European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 29, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse Preparing for Winter cold month Brina illness and injury Winter is a Busy time for colds flu and the aches and pains that accompany them. Below a daughter s injection appears to Hurt her father far More than it hurts her. Is Daved Dio by Jordie Henry the Toledo Blade a Winter. The season brings on Carefree thoughts of Fluffy Snow drinking warm cider by a roaring fire and skating on Frozen lakes. But illness injury and death stalk the unwary who Don t protect themselves from flu pneumonia and the deadly aspects of freezing temperatures Snow and ice. Flu outbreaks tend to be More prevalent from january through March. Flu shots Are recommended for High risk people Are those who Are 65 or older people with such chronic health problems As diabetes heart lung or kidney disease or severe anaemia. People taking medication that reduces the body s resistance to infection also Are at risk. But these shots should be Given very soon by the end of this month or Early in december. Health experts say people who received the shot in August and september and who Are at High risk for death or serious illness from the flu should consult their doctors about a Booster shot because Protection May not last through the season. The Best treatment for both colds and flu is a regimen of rest nutritious foods and lots of fluids. Avoid Over the counter medications unless absolutely necessary because they often have unwanted Side effects such As dryness of the Mouth dizziness and sleepiness. The Side effects can be especially hard on the elderly who Are at High risk for falling. Pneumonia is another killer that can have a number of causes including a secondary infection of influenza or a cold. People at risk for pneumonia Are the same ones who Are at High risk for influenza. The pneumococcal vaccine is a one time shot that protects from that Type of bacterial pneumonia. However since experts Are deliberating whether re vaccination should be Given every three to five years those at High risk should consult their doctors. Why Are colds and flu so prevalent in the Winter months mainly because people tend to congregate inside and in close quarters in the Winter experts say. They tend to become More congested because their nasal passages Are dried out. And dust and other allergens tend to accumulate indoors during the Winter months. The Best Way to avoid colds flu and intestinal viruses is to Wash your hands frequently. People also need to be concerned about overexertion during the Winter health officials say. The reason people who Are not normally Active often the body s defences against pneumonia the first line of defense is the Epiglottis a Flap of tissue that covers the Trachea. It opens to allow breathing but closes to Block organisms in the Mouth and Throat from entering the lower respiratory tract. If reflexes Are slowed however it can remain open at the wrong time.-. I. If an organism slips past the Epiglottis it usually gets trapped in the mucus that Coats the Trachea and the bronchial tubes in the lung tiny hairy cells called cilia then sweep the unwanted mucus material toward the Mouth. To expel the bacteria Laden mucus the body triggers the diaphragm muscle to produce a cough. Cigarette smoking pollution and viral infections among other things can hinder this process infectious organisms that reach the Alveoli of air bladders deep in the lungs Are attacked by macrophages the scavenger cells of the immune system. The macrophages engulf the organisms and Are flushed from the jungs by the Lymphatic system. The immune system also dispatches White blood cells and antibodies to inactivate the organisms. Not try to shovel Snow a strenuous activity compounded by the cold and weight of the Snow. Because they re out in the cold the blood vessels tend to constrict raising blood pressure. The blood pressure is further elevated by the Type of lifting required to shovel Snow. If the person has a heart condition or cardiovascular problems a heart attack could occur. Accidents Are another Hazard during Winter resulting from icy conditions and Long dark nig its. People especially the elderly tend to try to save Money by using Low wattage bulbs. But these same people Are More Likely to fall because they can t see very Well. The elderly also Are More Likely to slip on ice and often can become severely debilitated. Exposure to cold is another major killer. Each year about 780 people in the United states die from exposure. Between 1979 and 1990, 9,362 deaths in the . A attributed to excessive cold. To avoid overexposure to cold people should Wear layered clothing gloves and headgear. And they should remain dry and avoid alcoholic beverages. People who try to save Energy by turning Down the thermostat could be at risk especially if they re elderly or have a health problem. The thermostat should not be set lower than 65 degrees fahrenheit. During especially cold weather people sometimes use propane stoves or charcoal grills inside to supplement heat. This can be extremely dangerous because it brings Carbon monoxide into the Home. Another source of the dangerous Gas is warming up a car in an attached garage. Carbon monoxide poisoning can be deadly. Early symptoms inc Luce Jet Daches a feeling of nausea and seeing spots. People can get Carbon monoxide detectors for the Home but they can avoid problems by having furnaces inspected and by not using supplemental heating in poorly ventilated areas. Children who like to play in the wet and Snow also Are vulnerable to cold and frostbite. Parents should make sure their children Are bundled up in cold weather with layered clothes. Keeping dry also is important. Waterproofed boots or a bread sack Over socks before the shoes Are put on help keep feet dry. Hands and ears need to be covered to protect them from frostbite. And if children have to walk and breathe in cold air they should Wear a Scarf loosely Over their nose and Mouth to warm the air. And when it s 15 degrees outside skin can freeze so fast it does t feel uncomfortable just numb. Never rub frostbite or place anything hot on the area. The Frozen part should be quickly immersed in warm water to thaw. Scripps Howard news service skiers the Baltimore Sun a fitness instructor helps a skier build up leg strength and stamina. Heading for the Hills by Linda Castrone Scripps Howard news service Lown out Knees Are not necessarily an unavoidable injury for skiers. The proper pre ski conditioning program can help strengthen All the Muscles that keep us in our skis and out of the ski patrol Sheds. Too Many people get ready for the ski season As casually As they would for a game of Ping Pong says or. Robert Loeffler orthopaedic surgeon and director of the University of Colorado sports Medicine clinic. Skiing requires strength muscular and cardio respiratory endurance agility and flexibility he says. Ignoring any one of these can increase your chances of being that s Why Many health clubs in the states have begun offering special ski conditioning programs each fall. The programs Are challenging mixtures of aerobic and aerobic exercise coupled with strength and agility training. The combination makes them effective for a is Ken George getting in shape makes getting Down a slope easier. Sport that requires Strong upper and lower body Muscles and involves Short bursts of Speed followed by Long periods of rest. Students often Start with Wall sits pushed up against the Wall and sitting on imaginary chairs. They Are designed to build leg strength. Then they stretch and do 20 minutes of High Impact aerobics for cardiovascular endurance. Once they re Nice and Limber they break into groups and visit four stations for push sit rapid jumping jacks and in place sprinting. Those bursts of anaerobic exercise build Power the kind needed for Short bursts of Mogul skiing. They then Likely take a couple of laps around a track and return for More interval training like hopping Back and Forth Over an egg Carton which improves agility or doing lunges which strengthen leg Muscles and build endurance. The classes generally pay off on the slopes. Says athletic co director Linda Burris you get More bang for your Buck if you have your body in the Best possible condition. If your quads Hamstrings or gluten fatigue you might As Well forget the remainder of the afternoon on a ski trip. Pre ski programs generally Start slowly and work up to killer routines. After that most clubs revert Back to regular aerobics figuring All who Are going to the slopes Are there by january or so. People can do ski conditioning on their own says Greg Pyrek strength Trainer at a Myca. Even the most sedentary person can be ready to ski in six months using his plan. Pyrek helped a 58-year-old woman prepare for Cross country skiing with the following program that combined weight training with aerobic workouts three times a week she lifted Light weights and jogged 15 to 20 minutes followed by stretching. She concentrated on building strength the next month continuing her three workouts a week out with heavier weights and fewer repetitions. The third month she increased aerobic workouts to As much As an hour three times a week and incorporated in line skating slide Aero tas and Cross country machines. Weight training focus econ leg Muscles. The fourth month was dedicated to muscular endurance increasing the number of repetitions to 15 to 30 at a time. Aerobic workouts incorporated running jumping and hopping drills to simulate the motion of skiing. She continued that weight program for the months incorporating an occasional circuit training workout which combines weight lifting with aerobic exercise. Her aerobic workouts included biking ski fitness classes step and jump hop slide drills. The woman is now ready and waiting for the Cross country areas to open. 20 the stars and stripes tuesday november 29,1994 the stars and stripes 21
