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STRETCH - Stretching is important for every activity. Indeed, you need to both warm-up and cool-down. You can help keep your muscles flexible and relieve injury-causing tension and strain by doing gentle warm up stretches both before and after your activity.
REDUCE STRAIN AND HANDLE INJURIES – Often we injure ourselves when we do something repetitive, that we aren’t used to doing, for an extended period of time. It doesn’t matter if it’s a day long canoe trip or a ten mile hike. Don't let little hurts turn into big ones. Pain and discomfort are your body's signals that there is a problem. If you become injured, allow for adequate recovery time. Follow the R.I.C.E. formula – Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation.
HYDRATE - Hydration is a critical aspect of summer health. It’s quite likely that if you are engaged in your activity you may not realize how much you're perspiring. A good guideline is to drink about two cups of fluid two hours before your activity. During activity drink 4 to 6 ounces every 15 minutes. Guess what? Regular tap water is perfect for most outdoor activities. If you exercise for over an hour you could try either diluted fruit juice or a sports drink to provide carbohydrates and minerals that replace lost electrolytes.
USE SUNBLOCK - So easy to do, so easy to forget! Skin cancer caused by sun damage can be avoided. Tests show that a sunscreen with SPF 15 block 93% of UV rays. SPF 30 sunscreens block about 97%.
NAP – We love this one! Health research suggests that an afternoon siesta, a tradition among Mediterranean and Latin American cultures, is good for your heart and can lower cardiovascular risk. Researchers believe napping lowers stress, which helps heart health. One study in Greece found that taking a 30 minute nap at least three times a week reduced the risk of death from heart disease by one-third.
