An Easy Way I’d Never Heard of to Reduce Exercise Soreness. But It Works.

LAwordsmith — Wed, 15 May 2013 10:00:50 +0000

Nice weather brings you weekend warriors out like ants to sugar. About this time of year we exercise muscles that have lain essentially dormant all winter. And the day after the workout, we suffer the consequence, feeling like we’ve been beaten with a baseball bat.

This severe soreness after exercise is likely to happen during a disaster. You may be forced to work far past your comfort level—and in ways you’re not used to.

So I decided to see if there were any new, study-documented ways to decrease this “severe soreness after exercise” phenomenon. To my surprise, I found one. To my greater surprise, it revolved around a common fruit.

But I’m So Buff!

When I was a strapping young teen, I participated in every sport there was and exercised almost every day, sometimes for hours.

In the summer, I’d occasionally go waterskiing. Of course I’d do way too much. And it never failed. The next day I could barely get out of bed, I’d be so sore—because I had been using muscles in a way they weren’t accustomed to.

Yes, if you’re physically fit, post-disaster muscle pain could happen even to you.

The Juicy Details

Several studies show that cherry juice helps reduce the kind of muscle soreness you get after exercise. Below, I’ve listed three small but well-done ones. All were supported by cherry juice manufacturers, but they still seemed to be good. (Hey, who else is going to fund this research?)

-
Study #1

Seven male college students drank 12 ounces of apple juice mixed with tart cherry juice twice a day for four days. Seven others drank a placebo (a drink with the same color, taste, and consistency as the cherry/apple juice).

On the fourth day, the students performed vigorous arm exercises with one arm to make it sore. They continued drinking their cocktail for four more days and measured their daily muscle soreness on a scale of one to ten. They also measured muscle strength.

Two weeks later, the researchers performed the same experiment again, this time exercising the participants’ other arms and swapping who got the juice and who got the placebo.

Both times, the students drinking the cherry juice had significantly less muscle soreness after exercise and even gained back their strength quicker.

The 2006 study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, was sponsored by CherryPharm, which distributes Cheribundi juices.

-
Study # 2

In a similar study, published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise in 2011, 10 male athletes drank a U.K. brand of cherry juice, CherryActive. They did knee-extension exercises and had measurements performed to assess muscle damage and recovery. The cherry juice seemed to improve recovery.

-
Study #3

Another study—this one published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition—involved 36 males and 18 females. Half drank a mixture of tart cherry juice (Cherrish brand) and apple juice—12 ounces twice a day. The other half drank a placebo.

After seven days of juicing, the participants ran an average of 16 to 18 miles over hills and even mountain ranges in the Oregon Hood to Coast relay—still drinking their cocktail. The cherry juice drinkers had less pain after the exercise.

Other Ways to Reduce Soreness After Exercise

Good nutrition, hydration, warming up, and starting your exercise regimen slowly also help prevent soreness.

After the exercise, taking ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve)—even acetaminophen (Tylenol)—can relieve the aches a bit (although I couldn’t find any studies proving that they or icing specifically eases soreness after exercise).

Why Cherry Juice?

Other studies have already demonstrated that cherries have many antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. They’ve been shown to help relieve gout and other types of inflammatory arthritis. Thinking of it that way, it does make sense that cherry juice could help ease the inflammation of sore or injured muscles.

Take-Home Lessons

If you’re going to try drinking cherry juice to prevent soreness, don’t wait until the day of and the day after exercise. Start drinking now.

I’m not sure why the researchers chose to use so much juice. Perhaps less juice, or even supplements, may work also.

What About Eating Cherries?

Sure. They’re good for you. Eating 10–12 cherries per day has been shown to significantly cut down on gout attacks. But, according to Study 3, 24 ounces per day of juice—the amount participants drank—is equivalent to about 100 cherries. That’s a little too much for me to handle.

What about you? Have you ever been so sore from exercise you could hardly move? What have you found that helped?

Soreness photo: Flickr/bionicteaching.

The post appeared first on TheSurvivalDoctor.com. Click to comment and read others' experiences: An Easy Way I’d Never Heard of to Reduce Exercise Soreness. But It Works. .

Video: The Best Way to Irrigate Your Sinuses (Without a Neti Pot)

LAwordsmith — Wed, 08 May 2013 10:00:44 +0000

by James Hubbard, MD, MPH

Last week, I demonstrated how to safely use a neti pot, a popular tool to clean your sinuses for allergy prevention and treatment. You just pour specially prepared water into one nostril, and it comes out the other one.

But there’s an advanced sinus irrigation technique that’ll clean you out good and proper—without a neti pot. Your amazing, Roto-Rooter, nasal cleansing alternative? A cup.

I talk about this technique in the video above. I don’t demonstrate it. If you thought the neti pot one was unsavory …

Basically, you suck the solution up one nostril at a time, and it comes out of your mouth. This method gets more deeply into your sinuses that the neti pot one. The trade-off is it can be messier, and the water can kind of choke you until you get the hang of it. Just start slowly. It takes a little getting used to so you don’t suck a bit of water down your windpipe. Swallowing some is no big deal.

So check out the short video, and then let me know if you try this neti pot alternative. I’d love to hear how it goes.

P.S. To learn how to prepare safe water for sinus irrigation—with or without a neti pot—click here.

Allergies Vs. Amoebas: 2 Steps to Using a Neti Pot Safely

LAwordsmith — Wed, 01 May 2013 10:00:08 +0000

by James Hubbard, MD, MPH

There are not many natural ways to treat or prevent nasal allergies effectively, but using a neti pot for nasal irrigation is one of them. And it’s safe.

Okay, sure … a brain-eating amoeba has killed a few unfortunate people after they used contaminated tap water.

And, yes, some who use the neti pot actually have more sinus infections.

But … you can prevent both of those problems with two simple steps.

How to Use a Neti Pot Safely

Step #1. Clean the pot thoroughly before each use. You’ll need a tube brush or something similar to make sure you clean inside that thin spout.

Step #2. For irrigation, use distilled water, or boil your tap water for about a minute (and give it time to cool off) to kill any of those amoebas. Sure, it’s so easy to use water straight from the tap, and those brain-eating amoebas are really rare. But if you were to get the infection, you’d die. There isn’t a cure. Why take a chance?

How to Use a Neti Pot Effectively

Add around ¼ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of baking soda to every cup or so of water. You don’t have to use either, but the salt may clean better, and the baking soda is a buffer to limit any irritating stinging.
If you’d rather, use your favorite commercial, premixed solution instead.
Irrigate each nostril daily if you’re having allergy symptoms or every other day if you’re using it for prevention. A great time to do it is during your shower.

Why a Neti Pot?

It’s so simple to use. That’s all. Next week, I’ll teach you an advanced nasal irrigation technique that cleans out your sinuses even more thoroughly. For that, you only need a cup—no neti pot. But it takes more practice.

How Nasal Irrigation Works

Again, simple. It washes away the pollens. It’s also good for sinus infections and colds.

What Else Can You Do for Allergies?

There are plenty of over-the-counter antihistamines that work well. Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) may be the strongest, but it tends to cause drowsiness. Sometimes it’s just a trial and error thing until you find the one that works best for you.

Since antihistamines may take a few days to work their best, start them early on. If you want details, check this article out.

And then there are prescription nasal sprays, steroid tablets and shots, and allergy testing and shots.

But one simple measure that can help quite a bit is to close your windows in your bedroom. Of course for some of you, that’ll make it too hot. But if you can, test it out for a few nights. It could make a considerable difference.

One other thing you might consider is the herb butterbur.

What has helped you? Have you tried the neti pot? Did it help?

The post appeared first on TheSurvivalDoctor.com. Click to comment and read others' experiences: Allergies Vs. Amoebas: 2 Steps to Using a Neti Pot Safely .

Video: When Your Finger Swells Over Your Wedding Ring: What to Do

LAwordsmith — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 10:00:26 +0000

by James Hubbard, MD, MPH

One of the first things I do when I see someone with an injured hand or finger is remove any rings. You’d think the person would have already done this, but sometimes it’s hard to think straight when you have an injury. Also, many are afraid it’s going to hurt (it can), and some think the finger has already swollen too much (sometimes it has).

But the thing is, with a badly swollen finger, the ring acts like a tourniquet, cutting off the blood supply, and you could end up losing your digit. What to do?

If you’re in a situation where you can’t get to a doctor, you probably won’t have a ring cutter, but you might have an oily substance or some strong string or tape. So, here are two nifty tricks for how to remove a ring from a swollen finger:

Use soap and water, or any type of oil, to slip the ring off. It’s amazing how well this works.
Wrap strong string (like dental floss), ribbon-like material (like umbilical tape*), or narrow strips of duct tape around the finger to push the swelling toward the fingertip. Tuck one end of the string under the ring, and pull that end up to help you slide the ring off. I show you how to do this in my video above.

If you happen to have a ring cutter*, great! I’ve never had a ring I couldn’t cut off with this.

The last option is to cut the ring off with a hacksaw, but be very, very careful.

Now, some people are just not going to be able to remove the ring. Good luck that the swelling doesn’t get bad enough to cut off the circulation. I remember reading about a Marine who opted to have his injured finger cut off rather than cut off his wedding ring.

If you don’t get the ring off, try this to reduce the swelling:

Use ice packs, five –10 minutes on, 10 minutes off. (Wrap the ice pack with a cloth so it’s not touching your bare skin.)
Keep the injured area at heart level or above.

Treat any infection with antibiotics since infection can cause swelling.

Have you ever had a swollen finger with a ring you couldn’t remove? What did you do?

Video: How to Apply a Tourniquet Properly

LAwordsmith — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 10:00:42 +0000

by James Hubbard, MD, MPH

Tourniquets have been on my mind lately. It’s a shame many people don’t know how to properly apply one to stop bleeding. It’s so easy. But, like most things, someone has to show you before you can learn.

I read of a man bitten on his thigh by a beaver. The large femoral artery that runs from the groin down the inner thigh was severed, and the man bled to death. My first thought was, maybe he could have been saved if someone had known how to stop the bleeding—in particular, how to apply a tourniquet.

Then I read about a man in a Home Depot sawing deeply into his arms, apparently on purpose. A quick-thinking fire captain applied a tourniquet around each arm and, yes, saved the man’s life.

But you also have to know how to combine methods. A woman recently came up to me after a wound-treatment talk I gave at the Get Prepared Expo in Missouri. She told me her husband’s inner upper arm was once cut with some sheet metal and he almost bled to death. Someone applied a tourniquet, but it didn’t help much. Fortunately, the good ol’ paramedics and EMTs arrived in time. But I thought, if his colleagues who tried to help had only known what else they could have done, in addition to the tourniquet, to stop bleeding.

All this made me check my past posts on how to stop bleeding only to discover that, although I mention tourniquets as a last resort to save a life (and they should be a last resort since the person may very well lose a limb even if the tourniquet is applied properly), I haven’t explained the correct way to apply one.

After you watch the video a time or two, practice on yourself or some volunteer so you’ll know what to do if the time comes when you need one. Don’t practice this if you bleed easily since the tourniquet could cause a bruise. Also, don’t practice on someone with “poor circulation.”

Find your radial pulse. It’s on the inside of your wrist. Just follow your thumb to your wrist, press down with two fingers, and you should be able to find it.
Apply the tourniquet to your upper arm and tighten until you can’t feel your pulse.

That’s it. Take it off right away, of course. Even if you’re applying it for real, you want to loosen it every few minutes to try to get some blood flow to the rest of your arm and hand, or leg and foot—and get expert medical help as soon as possible.

What do you think? Did you try it? Did it work?

One last thing. As I talk about in the video, whether it’s pressure or pulse points, or a tourniquet, you don’t have to go with just one method at a time to stop bleeding.

The post appeared first on TheSurvivalDoctor.com. Click to comment and read others' experiences: Video: How to Apply a Tourniquet Properly .

Fukushima Thyroid Rumor: Are Babies Really in Danger?

LAwordsmith — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 21:06:27 +0000

Media reports claim radiation from the 2011 Fukushima disaster caused thyroid problems in one-third of West Coast newborns. But they’re so, so wrong.

by James Hubbard, MD, MPH

The news is grim. West Coast babies are being born with thyroid problems left and right, media reports suggest. One-third have been affected! Radiation from the Fukushima nuclear disaster is to blame. What to do?!!!

Except … this isn’t true.

The rumor has spread across the Internet, but it comes from the misinterpretation of a new study. The preparedness organization Living Ready asked me to report the unbiased truth about this study’s findings in a guest blog post.

“Even worst case, the researchers found that nowhere near one-third of the newborns were hit with thyroid problems,” I write. “Not even close.” You can read the post here.

Have you seen these Fukushima thyroid rumors? What did you think?

When a Scorpion Sting Turns Deadly

LAwordsmith — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:00:13 +0000

The bark scorpion likes to live in trees (bark) and hide in woodpiles, under fallen trees, or under your camping bedding.

by James Hubbard, MD, MPH

Scorpions make me think of Westerns. Some cowboy is riding a horse in the desert and they cut to a single scorpion in the sand. It symbolizes that this land is rough, rugged, and dangerous. One sting, and you’re dead.

Cut to real life. While you will find most scorpions in the desert, you may also come across them in many Southeastern and Midwestern states. In all but one species in the U.S., the scorpion sting is similar to a bee sting. Yes, you can be allergic, and the reaction can result in death. (See my bee stings post for signs and treatment of this anaphylactic reaction.)

Usually, though, the scorpion sting just hurts. But there is one scorpion here that causes more problems than others: the bark scorpion. Its sting can affect your brain and nerves. Some people are more vulnerable to a bad outcome than others, but there are things you can do if you see the reaction.

Bark Scorpions

Live in California, New Mexico, Arizona, and Southern Colorado.
Are yellow or gray.
Are relatively small, about 2–3 inches from head to stinger.
Like to live in trees (bark) and hide in woodpiles, under fallen trees, or under your camping bedding.
Can also be found inside the house in shoes, in clothes, and under blankets. They come out and hunt for insects, etc., at night.

Many scorpion species, including the bark scorpion, glow in the dark if a black light is shined on them.

Their sting can be fatal, but it’s not always. In fact, most bark scorpion stings are no worse than stings from other scorpions. But even in healthy adults, about 1 percent of victims can die without treatment. In children under 5, the risk of death is estimated to be as high as 25 percent. Adults with chronic diseases and those 65 and older are also at higher risk.

Antivenin treatment is available at medical centers in regions where the bark scorpion is most prevalent.

Serious symptoms start within minutes of the sting and may include:

Increased salivation (foaming at the mouth or drooling)
Blurred vision
Trouble focusing
Slurred speech
Muscle twitches
Abdominal cramps
Seizures
Trouble breathing

If you see any of these symptoms and can’t get the victim to the antivenin, an ice pack applied within two hours of the sting can decrease the poison’s spread. If the person’s having trouble breathing, make sure they have an open airway by rolling them on their side (or putting in an airway if you know how). Try rest and fluids—IV fluids if you have them. Usually the symptoms subside within 24 to 48 hours.

If the person doesn’t have a reaction you can just treat the sting like you would a normal bee sting.

What about you? Have you, or an acquaintance, ever been stung? How did it feel?

Spring Survival Quiz, Part II: Bites and Stings

LAwordsmith — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:00:25 +0000

by James Hubbard, MD, MPH

We humans are not the only ones who become more active in the spring. This second of my two-part, true/false quiz on surviving the spring is all about bites and stings. The answers are quotes from past posts. It has been said that repetition is the mother of all learning, so why not go back and read the linked posts to refresh your memory.

Question #1 of 10

True or false? In the U.S., you have about a ninety-five percent chance of surviving a venomous snakebite.

>> Answer

The post appeared first on TheSurvivalDoctor.com. Click to comment and read others' experiences: Spring Survival Quiz, Part II: Bites and Stings .

Spring Survival Quiz

LAwordsmith — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 10:00:14 +0000

by James Hubbard, MD, MPH

Springtime. It always reminds me of the cycle of life, rebirth, new beginnings. And, of course, it’s a time to get outside, to hike, camp, play … and spring clean.

This is the first of a two-part true/false spring quiz to help you get you prepared for all of the above. In the comments, let me know how you do!

Question #1 of 10

Every year a few people die of hantavirus, an infection that causes severe aching and fever, followed by trouble breathing.

True or false? One of the ways you can get hantavirus is by inhaling it from certain rat or mouse feces, so you should take precautions when cleaning barns, sheds, and the like.

>> Answer

Photo: Flickr/pleasantpointinn.

The post appeared first on TheSurvivalDoctor.com. Click to comment and read others' experiences: Spring Survival Quiz .

6 Home Remedies for Fire Ant Bites

LAwordsmith — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 10:00:18 +0000

If you disturb fire ants, they don’t mess around. They attack. Technically they bite and sting. When they bite, they clamp to your skin with their two strong pincers. Because of this it takes a lot of vigorous brushing to get them off. After biting, they sting by swinging their tail to and fro. One biting fire ant can sting you six to eight times.

by James Hubbard, MD, MPH

Having grown up in the South, I’ve been bitten enough times by fire ants to pretty well know what’s going on before I see them. I know when I feel that distinctive sting (it’s like being touched with a hot match head … for a long time), I’m going to find a lot of creepy, crawling dots.

Because fire ants don’t come as singles. They quickly cover a foot, leg, or arm before you know what’s happening. And the little devils don’t leave easily. You have to brush and brush and often take off some apparel to make sure they’re not clinging to that. And I know they’re going to leave a sore, itching spot I’m going to have to deal with for days.

Although potentially killer allergic reactions occur, just as they do in bee and wasp stings, I’ve never seen one. But I have seen people with so many stings they literally get sick, and if it’s an arm or leg, there can be lots of local swelling.

We who’ve been bitten all have our little tricks on how to treat fire ant bites, so let’s dig right in.

How to Treat Fire Ant Bites (and Stings)

Home Remedies

Ice pack (with a cloth between the skin and pack) or a cool, wet cloth—or anything cool. Apply for 10-minute intervals with a break in between.
Paste of baking soda and water
Vinegar
Paste of baking soda and vinegar
Meat tenderizer
Wet tobacco (hopefully you don’t have any, but if you do, put it to some good use)

Oral Medicines

Antihistamine, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) or one of the nonsedating ones.

Injections

Epinephrine. Fire ants can cause the same type of life-threatening allergic reaction as wasps and bees. (See the next section on anaphylactic shock.) And there’s nothing that works as well for life-threatening reactions as injectable epinephrine. It comes in an easy-to-use, pen-like container with a retractable needle called an EpiPen. You can inject yourself or someone else. There’s also a smaller-dosage container you can get for small kids. Read the instructions beforehand, and use immediately if there’s a severe allergic reaction. Everyone should have one of these at home and one in a backpack or bug-out bag because when you need it, you need it immediately. But you’re going to have to ask your doctor for a prescription.

Anaphylactic Warning Signs

You’ll find fire ants, of course, in their nests (large mounds of dirt) but also on trees, feeding on dead things, and even on top of water.

They’re the same as in any severe allergic reaction—tightness in the chest, trouble breathing, severe nausea, or a breakout of welts over the body (including areas that have not been stung).

If you have these, call 911 or get to a doctor ASAP. If you can’t, the same suggestions apply as for any anaphylactic reaction. (See my post on bee stings for more details.)

Now don’t think these ants are satisfied with what they’ve got. These biting invaders first came to the U.S. in 1939 on a South American ship anchored in Mobile, AL. They quickly spread throughout the Southeast, into the Southwest and California, and along the Atlantic Coast. And now they’re moving northward, wiping out other ant types as they go.

What about you? Have you ever made a fire ant mad? How did the sting feel? What did you do?

An Easy Way I’d Never Heard of to Reduce Exercise Soreness. But It Works.

But I’m So Buff!

The Juicy Details

Other Ways to Reduce Soreness After Exercise

Why Cherry Juice?

Take-Home Lessons

What About Eating Cherries?

Video: The Best Way to Irrigate Your Sinuses (Without a Neti Pot)

You May Also Like:

Allergies Vs. Amoebas: 2 Steps to Using a Neti Pot Safely

How to Use a Neti Pot Safely

How to Use a Neti Pot Effectively

Why a Neti Pot?

How Nasal Irrigation Works

What Else Can You Do for Allergies?

Video: When Your Finger Swells Over Your Wedding Ring: What to Do

You May Also Like:

Video: How to Apply a Tourniquet Properly

Fukushima Thyroid Rumor: Are Babies Really in Danger?

You May Also Like:

When a Scorpion Sting Turns Deadly

Bark Scorpions

You May Also Like:

Spring Survival Quiz, Part II: Bites and Stings

Question #1 of 10

Spring Survival Quiz

Question #1 of 10

6 Home Remedies for Fire Ant Bites

How to Treat Fire Ant Bites (and Stings)

Anaphylactic Warning Signs

You May Also Like