FitSugar

Mosquitoes Prefer Fitness Freaks?

FitSugar — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:00:00 -0700

I now know why I attract mosquitoes, and my dear husband does not. It has nothing to do with "taste." Mosquitoes bite people that are easiest to find. The insects hone in on their victims through signals people emit that are scent and heat related. Body temperature, the amount of carbon monoxide in the breath, and certain skin chemicals like lactic acid all help mosquitoes locate their next meal. All three of those factors are increased with exercise, making you more vulnerable to bites during and immediately after exercise. Simply put, I exercise more than my husband and I have the bites to prove it. I am not tastier, just hotter literally and probably more stinky, at least to the mosquitoes.

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Dutch Nail Biting Cure: The "Preventer"

FitSugar — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 03:30:00 -0700

One of the most common symptoms of stress, pathological nail biting troubles some people 6 million people worldwide. Or so estimates Alain-Raymond van Abbe the Dutch inventor of the "Preventer."

Although his background is in marketing and not medicine, van Abbe describes himself as a "problem solver." His solution for nail biting, The Preventer, is essentially a molded mouth guard, worn on either the upper or lower teeth. The Preventer is barely visible and it prevents biting, hence your fingernails cannot be bitten. It can, however, be removed for actual eating. It takes about 4 weeks of wearing the Preventer to control the nail biting impulses. Van Abbe has created an entire clinic for chronic nail biters and he is doing a brisk business. Treatment costs about $640.

Pathological nail biting is now classified as a category of obsessive-compulsive disorders called Body-Focused Repetitive, along with hair pulling and biting the inside of the cheek, and these habits are gaining more scientific attention. Some American psychologists believe Van Abbe might be onto something, since his treatment deals with both cognitive and behavioral aspects. However there is skepticism that an entire clinic dedicated to nail biters can remain afloat.

And you, are you a nail biter? If so would you try this treatment? Let me know in the comments below.

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Ideal Bite: A Sassier Shade of Green

FitSugar — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 03:00:00 -0700

Help take a bite out of global warming with Ideal Bite, an eco-living email newsletter. I truly appreciate the daily bite-sized tips I find in my e-mail in box everyday. So much so that my friends at Ideal Bite decided to sponsor a post here so I could tell you more about what they do.

Basically, all you have to do is sign up for their e-mail newsletter and receive easily digestible and practical tips for making your life a bit more green. The ladies behind the newsletter are hardly eco-perfect themselves, but we do get to benefit from their experiences as they work on greening their daily lives. It is this wonderful mix of "incremental environmentalism" and keep it real attitude that inspires tiny steps towards creating a smaller carbon footprint of your own. You can also create your own personalized library of tips, kind of like keeping an electronic recipe file, but this is a recipe for green living.

Looking for ways to be green in your local scene? With Local Bites you can get city-specific tips for NYC (sign up here) and San Francisco (sign up here – you know I have) with Chicago, LA, Seattle and Denver editions coming soon. Think globally. Act locally.

If you find going green intimidating, this is the site for you. With tips doled out in bite sized chunks, you don't need to worry about biting off more than you can chew.

Spider Bites: What You Should Know

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 10:15:00 -0700

When you go hiking or camping, you're bound to come across creepy crawlers. Most bugs, like mosquitoes, are annoying yes, but fairly harmless. If you're lucky enough to not have to worry about bee allergies, you still need to be on the look out for spiders.

Only a few spiders are dangerous to humans, but 2 live in the U.S., and are most commonly found in the southern states. The black widow spider and the brown recluse spider both prefer warm climates and dark, dry places where flies are plentiful. They often live in littered, undisturbed areas, such as closets, woodpiles and under sinks.

What should you do if you've been bitten by one of these? To find out read more

The female black widow gives a more serious bite, but is rarely lethal. You can identify a black widow by the striking red hourglass marking on the underside of its belly. The bite feels like a pinprick, and at first you may only notice slight swelling and redness. Within a few hours, intense pain and stiffness begin. You may also get chills, fever, nausea, and severe abdominal pain.

The brown recluse spider has a violin-shaped marking on the top of its body. The bite feels like a sting, but within 8 hours, you'll have redness and intense pain. A fluid-filled blister forms and then falls off, leaving a deep, enlarging ulcer. On rare occasion, death results, but mostly in children.

If you've been bitten by any spider, clean the area immediately with soap and water, and then apply a cool compress. Aspirin or Tylenol may be taken to alleviate pain.

If you have been bitten by a black widow or brown recluse, and the bite is on an arm or leg, tie a snug bandage above the bite to prevent the venom from spreading. Apply a cold compress to the area and seek medical attention. Black widow spider bites may require anti-venom medication, and brown recluse bites may be treated with corticosteroids.

Fit's Tips: Always camp, backpack or hike with a friend for safety. Bring along a first aid kit including ice packs, bandages and Tylenol. Carrying along your cell phone is also a great idea.

Source and Source

Ideal Bite: A Sassier Shade of Green

FitSugar — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 11:00:00 -0700

Not so long ago Kermit the Frog lamented that it's not easy being green, but he obviously wasn't hip to the website Ideal Bite.

Since I like this site so much, my friends at Ideal Bite decided to sponsor a post here so I could tell you more about the Bite. Basically, the site offers bite-sized ideas for light green living e-mailed directly to you, every weekday. If you sign up for their daily newsletter you will receive tips like what is the best organic wine to pick up on your next trip to Whole Foods, no matter if you biked there or drove your SUV. They also have the low down on eco-fashions delivered in a short and sassy manner, just like that skirt you just bought. You can also create your own personalized library of tips, kind of like keeping an electronic recipe file, but this is a recipe for green living.

Ideal Bite only recommends products and services that they themselves have tested. So their recommendations will be good for you, your wallet, your sassy lifestyle and the PLANET!!! The tips are delivered with a serious dose of humor and humility since the writers candidly share eco-imperfections that we can all relate to.

If you find going green intimidating, this is the site for you. With tips doled out in bite sized chunks, you don't need to worry about biting off more than you can chew.

Ideal Bite: Share the Green to Win

FitSugar — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 11:00:00 -0800

Who couldn't use a little daily reminder on how and why to be green? That is why I am loving the e-mail tips I receive daily during my workweek from Ideal Bite. They even send me a second green tip specifically about San Francisco, so I can think globally but get my green on locally. Those local tips are not limited to just my fair city; Ideal Bite has local additions for NYC, Chicago, Seattle and LA too.

My friends over at Ideal Bite decided to sponsor a post here so I could tell you all about a great giveaway they are having right now. To enter all you have to do is invite a friend to check out Ideal Bite, and the more friends you invite the greater your chances of winning one of five $200 gift certificates for Wolavers Organic Ales. Don't worry if you not of age yet to partake of the organic brew, Wolavers has a bunch of other fun gear you spend your green backs on.

If you are not yet signed up to receive tips from Ideal Bite, just sign up here. Don't forget to help "green" your friends by inviting them here.

Why Do Mosquito Bites Itch So Much?

FitSugar — Tue, 29 May 2007 11:45:00 -0700

How much do you love that the weather has warmed up? It puts me in such a great mood, since I am spending so much time outdoors. I have to say though, those pesky mosquitoes buzzing around, trying to bite me, send me running indoors to safety more often than not!

I don't know what it is about me, but I must have pretty tasty blood because I get eaten alive. What I want to know is why mosquito bites itch so much!

Did you know that it's only female mosquitoes that bite you? They eat mostly nectar, but when it's time to make eggs and lay them, they need to eat protein (aka - your blood). When the mosquito stabs her needle-like mouthparts through the skin of her victim, she injects her saliva, teeming with digestive enzymes and anticoagulants to help her drink more quickly. Your body sees that as an enemy and produces histamine to ward off infection. That little pink bump left on your skin is an allergic reaction to the mosquito's saliva.

Fit's Tips: After you realize that you've been bitten, try with all your might NOT to scratch that annoying itch - it'll only make it itch and swell more. Wash the area with soap and water, then apply calamine lotion, cortisone, or any other anti-itch cream to the infected area. An ice pack may also help.

If you have any other remedies for dealing with itchy mosquito bites, tell me below.

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Planning a Vacation? Go Green and Plan with Ideal Bite

FitSugar — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 11:00:00 -0700

Summer says vacation like no other season, and if you are planning your next vacation might I suggest planning an eco-vacation. My friends at Ideal Bite think eco-tourism is so great that they wanted me to share a few tips with you. So much so that they decided to sponsor this post.

Taking an eco-adventure will not only take you off the beaten path, ensuring that your trip is unique, but it will also enrich the local environment as well as benefit the people of your destination. This way you can put your tourism dough where your heart is by supporting sustainability and local economies. If you are not a camper, that doesn't mean you can't vacation green. There are a variety of boutique green hotels just waiting for you.

Ideal Bite has created a reference list to help you plan your ideal eco-adventure vacation. My favorite idea from the list is the Relief Riders International, a guided horseback trip where you help the Red Cross by distributing books to kids along your route. Books, horses and an exotic clime - what more could you want out of a vacation?

I am curious if any of you have gone on an eco-adventure? If you have, I'd love to hear about it. Share some details in the comments section below.

Spring and Bee Stings

FitSugar — Wed, 02 May 2007 08:45:00 -0700

Spring is the season of the birds and the bees, and unfortunately bee stings are a part of the season. According to the Mayo Clinic the range of reactions to the venom of a sting is variable depending on how sensitive you are, but that only a small percentage of folks experience severe (read: anaphylaxis) response to stings and bug bites in general. Most of us experience itching, a stinging sensation and mild swelling that disappears after a day or two. Occasionally, there is a delayed response to a sting or bite that includes: fever, hives, painful joints and swollen glands.

First thing you want to do if you are stung is scrape off the stinger with the flat edge of a credit card or the back of a knife. If you pull the stinger you risk the chance of releasing more of the icky venom, and you don't want to do that.

Next, you want to calm the swelling with ice, this will help with the pain too. Applying 1% hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion will help the symptoms subside. The home remedy of baking soda paste has always worked for me. Mix 3 teaspoons of baking soda with 1 teaspoon water and apply directly to the sting multiple times a day until the symptoms subside.

If you experience a severe reaction including facial swelling, difficulty breathing and shock call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Don't forget to stop and smell the roses this spring, but check for bees first.

You Asked: Why Do I Get Bit by Mosquitos More?

FitSugar — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:00:00 -0700

You're asking and I'm answering . . .

"Hey Fit. I've noticed that mosquitoes are really attracted to me. If I go hiking with my friends, they'll walk out of the woods itch free and I'll wind up with at least 10 mosquito bites. I just assumed I had sweet blood, but there's got to be something more. Any ideas?"
-Sweet Sara

I feel your pain, or rather itch. The same thing happens to me, almost to the point that bug spray doesn't even seem to detract the pesky bites. I did a little research on WebMD so read more to find out what I learned.

It all is a matter, once again, of genetics. Here's why:

"People with high concentrations of steroids or cholesterol on their skin surface attract mosquitoes," Jerry Butler, PhD, professor emeritus at the University of Florida, tells WebMD. That doesn't necessarily mean that mosquitoes prey on people with higher overall levels of cholesterol, Butler explains. These people simply may be more efficient at processing cholesterol, the byproducts of which remain on the skin's surface."

Apparently along with cholesterol and steroids on your skin, mosquitoes are also attracted to certain acids (lactic acids, uric acids, etc.), heat, and carbon dioxide - which can all increase with activity like volleyball or hiking. So if you're moving around and exercising outdoors then you become a prime target for the little buggers before they land on your skin. Unfortunately, there is not a whole lot you can do if the bugs bite you more than anyone else you know, but loading up on the insect repellent can help. WebMD also suggests keeping activity to a minimum when outdoors, but you can probably guess how I feel about that . . .

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