Tag: physical activity

Why Does Hydration Matter?

Published on by Nikken

Staying hydrated isn’t just about avoiding thirst or dry mouth. Hydration supports the body’s major systems. In fact, 60 percent of the human body is composed of water. Different parts of the body, such as the brain, lungs, kidneys, heart, liver and so on, hold varying amounts of water.

Water also plays an important part in aging. For instance, how much water the human body holds decreases with age—babies are born with 75 percent of their bodies composed of water.1 The decrease in water composition over the years means older people need to drink water or other fluids consistently throughout the day to help maintain normal hydration and support overall body function.

In fact, water is the foundation of cellular function. It helps to regulate body temperatures, support normal energy metabolism and transport nutrients and oxygen throughout the body. Hydration also supports normal cognitive function, including focus, concentration, and memory. Even mild dehydration may contribute to headaches, dizziness or difficulty concentrating. Since cartilage is composed of about 80 percent water, joints and muscles also rely on hydration to function well. Cartilage acts as a buffer for the spine and the joints, and water helps keep tissues hydrated. Water acts like oil does on squeaky hinges—it helps lubricate joints, while acting as a cushion for muscles and other sensitive tissues.

When the body maintains proper fluid levels, it efficiently transports essential electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium, through the bloodstream to support normal muscle function and hydration. Electrolytes and water also need to be replenished to help the body regulate temperature. Since perspiration serves as the body’s natural cooling system, this loss of fluid needs to be replaced during and after physical activities.

Skin is the body’s largest organ and is composed of 30 percent water, which contributes to plumpness, elasticity and resiliency.2 Dry skin generally results from exposure to the elements, contact with hot water and scrubbing with soap. Sufficient water intake helps support overall hydration which is one of the many factors that contributes to healthy-looking skin. No matter the type of skin care regimen, staying well hydrated is an important part of basic skin health.

On average, healthy men require about 15.5 cups of total water daily, while women need around 11.5 cups, according to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. This includes water from all sources such as beverages and water-rich foods like fruits and vegetables. However, water needs vary depending on factors such as physical activity, climate, health conditions and age.3 Simply put, the more you exercise and the hotter the climate you live in, the more water you may need.

Get to know your body and pay attention to hydration. You may notice an empowering difference!

1 https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/what-percentage-of-the-human-body-is-water

2, 3 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2908954/

Different Strokes for Different Folks: Exercise and Sports Around the Globe

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Throughout history, people have exercised, consciously or unconsciously. As hunters and gatherers, our ancestors walked or ran to search for food. They didn’t need to exercise in the contemporary sense, because survival depended on constant physical activity. As civilizations developed, sports were invented.

The Greeks started the Olympics and focused mostly on wrestling. Enter the Romans who transformed activities of war into sport—throwing spears and javelins, hand-to-hand combat and sword fighting, later also known as fencing.

Navigate to the East, and the Japanese were developing sword play of their own in the form of Kendo with bamboo (shinkai) swords and wrestling in the form of sumo. Perhaps due to the prevalence of Buddhism in China and Shintoism in Japan, martial arts came to be in the forms of karate, Chinese kung fu, tai chi, wing chun and jiu-jitsu. Wing chun is a kung fu style notably founded by a Buddhist nun from the Shaolin Temple, and Manchu warriors learned to ice skate in order to reach their enemies, later transforming it to a sport!

Into the Americas, the Aztecs, Incas and Mayans played ball sports. “Pok-a-Tok” was played by Mayans not only for fun, but as a way to settle conflicts between warring factions, with losers suffering the fate of death. Apparently, Pok-a-Tok is a difficult mix of soccer and basketball! In contrast to playing for life and death, the Native American Tarahumara people were ancient marathoners who could run 200 miles at a time! They would likely best today’s extreme athletes!

North American sports largely came from European influences, and as witnessed by the addition of new events in current Olympics, exercise has truly evolved over time. For example, skateboarding originated in California by surfers who wanted to do something on land that felt like being on the waves. It debuted as an event at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

Whether you choose the slow gracefulness of tai chi or a team sport such as soccer, rugby, volleyball or basketball, the key is to keep moving. Take a look at the special Olympics and the wheelchair athletes from around the world for inspiration—choose a physical activity and do it consistently to feel good every day.

Nikken has many products that support physical activities, whether you’re a weekend warrior or a committed athlete. Right now, there’s still time, through the end of this month, to take advantage of free ground shipping, as long as you are a Registered Customer with Nikken and your single order is at least $185 USD /$259 CAD before tax and shipping costs!

Sources:

http://en.chinaculture.org/library/2013-11/22/content_496741.htm

https://www.amatravel.ca/articles/pok-a-tok-ancient-mayan-sport

A History of Physical Activity

The Hot and Cold of Working Out

Published on by Nikken

The United States and many other countries are dealing with an increase, or even a prevalence of, obesity. Exercise and diet are the two basic ways to prevent or overcome this epidemic. In the United States, physicians refer to “Physical Activity” (PA) goals as the easy and affordable prescription for maintaining a healthy weight and more often than not, recommend outdoor exercise, which combines fresh air with mobility.

Weather conditions have an effect on whether an individual stays motivated to exercise outdoors. For example, not everyone will want to exercise outdoors during rain, snow or extremely hot or cold conditions. Working out under hot weather conditions can lead to a number of illnesses, including heat cramps, exhaustion and heatstroke. These occur when the body’s cooling system fails to function due to extreme heat and humidity, sweating profusely or not drinking enough fluids. The rule of thumb for outdoor activities during extremely hot weather is to avoid the hours immediately before and after the noon hour, and to stay hydrated throughout your exercise routine.

Exercising in cold weather not only helps keep extra pounds at bay but also can help combat the winter blues. As explained by Dr. Keven Plancher, head of Plancher Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine in New York City to Women’s Health magazine, “All exercise can increase your levels of those feel-good hormones, endorphins. But because your body has to work harder in the cold, your endorphin production is boosted even more, leading to a happier state of mind.”1 Women’s Health also points out that a workout outside—even when the air is cold—can give you some much-needed sun exposure in the dark winter months, which will boost your mood as well.2

Cooler weather actually helps motivate people to do cardio workouts, because running, biking, hiking and so forth are all activities that produce heat. Even walking is suited for cooler temperatures. Low temperatures tend to make the heart work harder to keep the body at a stable temperature, so people with heart disease are advised to take caution when participating in strenuous activities during extremely cold conditions.3 Again, always stay hydrated.

To help stay motivated and consistent on an Active Wellness lifestyle, here are some tips:

  1. Eat healthy carbs a couple of hours before strenuous activities to keep your body warm and energetic. This also helps prevent fatigue.
  2. Do not drink caffeinated beverages before working out, because they can cause dehydration.
  3. Keep an energy bar on hand, especially when you know you will be exercising intensely or for a long period of time.
  4. Drink water or beverages with electrolytes before, during and after your workout to avoid cramping and dizziness. The PiMag® Sport Bottle is ideal with its built-in water filter.
  5. Set exercise/weight goals and write them down.
  6. Reward yourself periodically as you achieve your goals, but not with food, so you don’t associate pleasure only with edible treats.
  7. Wear KenkoTherm® Support Wraps and KenkoTherm DUK® Tape to help your muscles and joints stay warm and stable.

 

  1. https://www.bustle.com/articles/174136-8-weird-ways-weather-affects-your-workout
  2. https://www.bustle.com/articles/174136-8-weird-ways-weather-affects-your-workout
  3. http://www.livestrong.com/article/367353-how-does-the-temperature-affect-cardio-workouts/