FitSugar

Does Cold Water Quench Your Thirst Better?

FitSugar — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 05:00:46 -0700

I've heard some people claim that hot water actually quenches your thirst better than cold water, but that seems counterintuitive. Cold water certainly feels more refreshing, but really, isn't water just water regardless of the temperature? Take your best guess below and tell me what you think the truth is.

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Swimmer's Issue: Allergy to Cold Water?

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 11:00:00 -0700

I've been swimming a lot lately and after a workout last week, one of the other ladies was asking me about where I got my bathing suit. I couldn't help but notice her skin. I said, "I'm no doctor, but I think you've broken out in hives." She just laughed and said that it always happens when she swims in cold water. I couldn't believed she was so nonchalant about it, since her body looked like a range of moguls on a Black Diamond ski trail. She said it doesn't hurt and always goes away, so she thought it wasn't a big deal.

When I went home, I couldn't get that image of her hive-covered skin out of my mind, so I decided to do a little Internet research. In the medical world, this condition is called physical urticaria. To see the risks it poses, read more.

When a person has this condition, there's a physical trigger that causes raised skin welts like what you see in the photo above. It could be set off by heat, cold, sunlight, exercise, or water. More specifically, cold uticaria is an allergic reaction, where the skin produces histamine in response to cold temps, in this case to cold water. Apparently it's pretty common for 18 to 25 year olds, but it only lasts for five to six years.

The woman at the gym said that her rash is pretty mild and usually goes away after an hour or two. Reactions can be more serious though causing shortness of breath, stomach pains, or a rapid heartbeat. In severe cases, low blood pressure, fainting, shock, or even death can occur. I always thought swimming was so good for people. I had no idea it could be such a health risk.

Have you or someone you know ever experienced anything like this?

Avoid the Lead: Cook with Cold Water

FitSugar — Wed, 11 Apr 2007 12:30:00 -0700

All these years I have been cooking with cold water because I was under the impression (damn you, 5th grade science teacher) that cold water boiled faster than hot water. I have no idea why I was told that, or why I believed it for that matter but I did. The truth is, cold water does not boil faster than warm water, but that is beside the point.

So should we all be cooking with warm water to speed up the process? Think again. Never cook with or consume water from the hot-water tap. This is because hot water dissolves more lead more quickly than cold water, which means you may be consuming more lead than you should be. Houses built before 1986 are the most likely to have lead parts, however even plumbing legally considered lead-free today may contain up to 8 percent lead. While copper pipes replaced lead ones decades ago, fusing pipes with lead was legal until 1991.

Why does it matter? Well, too much lead in the body can cause serious damage to the brain, kidneys, nervous system and red blood cells (it's especially bad for pregnant women and children). So the EPA recommends that you do not use water taken from the hot tap for cooking or drinking, and especially not for making baby formula. If you need hot water, draw water from the cold tap and heat it on the stove. Anytime a faucet hasn't been used for at least six hours, "flush" all the water that has been sitting in the pipes. This could take anywhere from 5 seconds to 2 minutes. When the water stops getting colder, it is "flushed."

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Fit Quiz: Which is Better to Drink While Exercising, Cold or Room Temp Water?

FitSugar — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 12:14:32 -0700

We all know that when exercising, it is great to drink water to keep hydrated but does the temperature matter? Which is better to drink while working out, cold or room temperature water?

Drinking Cold Water

FitSugar — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 10:15:00 -0800

What's the deal with drinking cold water? Is it bad for you? If you drink it, are you burning more calories? I'm here to set the record straight.

Drinking cold water is actually good for you. In order to re-hydrate after exercising, your water should be below room temperature. Colder fluids leave your stomach more quickly, so they'll get to your body faster.

When you're in hot weather, you lose extra fluids. Drinking cold water actually helps to cool you from the inside.

So now we know it's good to drink cold water, but are we burning extra calories when we do? The answer is yes. Your body is burning calories to raise the temperature of the cold water to be equal to your body temp.

Don't go running away to stick ice in all of your bottles of water just yet. Drinking a 16 ounce glass of ice water only burns 17.5 calories. But if you're strictly sticking to the 8, 8 oz glasses of water a day rule, drinking 64 oz of cold water burns 70 calories. Over time, that 70 calories a day really adds up.

Gargle with Water - Prevent Colds

FitSugar — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 02:30:00 -0800

The cold is the most common ailment during the winter and more than one billion colds occur in the U.S. each year. The only truly effective way to prevent colds is washing your hands. But recent evidence supports the act of gargling with tap water as another route for preventing colds. I think of it like vigorously cleaning your throat. The throat is a nice dark place where germs and viruses like to hang out and gargling just kind of tells them to "move along, please."

Gargling can reduce the risk of a cold by as much as 36%. Using plain old tap water, you need to gargle and spit three times and repeat the entire action three times throughout the day. You may feel silly gargling but your tonsils will be squeaky clean.

Healthy Cooking Tip: Start With Cold Water

FitSugar — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 10:00:32 -0700

Hot water boils faster, so to save time in the kitchen, you might be tempted to cook your pasta with hot tap water. This time-saving trick is bad for your health. The problem is lead.

Hot water is much more likely to leach the heavy metal from your plumbing pipes. Using lead to solder pipes wasn't banned until 1986, and unfortunately brass plumbing parts might contain a bit of lead as well. Plumbing parts legally considered lead-free today may contain up to eight percent lead. This means your chances of having lead-free plumbing are slim.

Why does it matter? Well, too much lead in the body can cause serious damage to the brain, kidneys, nervous system, and red blood cells (it's especially bad for pregnant women and children). So the EPA recommends that you do not use water taken from the hot tap for cooking or drinking, and especially not for making baby formula. If you need hot water, draw water from the cold tap and heat it on the stove. Anytime a faucet hasn't been used for at least six hours, "flush" all the water that has been sitting in the pipes. This could take anywhere from five seconds to two minutes. When the water stops getting colder, it is "flushed." I live in a state that is currently experiencing a drought, so I use this water for houseplants and potted plants on the deck.

You Asked: Burning Lungs From Running in the Cold

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:50:49 -0800

Hi Fit,
I recently started running outdoors and am really enjoying it. It's started to cool off, and breathing in the cold air really burns my throat and lungs when I jog. Is there anything that can be done to prevent this?
- Winter Runner

Ahhh, the cold weather is moving in, and I give you credit for continuing your outdoor runs even though the temps have dropped. Running in the crisp air can be so exhilarating to your body and your mind, but your lungs are another story. I have some ideas about how to make your respiratory system happier, though, so continue reading

Cold Water Works Just as Well

FitSugar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 03:47:13 -0700

Germs are everywhere. Swine flu, regular flu, our homes, the gym - there's no escaping the little buggers. One of the best ways to protect yourself is still the easiest: wash those hands! If you're like me, you probably believe that the hotter the water, the better. Not so, says a recent study.

Conducted by scientists with the Joint Bank Group/Fund Health Services Department, the study looked at the bacteria levels of participants after they washed their hands in different water temperatures. The results showed no difference in levels between participants who washed their hands in hot water versus those who washed in cold. The scientists went on to say that tepid water is a better choice for hand washing because it's gentler on the skin and it's better for the environment.

I think it'll take me a little while to adjust to this change - something about washing my hands in hot water just feels safer. When you do wash up, though, make sure you always use soap and lather up for at least 30 seconds.

Neti Pot Use Could Cause Sinus Problems?

FitSugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 11:15:00 -0800

Pollen and cat fur are not my friends, and when I become so stuffed up I can't smell a thing, I turn to my neti pot. It looks like a little teapot. You fill it with warm salt water, place the spout in one nostril and as the water passes through your nasal passages and comes out the other nostril; it helps get rid of irritants and mucus so you can breathe easier. I know it sounds medieval, but it really works whether I'm stuffed up from smelling flowers or if I have a cold. Last Spring I was happy to hear that science backed up the use of a neti pot to relieve congestion, but I've got some bad news for my fellow neti pot lovers. A new study shows that long-term use of the neti pot can actually cause sinus problems. The study followed 68 people who used their neti for a year, and then took a break for a year. The rate of sinusitis actually dropped by 62 percent in the year that the participants stopped using the neti pot.

Researchers believe that the mucus in your nasal passages acts as a defense against infection, and flushing it away disrupts your body's immune function. They recommend that neti pots be used every once in a while to relieve congestion, but should not be used daily for an extended period of time. If you have issues with constantly being stuffed up, see your doctor so they can help figure out the cause of your congestion and how to treat it.

If you've never heard of a neti pot and want to see how it's used, check out a how-to video when you read more.

Source: Flickr User Thirteen Of Clubs