Category: Health
-
How to make your home more eco-friendly in 2017
Did you know that indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than outdoor air? According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor polluted air can be caused by chemicals from common household products. Chemicals from these products can cause health issues like infertility, thyroid disease and even cancer. If your 2017…
-
Why winter is the best season to build a pool
Winter may not be known as the prime swimming season, but it may be the best season to build your pool. Today, December 21 is the first day of winter, and ironically, the upcoming cold winter temperatures are an opportunity to efficiently and inexpensively build a pool. If you live in a moderate climate, winter…
-
Crypto re-cap: outbreaks of 2016
This year was a challenge for pools and water parks when it comes to Cryptosporidium, a highly contagious recreational water illness that causes serious sickness that can lead to hospitalization. Here is a look back at the Crypto problem in pools and water parks in 2016 and how pools and patrons can help prevent it.…
-
10 pool exercises to burn off those holiday treats
It is easy to overeat on Thanksgiving day with all the good foods, family, friends and, of course, desserts! As a dietitian, to offset the over-indulgence, I recommend drinking lots of water, eating slowly and doing some light exercise like a family walk. Also, remember to be grateful for the good foods that you have and…
-
Swimming: An excellent exercise for the elderly
Swimming is one of the best low-impact exercises, but did you know that the benefits of swimming for older people or those with Alzheimer’s can be life changing? More than five million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s right now. If you include other types of dementia the statistic increases to one in three seniors. November…
-
How chloramines affected my lungs as a swimmer
November is COPD Awareness Month and Lung Cancer Awareness Month, and it’s a great opportunity to learn more about chloramines and the effects on your lungs. Briefly, chloramines are disinfection byproducts that form when organic material (sweat, oils, hair, urine, lotion, sunscreen) reacts with chlorine. Chloramines build up in the pool and then off-gas…
-
Three things to consider when installing your hot tub
As the weather starts to get cold, buying a new hot tub sounds more and more appealing. Here are three things to consider when installing your hot tub including location, cost and maintenance. 1. Price: Smaller two-person, lower-end hot tubs start at $2,000, while mid-tier spas begin at $5,000 and high-end luxury spas start at $13,000, according…
-
Swimming and Psoriasis: You can still enjoy the pool
Psoriasis is a skin disease affecting 7.5 million Americans. Symptoms include scaling skin, inflammation, pain, redness, swelling and even arthritis. To learn more about psoriasis, check out this fact sheet by the US Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institutes of Health. Not contagious, psoriasis can be triggered by stress, medications, environmental…
-
What are disinfection byproducts? [Infographic]
What are disinfection byproducts? In pools, harmful disinfection byproducts, or DBPs, are made when chlorine interacts with organic material. Haloacetic acid (HAA), trihalomethane (THM) and chlorite are common DBPs. What is organic material and how does it enter my pool? When organic material from swimmers or the swimming environment react with the pool’s chlorine or…