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Woman flossing

To Floss Or Not to Floss

A survey by the American Academy of Periodontology found that almost 15% of adults would rather clean a toilet than floss their teeth. That means we either have some people who are really ardent defenders of the porcelain throne or that a lot of people really hate to floss their teeth. Most probably, it’s the latter.

For years, mothers have been telling children to floss their teeth. It might not have seemed the most pleasant activity for a juvenile, but it sort of made sense that it was good for you. Weren’t we always taught that food residue rots teeth enamel? It would then seem logical that if food particles were lurking unknown beneath our teeth, we should surely want to get rid of them, and this seemed to be the main goal of flossing. Could mother have been wrong?

The Skeptics
According to recent reports by the associated Press, officials had never properly researched the effectiveness of regular flossing. (What? Could this have been some capitalistic plot encouraging us to buy ineffective rolls of string?) Well, it seems as if the American Academy of Periodontology concurs. They point to a 2011 Cochrane “oral health” review of 12 studies which, supported the efficacy of flossing. The academy is now claiming that these studies did not “examine gum health over a significant period of time” to determine whether of not there are long term benefits. Tim Iafolla, a dentist with the National institute of dental Craniofacial Research says, “The condition we’re trying to prevent, which is gum disease, is something that takes years to develop and most of the studies only last a few weeks or months.”

The Supporters
Now, keep in mind that the jury is still out on this one. Just because the studies did not support that flossing is beneficial, doesn’t mean it isn’t. Before you go throwing your floss in the dumpster and yelling, “Free at last, free at last,” listen to this: Says Joan Otomo-Corgel, a periodontist with the American Academy of Periodontology,”…My concern is that the public picks up on this and says, ‘Oh, flossing is not a benefit. That means I don’t have to do it.'” She also says, based on her 32 years of observation, flossing gets rid of bacteria that manifest themselves between teeth causing infections and other oral problems. “Biofilms are live,” she says,”I mean…You have different types of bacteria that form and the longer they stay, the more virulent they become.”

Keep in mind also that while studies on prevention of plaque and gum health are inconclusive, floss is still believed to prevent gingivitis, a condition causing fumes to inflame and bleed, although the naysayers are quick to add that the quality of evidence supporting this was “very low.”

It seems that it would be remiss not to include an admonition from Dr. Wayne Aldredge, president of the American Academy of Periodontlogy, who reminds us that gum disease is, “insidious, slow and bone melting.” He says those who quit flossing are, “rolling the dice,” and; “You don’t know if you’ll develop periodontal disease, and your can find out too late.”

Woman reading a book in a hammock

Planning To Do Nothing

Planning an event takes energy. You need to  invite the necessary people, find a time that is convenient for everyone, be there at a certain time, figure out what to wear, make sure you have all the necessary supplies, and worry about getting home.  Doesn’t sound like much fun.  In fact, it sounds like a lot of work.  Whatever happened to the concept of real downtime?  Not having to think about waking up at a certain time or being anywhere and not having to answer to anyone and not even having to provide stimulating conversation. Although it is important to remain social, it is equally as important to allow for some time to concentrate on the simpler things in life. Let’s talk about some things you can do that qualify as real fun.

Play Music
The sound of music floating on the air from a window must be the essence of decadence.  Whether it is the twangy sound of plucking guitar strings or the sound of an opera singer practicing scales, the playing music implies leisure.  It is a sensual activity that requires us only to listen and think about what we are hearing, allowing our minds to drift.

Cook
it is strange how cooking can be one of the most stressful activities or one of the most stressful.  Sure, cooking can be hard when you have people to keep happy and healthy every night, but let’s talk about the “Julie and Julia” or “Tortilla Soup” kind of cooking where you have endless time to experiment and perfect.  Let’s talk about cooking as a kind of healing, and as a way of doing something productive with your time, while escaping from the daily grind.

Woman sleeping

Take A Nap
Nothing brings on the “cat that just caught the mouse” feeling quite like taking a nap.  You have managed to steal time to let  your mind and body successfully escape to that purgatorial space between on and off.  You wake up energized and feeling like you have a leg up on all those less fortunate.  The morning is somehow more manageable and there is less of it to survive.  FYI: Research shows that naps can also reduce the risk of heart attack.

Pamper Yourself
Have a nice bubble bath.  Throw in your favorite oil, light some candles, play some music and pour some (beverage of choice).  Do a facial, or mani pedi,  or hair treatment.  Great for your mind and body.

Shop
“Now you’re talking,” you think. Not to be confused with emotional spending, shopping can be a very relaxing and therapeutic activity. If your retail therapy is moderate in nature, and your credit is good, shopping can decrease stress and anxiety and allow you to gain control over situations and ease anxiety. Besides this, shopping also gives you an opportunity to immerse yourself in creativity,  improve  decision making and provide an outlet for social interaction.

Remember, you’re own company can sometimes be as good or better than other people’s.   You’re the coolest person  here.  It’s not about doing, its about being!

Woman having lunch

Meal Prep Is Not Just For Dieters

Ask most people what they are planning to do for dinner tonight and they night say, “I’m planning on ordering pizza.”

“What’s wrong with pizza?” you ask, “Tomatoes are a great source of antioxidants, the cheese has source of calcium and the toppings can have a variety of health benefits.’

Well, you have a point. But have you ever looked behind the scenes at a pizza place? Unless it specifies otherwise, your favorite pizza kitchen may be making using ingredients that you ordinarily would not think of consuming, such as fatty oil and whole milk cheeses. Not that we don’t love them, but we don’t always know if Big Mama and Big Papa have your best health options in mind. They are not necessarily thinking about portion control in mind when they’re heaping that cheese on. And pizza is a relatively harmless choice. I don’t even think I have to warn you about what is in a lot of the fast food burgers. The only way you can really guarantee that you know what’s in the food you eat is to make it yourself. “Make it myself?”, you say, “you mean, shop for ingredients and actually cook them? I don’t have the time or energy.” Well. welcome to meal prep 101.

Why Should I Prep my Meals?

  1. You don’t have to think about what you’re going to eat on the spot. Have you ever been here? You’re working late at the office. You’re on a tight deadline. Mike, your boss, is talking about getting some Macdonalds. You would rather die. What do you do? You don’t want to be responsible for the project not being done on time because you were too much of a diva to eat a Big Mac. The solution? You whip out your tupperware container with your healthy premade meal and are halfway through it when Mike gets back with his suspicious smelling bags.
  2. It saves you money. When you buy preprepared food, your’e paying for the preparation. If you’re buying from a food truck, your’e helping them pay for the upkeep of the truck; in a restaurant, you are paying for their waitstaff ,rent, and electricity bills. When you start to do the work yourself, you cut out a lot of expenses.

Basic Tips

1. Plan your meals to contain one protein, one starch and one vegetable. Make a list of acceptable alternatives. For example:

  • Protein Options: Boneless skinless chicken breast, ground turkey, fish, avocado
  • Starch Options: Sweet potato, pasta,rice
  • Veggie Options; Spinach, green beans, peppers, tomato (choices may vary)

2. Set aside a day for shopping

3. Peel, chop and cut all veggies and fruit for the week so they are ready to grab for a snack or to add to your lunch box.

4. Prep your protein and meat: Keep meat preparation down to a minimum. Use seasonings instead of a marinade or make a huge quantity of different types of marinated turkey or chicken at once and freeze them. You can use them in tacos or throw them in a salad. Hard boil eggs. Make homemade burgers and freeze them.

Think you can handle it? It may seem a like a lot of work at first, but you will be the epitome of cool when it comes to meal time, and you won’t have to worry about asking the waitress to put the dressing on the side.

Happy woman with outstretched arms outside

Moving, Eating, Being, Thinking

Happiness finally seems to be getting a fair shake.  Didn’t it seem like years ago, we thought that anything that made us happy couldn’t possibly be good for us?  Weren’t we brought up on sayings like, “If it doesn’t hurt, it isn’t working”, or “It’s not love if it doesn’t hurt.”  Isn’t it time that we bring an end to this self punishing philosophy?  Isn’t it time we admitted that some things that we like can be good for us?  Aren’t we tired of being miserable?  (Cue shouts of, “Go, girl” and “Amen!’)

It seems like its getting more and more obvious that we don’t always have to suffer and deprive ourselves to reach our goals.  Happiness may not pay the bills, but it seems like it could take us into a ripe old age.  Here’s to being happy and healthy!

Eating
Eat fewer calories, but more food.  That sounds like happiness to me!) Load on the greens and the beans.  Take a second helping of (fresh fruit.  Skip the burgers and cream sauce and pile on the whole grains.  You’ll end up with less calories, more antioxidants and longer, happier lives. Dr. Bradley Wilcox of the Pacific Health Institute in Honolulu says, “People in Okimawa eat more food by weight than people who eat a Western style diet.” The result?  Their risk for dementia, heart attacks, strokes and cancer are among the lowest in the world.

Woman exercising

Moving
Exercise can help to give you better quality of life and slow down the aging process.  In fact, you don’t even have to work that hard! (Happy now?)  A University of Florida study showed that healthy people aged 65 to 85 who did low intensity exercises had a drop in free radical damage while high intensity exercisers had a slight increase! For protecting the heart and arteries, just walking at a brisk pace for 30 minutes a day, along with resistance training and aerobic exercise can do the trick.

Being
Find something interesting to do.  So, admit it.  We all love to relax.  We love to sit back and watch the tube and put our feet up. Well, that may sound appetizing, but if you’re better off doing something slightly more meaningful. People who pursue their interests develop better coping mechanisms and tend to be more optimistic and live longer.

Also, connect with friends and family.  Science journal prove that having friends changes the biochemistry of the brain and strengthen immunity.  Being alone, causes the levels of the stress hormone, cortisol to rise which can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, depression and sleep problems.  BTW:  Marriage can add seven years to a man’s life and three to a woman’s.  Can’t live with ’em?  Pets can reduce stress and lower blood pressure.

Woman solving a crossword

Thinking
Just like our bodies, our brain needs exercise to stay healthy.  Reading, doing crossword puzzles and writing are all ways of lowering risk of mental decline.  Also, it has been proven that using your brain can actually up your “cognitive reserve.”  That means that you get a kind of bonus of extra neurons and pathways in your brain that make them function longer.  Our brain muscles are just like all the other muscles in our bodies; the more we use them, the healthier and more flexible they’ll be! So be happy, live healthy and be your best, most beautiful self!  Cheers!

Women in a locker room

Avoiding Locker Room Germs

So how’s this for a first world problem?  We are constantly being warned about dangers of obesity.  In fact, it seems we cannot put on the tv or  social media without seeing pictures of people on treadmills, eating green vegetables and  practically bursting with health. The message is obvious, exercise is important and we need to incorporate it into our lifestyles.

However, no matter how healthy we are, virus and bacteria horror stories seem to pop up almost as often.  Whether it be an outbreak in a food chain or a child on a slide at MacDonald’s, it seems evident that we must also place avoiding germs high on our list of priorities.

And therein lies our dilemma:  the gym locker room.  We’ve heard so many horror stories about what happens in this place.  There seems to be a disagreement about locker room etiquette.  From inappropriate bodily emissions to naked toenail cutting, the potential for picking up some kind of bacteria seems almost unavoidable.  So what options are there for the health obsessed germophobe?  Should we choose to be sick and skinny or disease free and fat?  Here are some things we can do to keep ourselves protected in this hotbed of germs.

Keep Your Jellies On
Because the shower and locker room  tend to be  warm and damp, they are great places to find to mold, algae and fungus.  These villains  find their way around the locker room mixing with sweat, skin cells, and urine.  (And don’t think that shower floor has never been urinated on)  Barefooted athletes in the gym locker are a prime target for Athlete’s Foot and other catchable infections.  Cover those feet!

Don’t Stuff Your Sweaty Clothes in Your Gym Bag
Jack Foley, ATC, director of sports medicine and head athletic trainer at Lehigh University says,”If you’re tossing warm, damp gear in your gym bag after a workout, you’re allowing germs to have a free ride home in a perfect petrie dish. ” (Quite an  image, no?) A better idea is to bring a clean plastic bag with you for dirty clothes and wash them when you get home  and, while your doing that, try tossing in your gym bag every other time or two or use disinfectant wipes to clean it inside and out.

Don’t Drink from the Water Fountain
This seems like good advice in the locker room and not.  According to the cleaning business, Coverall, a water fountain can have 2.7 million bacteria per square inch per spigot.  BYOW. (Bring your own water.)

Wash Your Face and Hands
Letting sweat and grime fester on your face is not going to do anything to help your acne problem.  And,before you wash your face, wash your hands.   After touching the handlebars on the stationary bike in spin class, you don’t want to know what kind of germs and viruses are your hands may be carrying.  Your hands are the most common culprits for transferring bacteria between surfaces, so keep ’em clean!

Bring Your Own Towels
Ah!  The pleasure of drying off with a nice clean towel after a good hot shower.  Not so fast!   Some gym employees have a habit of using the same containers for dirty and clean towels which aids in the spread of E. coli and MRSA.  Bring two antimicrobial towels from home, one for wiping sweat, the other for post shower and you will be the coolest (and cleanest) kid at the gym.

Woman playing golf

Round the Year Skincare for Golfers

Let’s review the facts.

Golfers spend a lot of time in the sun. The average time for a foursome to play 18 holes is four hours.It’s also recommended that if golfers play regularly if they are serious about improving their game.  In fact, as of 2011, golfers played an average of 58 rounds a year.  Do the math and that works out to a lot of time outside.

The majority of golf players are male.  Even though the popularity of the Ladies PGA tour grows every day, and we love you, Maria Sharapova,  77.5% of golfers in the U.S. are male.  And the average age of golfers in the U.S. is 54.  Now, ask yourself this, honestly, how many men do you know who are over 54 religiously apply sunblock?

Men over the age of 40 have the highest annual exposure to UV radiation and the majority of people diagnosed with melanoma are caucasian meant over 50. According to an article in Golf digest, dermatologists believe the odds of skin cancer are worse for golfers and it is likely that a higher percentage of golfers have skin cancer than the 20% reported for the US population.   According to Dr. Michael Kaminer, “Some golfers, it’s like they’re going out of their way to get skin cancer,” and he plays golf.

But just because you’re not in the average demographic for golfing, it doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy golf, and just because you are not a female millennial, you do not get an excuse for being ignorant about skin health.  So, let’s agree that golfing and taking care of your skin is not mutually exclusive! So listen up golfers:  here are some round the year skincare tips for golfers.

Use Sunblock Every Time You Play
Make sure to go with at least SPF 30 and make sure it says “broad spectrum”  on the label.  This way you know you are getting both UVA and UVB protection.

Woman playing golf

Wear a Hat, Long Sleeves, Pants and Sunglasses
The Skin Cancer Foundation says to wear one that extends 3″ ALL THE WAY AROUND; that means, no baseball caps or visors.  (Something tells me this may be a problem.) Wearing pants and long sleeves are very helpful in keeping the sun off.  If you are really too hot for sleeves, Nike and Under Armour make sun sleeves.  Try to get them with at least a 30 UPF.  and don’t forget to rock the SGs.  Make sure you choose a pair that blocks 99-100% of the sun.  OK, so now that you’re bundled up, let’s go play some golf.  No, only kidding, but statistics show that most golfers are college educated, so use those brains!  Stay away from the sun.

Re-Apply Sunscreen Every Two Hours
Sweat, moisture and time can all effect the strength of sunscreen. Check around the 8th or 9th hole to see how long it has been since your last application.

Schedule an Early or Late Tee Time
Try to avoid putting between 10 and 4 when the sun is strongest.  Take advantage of twilight rates, or predawn hours.

Find Shade
Trees are not really the most common features on golf courts, so a golf cart may be a good idea. The cart’s awning will provide some sun relief. If you must walk the court, try and stand in the shadiest place possible when not teeing off.  You will be cooler as well.

Woman drinking tea

There's a Tea For That

You decide to do the afternoon date. You’re really not that sure about this guy, or gal, so you want to meet at a neutral place.  You decide that no alcohol should be involved and that this not to be an expensive place.  A costly dinner may leave you feeling beholden to him/her and you want to be prepared to split the check if necessary.  He/she suggests a trendy tea house in your neighborhood. You will meet there.

You arrive at the place.  He/she asks you what you would like. You look up at the menu and are horrified.  There are at least 50  different brands of tea and you haven’t heard of half of them.  What do you do?  If you order the plain tea, will you appear too boring, not enough of a risk taker, or should you order something you never heard of? Will he/she think you want to dive into bed with him/her If you order something too exotic? What will your tea say about you? What if you order something you hate  and have to “accidentally” spill it when he/she goes to the restroom?  Well, have no fear.  Here is a small guide to the different types of tea and their benefits.

Black Tea
Making up about 75 % of all tea consumption, black tea is made from the leaves of the”camellia sinensis” plant, which are rolled and fermented.  It has a slightly bitter flavor and contains the most caffeine, about 40 mgs a cup. (May not want to have too much on the first date.)  It is packed with antioxidants called theaflavins and thearubigans which can lower cholesterol.  Research shows that drinking three of more cups of black tea will reduce the risk of a stroke by 21%.

Green Tea
Because the leaves used in green tea are heat treated and dried right after they are picked, the fermentation process is halted.  This gives it a more delicate flavor than black tea.  Green tea contains about 25 mgs of caffeine per cup.  Perhaps most commonly associated with health benefits, green tea contains catechins known to ward off everything from cancer to heart disease.  A daily cup can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease by 10%.

oolong tea

Oolong Tea
Fermented for a shorter time than black tea, oolong tea has a richer taste.  It has about 30 mgs of caffeine per cup and may aid in weight loss and contains an enzyme that dissolves dietary fat.  One study showed that women who drank oolong tea burned slightly more calories over a 2 hr period than those who drank water.  (Got your new workout routine?)

White Tea
White tea has a mild flavor and less caffeine than other varieties, about 15 mgs. It does wonders for the cardiovascular  system, fights cancer and may help people with diabetes, improving glucose tolerance and reducing bad cholesterol.  FYI:  Loose tea may contain more antioxidants than tea in bags.

Flavored Tea
Yum! Flavored tea generally has the health flavors of the others, but if flavored with superfruits, like blueberries (Blueberry tea?  Anyone had this?) may have even more antioxidants.  But, a word to the wise, skip the bottled varieties.  They notoriously contain extra sugar and are watered down, reducing the health benefits.

So, now that you know the skinny, what will you choose?  Which type of tea are you?  Let us know!

Woman buying sandals in a shoe store

Flat Sandals And Foot Health

Marilyn Monroe once famously said, “Give the girl the right shoe and she can conquer the world.” I hardly think this is disputable. From time immortal, women have had seemingly unnatural relationships with their shoes. But most of the time, when we speak of these obsessions, high heels come to mind. Unfortunately, heels have their limitations. They make our legs look fabulous, but by the end of the day, the agonized looks on our faces might scare away all comers no matter how fab our gams look. Let’s face it! We need our flats. Six-inch stilettos may be just the thing in the nightclub, but not so much for the supermarket (although I have never seen Beyonce at Ralph’s.) But, that’s okay. There are some really cute and cheap flats right? Ballet flats, flip-flops, jelly shoes and sandals are really fashionable for that sexy comfortable Sunday afternoon look. In fact, even Victoria Beckham, who once said,”I can’t concentrate in heels”, was spotted wearing brogues at the start of the summer. So, it’s a win-win right? Comfort and fashion. Wrong!

According to Dr. Nichola Dunne, director of Douglas Orthotics, “People think that they are doing the right thing by wearing flats, but they don’t realize how much damage they can cause.” Although they may be better for our balance, flats have no arch support, fastening straps or shock absorbing materials. They can cause friction to the heel , Achilles tendon, and toes that can lead to blisters and callouses, and, commonly cause flat feet. In addition, the damage may not stop may not stop at the ankle Back, hip and knee pain are often attributed to wearing flats.

Plantar Fascitis
You may have heard about this on late night infomercials. Plantar fascitis is the swelling of the tissue that runs between the heel and the foot. It can be caused by weight gain or, you guessed it, unsupportive footwear. The HSE estimates that this condition affects one-tenth of the population. Says Dunne,”Each September, every second person who comes into the clinic has plantar fascists after spending the summer in sandals or flip flops.” (Are you regretting all those sandals sitting in your closet waiting to be worn?)

What Can You Do?
Buy your shoes in the afternoon. Your feet may be a little swollen from daily activity and will give you a more accurate expectation of how your shoes will fit on a daily basis. Stretch calf muscles daily to avoid tendonitis and try rolling a ball under your foot to relieve pain. And as for choosing our shoes, is there any middle ground? Should we ship out all our sandals to the Salvation Army, or is that too cruel? Chris McCarthy ,manager of Foot Solutions says, ” Not all flats are bad. A good shoe should have a cushioned base and be shaped to support the arches….The heel counter…behind your heels , needs to be solid and not tilt in or out. Proper shoes will support the heel bone to keep the foot flat and prevent pain.” And NO FLIP FLOPS!! According to the experts, these are an orthopedic disaster. They can cause pain, permanent damage to your toes, screw up your posture, slow you down, expose your feet to infection and could be made of toxic materials. In other words, if you are looking forward to walking comfortably for the rest of your life, avoid these at all costs.

So go forth, choose wisely and have fun conquering the world!

Clean hands with French manicure

Dare To Go Bare

Nail polish is so attractive and there are so many trendy manicure options now, it’s hard to think of taking time off to let our nails go bare for a while. However, keeping polish on nails for a prolonged period of time can be doing our nails harm. Find out how your nails might be suffering the effects of being constantly polished and what you can do about it.

Many of us have heard of the benefits of leaving polish off to let nails ‘breathe’. The reality is, nails don’t actually need to breathe, as they receive nutrients and oxygen from the blood stream, not the air. However, leaving polish on can lead to keratin granulation. “These are white, rough patches on the nail that form when the polish is removed along with the superficial layers of nail cells,” explains certified dermatologist and nail specialist Dana Stern. Stern goes on to explain that these are caused by trauma to the nail matrix. The granulations do grow out over time but can result in permanent damage to the matrix that can lead to nail alteration.

Foot specialist Joy Rowland expands on this theory. “The danger with keeping your nail polish on too long is that the pigment in the nail polish can soak into the top few layers of the nail and dry it out,” says Rowland. When that happens, mildew, yeast, mold and bacteria can develop under the nail plate which can lead to long term problems. Rowland recommends leaving polish off and trying to keep feet dry to promote healing. She also recommends rubbing the nail beds with vitamin E.

Nail polish remover can also be dangerous to the nails. Dermatologists simplify the science behind this by comparing nails to tiles on a roof. “These tiles are made of protein, specifically keratin, just like our hair. These cells are very delicate and can become damaged with prolonged exposure to certain chemicals,” says Stern. One of these chemicals is acetone, commonly found in nail polish remover. Acetone can dry out the keratin cells that make up the nail plate causing them to separate, split, peel and break.

Obviously, it is a good idea to take breaks between manicures and let nails go bare. A few weeks with nail polish on, and then a few weeks with bare nails is the recommended procedure. Here are some other helpful hints for keeping nails healthy:

  • Always wear a protective base coat. This will keep nails from yellowing.
  • Take biotin and vitamins to keep nails healthy.
  • Use gloves while doing housework.
  • Keep nails trim and buff them lightly in one direction.
  • Don’t peel your nail polish. This will make the cells on your nails grow in a slanted direction and weaken them.
  • Rub oil into nails to seal in moisture.
  • Avoid overexposure to water and alcohol (which can be found in hand sanitizers).
Woman lighting up a fire

The Basics of Camping Safety

Many of us prefer to keep our entertainment vanilla.  We like to have a little fun, as long as it does not involve bears, bugs, rock climbing and the possibility of losing the signal on our cell phones.  But, for those of us that are a little more willing to break out of our comfort zone, camping can be a very attractive prospect.  I mean, just think of how cost efficient it is:  no expensive hotel room, no overpriced meals, no shopping mall.  And what about the health benefits? Just you and your significant others, sucking up that vitamin D, exercising, and communing with nature, snuggling by the fire, shedding those pesky extra pounds.  Sounding more attractive?  Definitely.  But before you pack your fishing poles and rucksacks, there are a few things you should know about keeping safe on your camping trip.

First, let’s talk about mealtime.  Make sure you bring along safe food and water.  Pack your foods in tight waterproof bags and containers, none of that cracked Tupperware you’ve been eating out of those past few months.  Keep edibles in an insulated cooler and out of the way of any animal or insect invaders. Always have clean hands; you may want to pack some of that delightful vanilla scented sanitizer you found at the 99Cent Store.  Separate cooked food from raw , chill foods promptly to avoid rot and cook foods to the proper temperature.  You may want to bring a food thermometer- make sure those sliders are cooked to an even 160. And while you’re cooking, no fuel-burning  equipment in an enclosed shelter. Gas stoves, heaters, and lanterns all have the potential to cause carbon monoxide poisoning inside a tent.

Woman drinking hot coffee

Aside from the temperature of your food, you may also want to pay attention to your own temperature.  Hypothermia is a very real danger associated with camping.  Be sure to bring enough clothing and bedding to stay warm.  Also, be sure to keep hydrated against the heat by drinking plenty of alcohol-free and sugar-free liquids.  And layer up!  Temperatures can be very high during the day when camping and very low at night. Be prepared to strip or bundle up as necessary, but don’t strip down too much. To fight the bite,  and to keep protected against UV rays, keep your body covered. But console yourselves, nudists, even though you may have to leave the scanty clothes at home, think of how sexy you will look in your sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat.  Are you channeling Sophia Vergara in the soft drink commercials?  Also, use a sunscreen and lip screen with at least SPF 15 and don’t forget the insect repellant.

So what else should you bring?  You should have a compass or GPS, first aid kit, flashlight, map, some batteries and medications.  Check the weather report, know who you can talk to at the camp if questions arise.  Sound like a tall order?  Maybe.  But if done correctly, camping can be a very rewarding experience.  Go forward without fear.  Just do your homework first.  You’ll come back looking great and feeling invincible!

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