Staying Hydrated this Summer

Up to 60% of a male adult’s body is made of water. This leads us to some obvious conclusions: firstly, we are only 21% different to a banana (crazy, right?) but more importantly, we need to ensure that we top up body when we sweat. In hot weather, we tend to sweat more as the sun is beating down and we all tend to be a little more active. During summers, heat waves, and tropical holidays – it’s important we bring water alongside our sunscreen wherever we go. Let’s check out why it’s important to keep hydration levels topped up.

Water is critical for rehydrating the body after fluid loss, and it is usually recommended that you drink six to eight tall glasses of water a day (which amounts to about 2 litres). Although there are many supplements and alternatives on the market – good old H20 remains the best way of refuelling your body’s supply of water. A lot of the water we consume also comes from food – meats, vegetables, and pastas are high in h20 meaning they all contribute to your hydration levels.

Hot weather increases the bodies demand for water and other fluids tremendously. We need to account for not only our bodies basic need, but also the extra strain on our inner-water supply when sweating. We have already mentioned how much you should drink, but it may also help to be mindful of what you eat. Food contains water and other fluids. This can account for water intake but can also help manage your weight – which in the long term means your body exerts less energy to do more.

A good diet controls how much you sweat – and the less you sweat – the less water your body needs to replenish. Eating fruit and vegetables in lieu of sticky, sugary, or high carb food can help maintain weight levels and keep sweating to a minimum. You could also ditch the morning coffee as it activates the sweat glands, meaning more sweat and more hydration. If it’s a scorcher outside, it is recommended you stick to water. Maybe a cup of tea if you need a hot drink in the morning.

If you want to talk through water in-take or speak with one of our specialists, please contact our switchboard at (212) 241-6321

Sports: How To Look After Yourself "In Season"

Being involved with sports brings a wealth of health to your life. Regular exercise increases our average lifespan, helps with mental health difficulties, and generally keeps our body well-oiled. There isn’t much regular exercise doesn’t have a positive effect on. From children to the elderly, we all can benefit from a daily dosage of activity. However, being involved in sports and exercise regimes does bring with it some risk, especially considering games like American Football, and Ice Hockey, which of course are considerably more perilous than going for jogs around the local park or lifting light weights at the gym.  Let’s take a look at how we can take a preventative step toward long-term damage in sports and other exercise regimes by taking some precautionary steps.

Stretching

From Grandpa-Joe to Hulk Hogan, everyone needs to stretch both before and after exercise. Stretching make our muscles suppler, increases heart-rate, and increases long-term flexibility. Most importantly, stretching reduces injuries such as ligament tears, muscle tears, and strains and sprains which can have a lasting effect on your body, and take months of rehab to fix. Stretching, therefore, is an important part of any exercise regime or sports. Make sure your warm-up is suitable for the sport you are doing, and don’t overdo the warm-up. There is nothing worse than tearing a hamstring during your hamstring stretch because you rushed into sprints.

Knowledge and Self Awareness

Some sports-enthusiast-readers will be uber-keen to improve fast. Whether that means getting stronger, faster, or fitter you should be aware of your current level of fitness and work to improve and excel and not jump the limit. Do not push your body beyond its current level of fitness as it is dangerous and unnecessary. Even if you feel that you are quickening the path to your goal by pushing yourself like this, you will harm yourself. Be aware of the level you should be training at and stick to it to avoid serious damage. It is also useful to understand and use the correct equipment.

It is important for runners to wear the right-soled shoes, and American Football Players to wear gum-guards. Increase your knowledge and understanding of exercise so you can reap the benefits and avoid the perils. A fantastic way of doing this is listening to your coach. They usually have a wealth of information stored to reduce risk when engaging in sports. They can also advise you on different aspects of maintaining your health, from the best ways to warm-up and cool-down to the correct diet. Bathe in their wisdom.

 

Eating Well.

Mount Sinai is a huge advocate for healthy diets. Eating well and drinking plenty of water can reduce the risk of damaging yourself in sports. A nutritious diet allows muscles to repair and regenerate after exercise reducing the risk of harming or overusing a muscle group which can lead to tier-3 tears, and months of rehab. Knowledge of your sport can help you ascertain what kind of diet you should be following.

These three top-tips are the most effective preventative steps you can take to seriously harming yourself whilst engaging in sports. Precautionary steps can save you time in the long run by reducing the risk of severe damage and rehab.

If you have suffered a sports-related injury, please contact us at Mount Sinai Department of Rehabilitative Medicine for a bespoke rehab plan. Contact our switchboard at: (212) 241-6321