mornings they've run the entire week," says Luke's Locker footwear specialist Chris Greene, who's also a half- marathon coach for Luke's Fit program. "Many run after work, the hottest time of the day." Those runners are accli- matized, which is the first step for getting used to the heat. How to acclimatize: Acclimatization simply means ratcheting down your outdoor workout to a lower, sustained effort for at least five days to a couple of weeks, incrementally build- ing up your heat tolerance, says cardiologist Benjamin Levine, director of the Insti- tute for Exercise and Envi- ronmental Medicine, which is a collaboration between the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Cen- ter and Presbyterian Hospi- tal of Dallas. Bike slower than normal. Walk if you normally jog. Jog a shorter distance than you typically run. Keep your body temperature down by taking a lot of breaks in the shade. "It's amazing how well the body learns to acclima- tize. But at first, it's danger- ous," Levine says. "The more intense and harder the exercise, the greater amount of heat is generated." Which means there are precautions to take during this heat boot-camp period. Any time you feel light- headed or extra fatigued, pause and seek shade until you cool off, he says. Repeat as needed until you build up tolerance to the heat. This goes for even the fittest athletes. Ultra runner Christine Tokarz of Potts- boro, Texas, went toe-to-toe with the state's heat for the first time during a race last year in Pedernales Falls State Park. "I was a total novice at summer running in Texas. At seven miles, my legs felt like total tree trunks and I couldn't see straight," says Tokarz, executive director of All Saints Camp and Conference Center on Lake Texoma. Now that she's acclima- tized, Tokarz loves running in the heat. She says it makes her feel like she's getting a thorough workout, plus it helps condition her body for races in higher alti- tudes. Acclimatized or not, it's smarter to choose the tread- mill over the trail if the weather gets extreme. "Let's say for example, it's 105 degrees outside and humid. How are you ever going to cool down?" Levine says. Hydrate: Important to keeping your body from overheating is hydration. Recommendations for daily fluid intake abound, starting at 64 ounces to double that. But don't drive yourself crazy with numbers, Levine says. "The problem with a general guideline is that it's fine for the average person, but it really fails most peo- ple," he says. Everyone's needs are dif- ferent. Choose a guideline, "play" with it and learn what works best for you individually, he says. Just don't go hydration- crazy. In 2007 the American Keys to working out in the heat College of Sports Medicine changed its previous stand, which said to drink all the water you possibly can dur- ing a workout. It now warns that too much water can cause a sodium imbalance in the body. "Athletes need to listen to their thirst. One of the biggest myths is that thirst is not a guide," Levine says. "If you drink a lot when you're not thirsty ... you can overhydrate. Yes, you can get dehydrated before you become thirsty, but not dan- gerously so." Levine recommends the sweat rate test to track how much fluid to replace during a workout: Weigh yourself without clothes before and after an hourlong workout; add the amount of any fluid you drank from your weight loss difference. That's the amount of fluid you lost through sweat. You'll have to repeat the test for different conditions, such as change of season or time of day. Also note that as you become acclimatized to the heat, you will sweat even more. Luke's Fit program coaches tell their partici- pants to drink 16 to 20 ounces of water before training, carry 20 ounces of water on the run to sip every 15 minutes and switch to an electrolyte sports drink after the first hour. In addition to sports drinks like Gatorade or HEED, you can also replen- ish your body's lost sodium with salty snacks, Levine says. Tokarz tries to consume 100 liquid calories an hour on runs. "If I'm doing some real long miles, I carry a couple of bucks to stop and get (a sports) drink some- where in the middle of the run." Greene stays hydrated by using an ergonomic, insulated hand-held water bottle that keeps his fluid chilled. "The heat doesn't bother me," he says. "But I can't work out in the cold.” On nutrition: Salt quiz (MCT) Salt preserves and enhances the flavor of food. It suppresses bitter- ness. We hold in high regard those who are "the salt of the earth" and "worth their salt." Sodium (one part of salt) is worthy of respect. It is used by the body to keep fluids balanced. Nerves require sodium to transmit impulses and muscles need sodium to contract. Somewhere along the way, however, we got too much of a good thing. And the consequence, according to a recent arti- cle in the Journal of the American Dietetic Asso- ciation, is "adverse blood pressure" — dangerous pressure against the walls of the arteries that leads directly to stroke, heart failure and kidney dis- ease. Here's a quiz to see how much we really know about salt and sodium: • Salt is a) part sodium and part chloride; b) good on popcorn; c) a bigger BOOK BARN Used Books Tues-Fri 10-5 Sat 10-2 THANK YOU RED BLUFF We are now celebrating our 16th Anniversary 619 Oak St., Red Bluff (530) 528-2665 contributor to high blood pressure than sodium or chloride alone. Answer: all are correct. • In salt history, the Morton "Umbrella girl" promoted the phrase: a) when it rains, it pours; b) a little dab'll do ya; c) please pass the biscuits. Answer a. • According to a recent study published by the Centers for Disease Con- trol, 9 out of 10 Ameri- cans a) have spices in their cabinets more than 6 years old; b) eat too much sodium; c) aren't worth their weight in salt. Answer: b. • A high salt diet can interfere with a) the effec- tiveness of blood pressure medications b) dancing with the stars; c) how the kidneys work. Answers: a, c. • The fact that canned spinach contains over twice the sodium of fresh spinach shows that a) Popeye probably had high blood pressure; b) processed foods are typi- Jack the Ribber Come by for the Best Lunch in town • Ribs •Tri-Tip • Pulled Pork • Specials Mon.-Fri. 11am-8pm Sat. 4-9pm 1150 Monroe St. 527-6108 cally high in sodium; c) fresh is usually best. Answers: b, c. • One teaspoon of salt contains: a) 2300 mil- ligrams of sodium; b) less sodium than a package of onion soup mix; c) what was left of Lot's wife. Answer: a, b. • To keep blood pres- sure normal, most adults need to limit a) bacon cheeseburgers; b) sodium intake to less than 1500 milligrams a day; c) prime time television. All are correct. • Americans get most (75 percent) of our sodi- um from a) packaged, processed and restaurant foods; b) salt shakers; c) the salt fairy. Answer: a • A diet rich in potassi- um helps a) blunt the effects of salt on blood pressure; b) reduce the risk of developing kidney stones, c) boost the fruit and vegetable industry. All are correct. • The proven "Dietary Approach to Stop Hyper- tension" is: a) called the DASH diet; b) high in cal- cium and potassium; c) low in salt. All are cor- rect. Find more about DASH at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/ health/public/heart/hbp/d ash/new_dash.pdf. fitness Losing all of my muscle tone at 80 DEAR DR. GOTT: I am an 80- year-old female and have never heard of a loss of muscle tone. Can you fill me in? DEAR READ- ER: Muscle tone is what allows us to keep and maintain our bodies in cer- tain positions. When you choose to make a particular movement, the brain sends a message to the specific muscle group involved to modify the resistance by, for example, shortening biceps muscles on the front of an arm while lengthening the triceps muscles on the back of the arm. In order to complete smooth, coordinated move- ment, all muscles being used must be balanced evenly. Everyone has mus- cles, but some people do specific exercises to improve their muscle tone. The results can be seen eas- ily on bodybuilders and people who are physically active. Tone can be defined as the minute muscular con- traction that exists in all skeletal muscles during relaxation. It is normal for people to lose about 1 per- cent of their lean muscle mass per year after the age of 40. Losing excess body fat, modifying the diet, and incorporating exercise into each day’s activities can improve sagging skin. DEAR DR. GOTT: I Dr. Peter Gott DEAR READ- ER: IBS is a mal- function of motili- ty of the colon. Stress, medica- tions, specific foods, caffeine, alcohol and gas contribute to symptoms that include abdominal pain, flatulence and diarrhea/con- stipation. The medication you have been prescribed can cause identical symp- toms. was diagnosed with irrita- ble bowel syndrome. I had no pain but knew where every bathroom was locat- ed everywhere I went. This went on for many years, and I became fearful of traveling. Finally, my gas- troenterologist put me on WelChol, developed for lowering cholesterol. Voila! My cardiologist said I almost can’t overdose on it. I am presently taking two pills in the morning and another two in the evening. Now I am com- fortable traveling around the world (pyramids, India, etc.) with no problems. This has been a life-chang- er for me. I hope you can share this with your readers and per- haps improve the quality of life of someone out there. It has been wonderful for me. Colesevelam (WelChol) reduces the amount of cho- lesterol and specific fatty substances in the blood. It is sometimes prescribed with other cholesterol-low- ering statin drugs toward this goal. This drug binds bile acids in the intestines to form a product that is ultimately released from the body. It is also pre- scribed for some type 2 dia- betics to control blood- sugar levels. Drugs that have been manufactured and marketed for one pur- pose are often used for other, seemingly unrelated conditions and work well. My guess is that the reduc- tion of fatty substances in your colon curbed your diarrhea and related symp- toms. Or you are less stressed, have modified your diet or medications, and have taken other steps without realizing the posi- tive impact they have had. To provide related infor- mation, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Irritable Bowel Syn- drome.” Other readers who would like a copy should send a self-addressed stamped No. 10 envelope and a $2 check or money order to Newsletter, P.O. Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092-0167. Be sure to mention the title or print an order form off my website at www.AskDrGottMD.com. Dr. Peter H. Gott is a retired physician and the author of several books, including “Live Longer, Live Better,” “Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Diet” and “Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Cookbook,” which are available at most bookstores or online. His website is www.AskDrGottMD.com.