Chapped lips – what to do about them.

Signs and Symptoms of Chapped Lips


Chapped Lips are characterized by dry, cracked, flaky and sore lips that can affect people from time to time at any time of the year. Occasionally, chapped Lips can be can be painful, embarrassing, and uncomfortable because they can interfere with many daily activities, such as smiling, eating and talking. 


Common signs and symptoms include dryness, redness, tenderness and sensitivity, cracking, splitting, peeling, and pain. If dry lips are causing inflammation and bleeding, it is strongly recommended that you consult with your doctor immediately since it can lead to severe infection.




Causes of Chapped Lips


Chapped lips can have several causes, including dry weather, overexposure to extreme temperatures, dehydration, lip biting, smoking, certain medications, deficiency of vitamins, iron or essential fatty acids, change in climate and ill-fitting dentures. 


Dry, swollen, or cracked lips can also be caused by allergies, infections, drugs, winter colds and flus, and a number of other medical problems. 




Treating/Chapped Lips


Lips are skin just like the rest of your body but they don't produce their own oils. So you have to provide them. Many lip balms have natural oils that are safe for your mouth.  Try to avoid colors, scents and flavors as they have additives that may not be so good for you. 


Along with drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated, eating vitamin a rich foods like carrots, tomatoes, and green leafy vegetables will help. 


You should exfoliate them periodically, and protect them from the environment. (Never ever lick of bite your lips, it will cause more chapping. Use a gentle lip mask or your toothbrush to get rid of the deposit of dead cells that will cause more drying and flaking.)

I'm cold, but I'm not thirsty!

Did you know that it's just as important to stay hydrated in the colder/drier winter months as it is in the hot/humid summer months? We generally sweat when we're hot which lets us know to drink more water, but we don't get those same cues when we're cold, because sweat evaporates quickly in cold, dry air, so you can still become dehydrated. 


You might be tempted to drink coffee or tea to warm up but they are diuretics and can cause you to actually lose water, so you have to compensate with water. Also, remember to keep your skin hydrated in the dry winter air, too. Skin is the body’s largest organ. Keep it healthy, and it will help to keep your entire body healthy.


When you sweat you loose fluids, and under normal circumstances, your body would register the loss, giving you the urge to drink and stopping the kidneys from getting rid of water. But in the cold, your body decreases blood flow to your extremities and pumps it into your core to hold all that heat in while you’re out in the cold. With all that blood rushing towards your vital organs and away from your extremities, your body and brain don’t register that you have lost significant amounts of fluid and might be dehydrated. When this is the case, the effects of dehydration can become severe before you even realize you’re dehydrated. That’s why it’s critically important to stay properly hydrated before and during cold weather activity, well in advance of the actual urge to drink fluids.


Also, when you’re cold, your blood viscosity increases. With hypothermia, for example, the blood can become as much as 200% more viscous. (Like motor oil, higher viscosity means it’s thicker, harder to pump.) The water content of your blood is another factor in viscosity—so, when you’re out in the cold, staying sufficiently hydrated becomes that much more important.



We tend not to think about being thirsty when it’s cold, neither when we’re just going about our lives nor when we’re working out, but that’s when it’s really important to pay attention to drinking enough. And it’s especially important in higher altitudes where the air tends to be dryer.


Just to be clear, dehydration can kill. Considering that our bodies are made up of 50% to 65% water, this element is critical to virtually all our physical functions. Every organ and system of the body depends on water, so a shortage of fluid can naturally lead to serious health consequences. 

The body's initial signs and symptoms of dehydration are: 

• Thirst
• Decreased urine output. The urine will become concentrated and more yellow in color.
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Dry nasal passages
• Dry, cracked lips dry mouth the eyes stop making tears sweating may stop muscle cramps nausea and vomiting lightheadedness (especially when standing). weakness will occur as the brain and other body organs receive less blood.
• Coma and organ failure will occur if the dehydration remains untreated.
• Irritability & confusion in the elderly should also be heeded immediately.

If an individual becomes confused or lethargic; if there is persistent, uncontrolled fever, vomiting, or diarrhea; or if there are any other specific concerns, then medical care should be accessed. Call 911 for any patient with altered mental status - confusion, lethargy, or coma.

Baby it's Cold Outside

Brrr, is it winter already? Recently my area (New England) fell into a cold spell. The first thin I reached for was a sweater (the next was hot cocoa.) 

Why does it always feel worse when it's windy out?

Wind chill (or wind chill factor) is the air temperature we feel on our exposed skin because of the wind blowing across it. You might notice when watching the weather that the wind chill temperature is always lower than the air temperature.

One of the ways our bodies loose heat is through "convection." The faster the wind speed, the more readily the skin/surface cools.

NOAA's National Weather service has a chart that helps you see this better. Also on this page is a neat little calculator that shows you what the temperature feels like on a given day based on wind speed:

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/os/windchill/index.shtml

Note: Wet clothing and the duration of a person's exposure to wind also affect the felt air temperature. The wind chill formulas do not take account of the variation of clothing worn and how wet or dry a person is. The typical assumption is that a person will be properly dressed and dry.

Since hypothermia is no joke, I wanted to make sure everyone takes precautions this year.

What is hypothermia?

Hypothermia is a condition in which a person's body temperature has dropped significantly below normal. This occurs from inadequate protection against exposure to cold temperatures. The very young and elderly are the most susceptible to developing hypothermia when exposed to cold temperatures.

The risk and extent of hypothermia is directly influenced by presence of wet clothing, contact with metals, wind-chill, and extent of temperature gradient between the body and its surroundings. Vulnerability is increased when circulation is impaired by cardiovascular disease, alcohol intake, exhaustion, and/or hunger.

What are the symptoms of hypothermia?

• Uncontrolled shivering
• Slow or unclear speech
• Feeling extremely tired
• Stumbling when attempting to walk
• Confusion (person cannot think clearly)
• Semi-consciousness or unconsciousness

What should I do if someone has hypothermia?

• If a person becomes unconscious, get medical help immediately. If cardiac arrest (heart attack) has occurred, have someone call for medical assistance and then apply CPR.
• WARNING: Do not warm the person too fast.
• Bring the person indoors or to a dry place protected from the wind.
• Remove wet clothing and cover the person with dry blankets. Make sure to cover the head, hands, and feet.
• Put the person in a cot or bed next to a warm -- not hot -- heater.
• Lie under the covers next to the person to transfer your own body heat. If possible, have someone else lie on the other side.
• Give the person warm -- not hot -- broth or soup. Do not give alcohol to drink.
• Wrap an infant inside your own clothing against your skin.

How can I prevent hypothermia?

• Wear warm, multi-layered clothing with good hand and feet protection (avoid overly constricting wrist bands, socks, and shoes).
• Wear warm headgear. This is particularly important since significant heat is lost through an unprotected head.
• If possible, change into dry clothes whenever clothing becomes wet.
• Find appropriate shelter to stay warm. 

(Please note: If left untreated, a person can develop early frostbite, or frostnip; superficialfrostbite; or deep frostbite, or freezing. Frostbite usually affects the nose, ears, upper cheeks, hands and feet.)

All that and looks to Boot

I have problems with wearing tall boots because I'm shorter than average and have full curvy calves. But for the general populace:

Tall boots
Casual or dressy, flat or heeled, a pair of tall boots is one of the most versatile footwear items you can have in your wardrobe.

Tall boots, are about knee high, but most of the following tips will apply to styles that fall between a few inches below your knees to a few inches above your knees.

While many boot styles will work with the outfits listed below, simple, classic styles are far more flexible. A simple black knee-high boot will work with most jeans, as well as just about everything else in your closet.

Long Skirts

A skirt that is long enough to cover the top of your boots is one of the most flattering items you can pair with tall boots. While many women tend to think only of fuller skirts for pairing with knee high boots, narrow skirts can look fabulous with tall boots as well.

Skinny Jeans

They're really the only type of jeans that are good for tucking into tall boots: everything from dressy heeled boots to casual flat styles.

Gauchos

The absolute best footwear for below the knee gauchos is a pair of tall boots -- but beware of wearing this style of wide cropped pants with boots that are too casual or trendy. Opt instead for a simple heeled dress boot, or a flat boot that has a bit of polish to it.

Dresses

Many women don't think to wear tall boots with dresses. They should though, because the look is dynamite.

The dresses are your standard, everyday sort of dresses: wraps, sweater dresses, shifts, minis, tunics, a-lines and empire dresses.

Again, this look is best with simple, classic tall boots, and is not meant for overly-casual or super-trendy styles.

Outfits to Avoid with Tall Boots


·  Baggy or Pleated Jeans and Pants
·  Shorts

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Although the technology to make the calf of a tall boot more forgiving is coming along, I generally prefer ankle boots, because I can create the illusion of a taller boot.

Ankle Boots with Long Skirts


Whether they're flat or heeled, ankle boots and long skirts are a classic combination.  Whatever your style, the key is to show no leg. If the skirt isn't long enough to cover the top of the ankle boot on its own, add a pair of tights.

Short Skirts and Ankle Boots


This look is definitely a little more difficult to pull off, because a lot of women don't like their legs. But it works well because instead of showing no leg, you're showing a lot of leg -- the real trouble comes in when you only show a little leg. Look for skirts that are a couple of inches above the knee or shorter and skip anything that's too full.

The Best Pants for Ankle Boots


This one is nearly a no-brainer -- ankle boots work with any kind of pants. The advantage to wearing them over shoes or taller boots is that you get ankle coverage without the bulk of a knee-high boot.

Ankle Boots with Leggings or Tights


Cropped leggings don't work well with ankle boots. Long leggings or tights however, look great -- assuming of course, that leggings look good on you in the first place. If they don't, pairing them with ankle boots isn't going to make the situation any better.

Clothes to Avoid Wearing with Ankle Boots


· Cropped Pants
· Cropped Tights
· Mid-Length Skirts with Bare Legs
· Pencil Skirts
· Shorts
· Capris

What comes around, goes around.

Is it just me, or does fashion tend to be cyclic? I'm not sure if it's because of "hand me downs" from family, or that we wax nostalgic for our younger years, but sometimes something is just such a good idea that you can't help but use it again.


There are two things to consider, frequency and duration. 


Frequency: One school of thought says that fashion cycles about every 20 years (or once per generation.)  More often then not they're just revamped, recycled looks with new names. Some designers take inspiration from other decades trying to improve upon what has already been done.


Duration: Nowadays the turn around time might run shorter as the internet has sped up how quickly looks get from the runway to our closets. Then we get bored and put them away for a few years. Generally speaking, most fashion trends stick around for at least a year. Some trends, usually the most understandable ones, last longer. So how do you know how long a trend will last? The answer: you don't.


Never fear though, buying power can keep a trend on life support. Sometimes consumers love a look so much they just won't let it die: capris, crops, tank tops and flip flops are all examples of former trends which actually became wardrobe staples.


The best defense however, against quickly changing trends is to have a wardrobe stocked with mostly classic looks: jeans, T-shirts, blazers, little black dresses. Use trendy items as an addition to a core wardrobe to give it some kick.

Creative ways to exercise

I admitted last time I don't LOVE going to the gym. So that means I have to get creative in order to find ways to fit exercise into my life. Below is a list I found (because I'll tell you right now I'd never be able to come up with this many on my own. Also, I have no idea what some of them are!)


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If you don’t exercise regularly, it’s probably because you haven’t found an exercise that you truly enjoy. That’s partly because we keep hearing about the same old types of exercise over and over again, but there are hundreds of ways to get regular exercise. 


Here are 101 different creative exercises that will suit every type of circumstance and personality. Consider whether you prefer to be indoors or outdoors, like to engage your mind or just bliss out, be social or be solitary, and any other insights you have about what you enjoy doing.


1. Juggling
2. Stunt pogo sticking
3. Tree climbing
4. Mountainboarding
5. Unicycling
6. Practicing Jedi Skills (the Jedi Workout)
7. Walking on water
8. Picking up litter around the neighborhood, town, park or beach
9. Playing video games (Wii, Dance Dance Revolution, etc.)
10. Fruit picking (not too slowly!)
11. Volunteering (Try fitness oriented charities)
12. Fire juggling
13. Drumming
14. Bouncing with Spring-Soled Shoes
15. Sex
16. Ropeless jump roping
17. Sit and Be Fit
18. Kite Surfing
19. Virtual horseback riding (or iGalloping)
20. In the nude
21. Pogo sticking
22. Parkour
23. Tricking
24. Punching and kicking your way through your favorite action flick
25. Dancing your way through your favorite musical
26. Hula Hooping
27. Playing tag
28. Joggling (juggling while jogging)
29. Roller Hockey
30. Roller Derby
31. Leaf pile diving (includes raking!)
32. Gladiator Workout
33. Finding online workout videos
34. Wearing weight loss shoes (or sandels)
35. Playing capture the flag
36. Water balloon fights
37. Snowshoeing
38. Bicycling on Water
39. Squirt Gun Fights
40. Pillow Fights
41. Underwater Rugby
42. Underwater Soccer
43. Synchronized swimming
44. Hop scotching
45. Riverboarding
46. Marco polo
47. Slip and slide
48. Playing touch football
49. Snow kiting
50. Giving the dog a bath
51. Miniature Golfing
52. Baton Twirling
53. Sledding
54. Hacky Sacking
55. Making snowmen (BIG ones!)
56. Building snow forts
57. Walking in place while watching tv
58. Boot Camp Workout
59. Swimming with Porpoise Flipper
60. Learn Self Defense
61. Geocaching
62. Orienteering
63. Window Washing
64. Cleaning the garage
65. Clean the attic
66. Landscape the yard
67. Doing laundry
68. Trampolining
69. Inflatable jumping castles
70. Swinging
71. Playing Twister
72. Cheerleading
73. Canyoning
74. Bouldering
75. Snowkiting
76. Skysurfing
77. Belly dancing
78. Circus Skills (Look for circus schools)
79. Gardening
80. Riding a Scooter
81. Clubbing
82. Walkling (juggling while walking)
83. Poll dancing
84. Street luge
85. Arm wrestling
86. Stability balls
87. Rock Climbing
88. Sandboarding
89. Sea Kayaking
90. Ice climbing
91. Exotic Dancing
92. Laughing (laughter yoga)
93. Karaoke (with a lot of dramatic dance moves!)
94. Dodgeball
95. Frisbee Golf
96. Ultimate Frisbee
97. Long boarding
98. Car washing for charity
99. Beach combing
100. Sand dune climbing
101. Samurai Sword Classes

Exercise is a double-edged sword

I am not a big fan of just going to the gym for a mindless workout. I do however find adding music, changing up the routine or doing it with others makes it more enjoyable. That being said, I'm going to focus on individuals exercising alone in the gym...


Growing up in the 80's I was told aerobics was the way to stay fit. Weights were for body builders. But, as I've studied the human body in college I realized this was not so. We need both forms of exercise to trully mak our bodies fit (and if you need to, lose "fat" weight.)


Why Cardio is good for you:
Weight loss.
Stronger heart and lungs.
Increased bone density.
Reduced stress.
Reduced risk of heart disease and some types of cancer.
Temporary relief from depression and anxiety.
More confidence about how you feel and how you look.
Better sleep.
More energy.


Strength training helps you:
Develop strong bones. 
Control your weight. 
Reduce your risk of injury. 
Boost your stamina. 
Manage chronic conditions. 
Sharpen your focus. 


As you can imagine I tried both forms at different times in my life and would get bored after a while.  Circuit training includes several exercises. So, you can prevent boredom by switching exercises in the series frequently. Doing so can keep you motivated and prevent burnout. 


What's nice about circuit training is the short bursts of resistance exercise using moderate weights and frequent repetitions, followed quickly by another burst of exercise targeting a different muscle group.
Because the exerciser switches between muscle groups, no rest is needed between exercises. This gets the heart rate up, which usually doesn't happen during resistance exercise. Sometimes, to up heart rate further, aerobics are sprinkled between the resistance exercises.


Why circuit training is good for you:
improves both strength and endurance
jump-starts metabolism


So what should my heart rate be when exercising?

Target Heart Rate Zones by Age *
Age Target Heart Rate (HR) Zone (60 - 85%) Predicted Maximum HR
20 120 – 170 200
25 117 – 166 195
30 114 – 162 190
35 111 – 157 185
40 108 – 153 180
45 105 – 149 175
50 102 – 145 170
55 99 – 140 165
60 96 – 136 160
65 93 – 132 155
70 90 – 123 150
Your Actual Values
(Actual values are determined from a graded exercise test)


Target HR: Max. HR:
* This chart is based on the the formula: 220 - your age = predicted maximum heart rate

FYI: Weight loss is a matter of simple arithmetic: To shed pounds, you must burn more calories than you consume. And when it comes to burning calories, the greater the exertion, the greater the rate at which calories are burned.

Working out at about 60% to 75% of your maximum heart rate (the so-called "fat-burning zone") burns fewer calories than working out at 75% to 85% of your maximum heart rate (the so-called "aerobic" or "cardio" zone).  

But caloric burn depends on a workout's duration as well as its intensity -- and it's easier to work out longer when exercising at a lower intensity.