May 2012 Health Bulletins
Ask the Doc
Dr. P. Davis Smith, medical director at Wesleyan University’s Davison Health Center, answers questions submitted by our readers.
Q: What does healthy urine look like and what signs are there of dehydration, especially in the summer?
Ryan Gibson, University of Findlay, Ohio
A: Ryan,
The appearance of urine is not an extremely specific marker for whether or not urine is “healthy”, but urine color is a fair marker for hydration status. The kidneys filter the blood and remove more or less water to maintain constant concentrations of sodium and other electrolytes. More concentrated urine tends to be darker and more intense in color; less concentrated urine tends to be lighter in color. Other things impact urine color, too. My multivitamin has something in it that makes my urine vividly orange. Beets can turn urine red, sometimes leading people to become concerned that they have blood in their urine. But I digress.
The hotter the weather and the harder you’re working, the more fluids you need to maintain good hydration. I recommend people drink enough that they’re urinating every 2-3 hours and that the urine is light straw in color. If urine is infrequent, small volume, burning or very dark you need to drink more and/or back off on the amount of work you’re doing.
A more precise way to track fluid status is to weigh yourself before and after, or even during exertion. A standard protocol for hot weather sports is as follows:
Weigh student-athlete before and after practice.
If difference is:
2-3% body weight -- push oral fluids
4-5% body weight—supply oral fluids, reduce intensity of workouts until baseline bodyweight regained
>7% body weight -- discontinue workout; obtain medical evaluation; consider IV fluids
See:
CLICK HERE
and
CLICK HERE for more information on preventing heat-related illnesses.
May is National Bike Month and with the milder spring weather, you should consider spending more time outside on two wheels. You can save on gas, boost your physical health, and have fun pedaling with others. To find out more about Bike Month, CLICK HERE. To find out more about the physical benefits of cycling, CLICK HERE Improve Productivity and Reduce Stress? It’s All a Matter of Time
So much of life’s stress comes from not having enough time to get everything done. But there are proven techniques that can help relieve the pressure and help you accomplish things.
- Plan each day. Writing out what tasks you want to accomplish and when will help you organize your time. But don’t overload your schedule, and leave some time to relax.
- Prioritize. When you have your list of tasks, put them in order of importance. You can postpone nonessential items for another day.
- Try the 10-minute rule. If you have a dreaded task that you’ve been putting off, dedicate 10 minutes to it each day. You might be surprised at what you can get done.
- Unplug and turn off. Get rid of electronic distractions. Turn off the phone, the TV, Facebook, and any other electronics that can disrupt your focus.
- Break big tasks into small ones. Have a huge paper to write and feel overwhelmed? Look at the project as smaller components and schedule how you will finish each one.
We can all agree that regular exercise is important part of being healthy. The American Heart Association and other groups recommend 30 minutes of continuous, moderate-intensity exercise five times a week to maintain overall good fitness. But a recent study from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario shows that power of high-intensity exercise in short bursts.
Circle of 6: A Free App to Prevent Sexual Violence
The new Circle of 6 iPhone app links you to six trusted friends when you feel you’re in a potentially dangerous situation. The app sends out pre-programmed SMS messages. One is "Come and get me. I need help getting home safely," with GPS coordinates. Another is "Call me and pretend you need me. I need an interruption.” To find out more and download, CLICK HERE.
