FitSugar

You Asked: My Nose Runs When I Do Cardio

FitSugar — Wed, 20 May 2009 08:00:00 PDT

Dear Fit,
Whenever I do any type of cardio, whether it be running, biking, or indoor tennis, my nose runs like a faucet. I always work out with some tissues stuffed in my sports bra strap! I don't have seasonal allergies. My nose just runs when I get my heart pumping. Why does this happen and is there anything I can do to prevent it?
-Runny Nosed Runner

How annoying for you! To hear what's causing your runny nose and what you can do about it,

read more. This is a pretty common condition called exercise-induced rhinitis. I know it sounds strange, but for some people, working out can trigger allergic reaction symptoms such as congestion, sinus pain, runny nose, headaches, itchy eyes, asthma, hives or other rashes, and in rare cases, even anaphylaxis. Exercise itself can be the sole trigger (especially vigorous exercise), but sometimes it's the combination of exercise plus another trigger such as pollen or cold weather that produces symptoms. If the symptoms really bother you, it may help to see your doctor to get a prescription nasal spray. You'll have to take it for a week or so to start seeing results, and you'll have to keep taking it to keep your nose from running and ruining your workout. Or it may help to take an over-the-counter allergy medication such as Claritin or Zyrtec about an hour before exercising. If you'd rather not take medication, you'll just have to continue to keep tissues stashed in your sports bra. Source

Does Your Nose Run When You Exercise?

FitSugar — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 09:00:00 PDT

If you find that your nose runs when you exercise, you're not alone. The condition is called exercise-induced rhinitis, and it's actually pretty common among athletes. I know it sounds strange, but for some people, working out can trigger congestion, sinus pain, runny nose, headaches, itchy eyes, asthma, hives, and in rare cases, even anaphylaxis. Exercise itself can be the sole trigger, but sometimes it's the combination of exercise plus another trigger such as pollen or cold weather that produces symptoms.

Does this sound familiar? Tell me . . .

Source

Got Allergies? Don't Get Mad - Get HOT

FitSugar — Fri, 04 May 2007 12:30:00 PDT

Spring has bloomed all over and when I went to pick up my allergy medicine from the pharmacy yesterday, they were actually all out! You know that's because tons of people are suffering and reaching for drugs to deal with their symptoms.

Allergies affect people differently, so if you get a stuffy nose, congestion in your sinuses and fluid in your lungs, you could take decongestants, but they'll end up drying you up everywhere (even your lady business). Plus they can make you feel kind of spaced-out and tired.

Using a neti pot like the Rhino Horn can be really helpful at clearing your nose and sinuses, but if you're majorly plugged up, the water won't be able to flow from one nostril to the other.

You've got to get your heart pumping, girl! Doing any type of cardio consistently for at least 20 minutes (or more) will heat up your body, get you sweating, and get that fluid and congestion in your face and chest moving.

Running, biking, hiking, swimming, Ashtanga Yoga, using cardio machines, or taking cardio classes (like kickboxing) are all great choices.

Fit's Tips: Whatever you do, make sure you pack some tissues so when your nose starts to run; you can blow it (don't sniff it back in). If you've got congestion in your lungs, you'll end up coughing up some mucus too (I know that sounds gross but it's better to cough it up than have it sitting in your chest, right?). Staying hydrating will help too.

Source

Who is Sick in Your Neighborhood?

FitSugar — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 03:00:00 PDT

I don't know if it's my hidden hypochondriac's tendencies or what, but sometimes I get totally freaked out when the person next to me sneezes. Is it just a cold? Is it worse? I saw the movie Outbreak and it sure wasn't pretty...

Sure, this may be an issue I need to work out on my own time, but if you're like me and wondering what sort of bug is going around your neighborhood, I have the perfect site for you.

WhoIsSick.org is a site where you can go and either enter your information if you've been feeling a bit under the weather. Or you can search to see what kind of sicknesses others have been reporting in your neighborhood. This site is to be taken lightly, but interesting nonetheless. I knew I needed to stop searching zip codes when I read someone 20 miles from me posted: "I started bleeding from all parts of my body today." Like I said, take it with a grain of salt but check it out at WhoIsSick.org.

Mediterranean Diet and Allergies: Go Nuts

FitSugar — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 13:30:20 PDT

Are your allergies going nuts right now? Well the answer might be to eat more nuts. New findings seem to indicate that eating a Mediterranean style diet can reduce respiratory allergy symptoms like wheezing, runny nose and sneezing.

Britain's Royal Brompton Hospital and National Heart and Lung Institute conducted research on 690 children between ages 7-18 on the island of Crete. The children that ate at least 2 servings of fruit a day as well as nuts were less likely to suffer from childhood respiratory allergies and asthma compared to those children that ate the most margarine.

The local produce on Crete is mainly grapes, apples, oranges and tomatoes and these were the fresh foods the children were predominantly eating. Researchers also noticed a relationship between nuts and and a reduction of these symptoms.

"A high consumption of nuts was found to be inversely associated with wheezing, whereas margarine increased the risk of both wheeze and allergic rhinitis (sneezing and runny nose)."

While only children participated in the study I am optimistic that this diet will help adults too. I sure do hope someone will be conducting a study on this soon.

If you are as intrigued by the Mediterranean style diet as I am, you should check out the food recommendations and food pyramid to learn more about it.

Source

Antihistamines or Decongestants: Which Does What?

FitSugar — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 04:00:00 PDT

So it's officially Spring (yippee!!) and the snow is melting away. The trees and grass and flowers will begin to grow and bud, and for people with seasonal allergies, this time of year can be a nightmare.

When someone has seasonal allergies, his or her immune system sees pollen as an invader. As a defense mechanism, their body produces histamine, an inflammatory chemical that attaches to the cells in their body and irritates them. The histamines are what cause the sneezing, runny nose, watery and itchy eyes.

When you take an antihistamine (like Benadryl or Claritin), it prevents the histamine from attaching to those cells, and therefore prevents allergy symptoms. Antihistamines can also relieve itchiness caused by insect bites, stings, poison ivy, and poison oak.

This is great, but most Antihistamines have the awful side effect of making you feel really drowsy and out of it. Your head just feels really foggy, like when you have a cold.

Want to know what a decongestant does? Then

read more Sometimes a person who has allergies can experience different symptoms. They may get an extremely stuffy nose and congested sinuses. This can affect a person's sense of smell and taste. Also, if the sinuses remained plugged, a person could develop a sinus infection, which can cause severe facial pain and headaches. People with these symptoms might want to take a decongestant (like Sudafed or Allegra D - the "D" stands for decongestant). Decongestants work by narrowing the blood vessels in the lining of your nose. This reduces how much blood flows through the area so that swollen tissue inside the nose shrinks, and air can pass through more easily. Decongestants work well to de-clog your nose and face, but they make your mouth and throat uncomfortably dry. Allergies are different for everyone, and different over-the-counter medications may work better than others. You may want to try them all. Some medications combine both antihistamines and decongestants, which could prevent your symptoms, better than they could alone. Fit's Tips: If you know what you're allergic to, you can work on avoiding that trigger. If you have allergy symptoms, but don't know what specific allergens are affecting you, make an appointment with an Allergist. You can also see one if you've been taking over-the-counter meds and your symptoms are still bothering you.

Work From Home or Take a Sick Day? Here's How to Decide

Anna Monette Roberts — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 07:34:26 PST

Modern technology makes it easier to transport our work to home, which can be a blessing when you wake up with a nasty cough but aren't sick enough to skip out on work. Here are a few tips to help you know when you should work from home or when you should take a sick day and rest.

Work from home if you have:

Nasal congestion, headaches, sneezing, coughing, or a runny nose: Nothing is worse than sharing a desk with someone who is persistently coughing, sniffing, sneezing, and blowing their nose. Not only is the sound annoying, but it's repulsive to think that each time you cough or sneeze, you are potentially spreading your germs all around the room. If your energy levels are OK, work from home until your nose blowing and coughing calms down. Since you are the most contagious the first two days, make a point to stay home during this period as a courtesy to your colleagues. Keep in mind that if your cold has zapped your energy levels down to zero, give yourself a day or two to rest.

Find out when you should take a sick day.

Flu Fighters: 5 Tips For Keeping the Flu at Bay This Year

Rebecca M Gruber — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 03:17:12 PST

There's no bigger germ catcher than children. On the playground, at a restaurant, or simply playing with friends, tots have a way of picking up germs wherever they go. We can keep them locked up inside in hopes of protecting them during cold and flu season, but that really isn't very practical. Rather, consider a few small changes to your daily routine to help protect them during the height of the germy season.

Dapple Travel Size Natural Surface Cleaner Wipes ($4): When sitting down in a restaurant, one of the first things many mamas grab is an empty high chair for their tot. Who knows what was on the previous child's hands before you sat down. Dapple's travel-size wipes use natural ingredients like baking soda to quickly clean off surfaces.
Felicity Floo Visits the Zoo ($13): Help teach older tots to take better care of themselves with a silly tale of a little girl who infects all of the animals in the zoo with a virus when she wipes her runny nose with her hand instead of a tissue.
Tommee Tippee Closer to Nature Antibacterial Hand Soap Mousse ($6): Tommee Tippee has just introduced an entire line of eco and baby-friendly antibacterial soaps to moms, so they don't have to worry about their lil ones ingesting chemicals when the tots decide to feast on mama's finger right after she's washed it.
Scotch-Brite Botanical Disinfecting Wipes ($2): Made entirely of botanical plant extracts, Scotch-Brite's new line of cleansing wipes are safe for kids' toys, high chairs, and cribs, wiping out 99.9 percent of household germs.
My Tiny Hands 'Please Wash" Sign ($8): Created by a mom who was tired of strangers reaching into her tot's stroller to stroke her hands and face, these silicone rubber signs attach directly to strollers and car seats, offering a warning to passersby and keeping germs at bay.

Runny Nose: Is it an Allegery or a Cold

FitSugar — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 04:00:00 PDT

There has been talk that this allergy season could be a bad one - early spring brings more pollen, the irritant that brings on hay fever. I for one live in denial of seasonal allergies and just like to pretend that I have a cold...a cold that goes on FOREVER.

Since allergy season is upon us (or about to be depending on where you live) I thought I would help describe how allergy symptoms are special. How they are unique and differ from those of the common cold.

Itchy nose: Although allergies and colds both produce a runny nose and congestion, allergies create the dreaded itchy nose. The itch generally occurs in the back of the nose and is difficult to "scratch." Folks suffering from "nasal pruritus" (the fanciest way in the world to say itchy nose) often scrunch up their faces, like a bunny, to try to alleviate the itch.
The sneeze: Sneezing frequently, and sometimes quietly, is common with allergies. Sneezes from colds tend to be loud, deep and infrequent, attempting to clear the bronchial congestion down in the lungs. Allergy sneezes are more about trying to get the allergen out of the nose.
Runny Eyes: While eyes might occasionally water with a cold, they will run profusely with allergies.
Mucus color: Mucus (yep, snot) is generally clear with allergies, where as with a cold it tends to have a color - yellow to green.
Dark Circles under the eyes: This symptom is sometimes referred to poetically as the "allergy shiner". These "shiners" are caused by the inability of veins in the area to drain due to chronic nasal congestion. It is like a traffic jam in your infraorbital area. Common colds do not cause these.

So if you too are in allergy denial hopefully this list will help you figure out that you might indeed have hay fever and need to leave the weeding and lawn mowing to someone else for now.

Insomniac Mothers: A Sign of the Times?

Rebecca M Gruber — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 03:14:44 PST

It's one of the many ironies of motherhood - once baby is finally sleeping through the night, it's mom that can't seem to get any sleep. Regardless of how tired mama may be, by the time she finally puts her head down, thoughts of kids' schedules, signed permission slips, work to-do lists, household chores, and more begin flooding her mind. It's become such a common issue that The New York Times has dubbed the sleeping pill mommy's lil helper these days.

In a recent article, the newspaper delved into the insomniac mother epidemic, suggesting:

One of the great untruths of modern parenthood is that children - with their runny noses, lost teddies, nightmares real and faux - are largely to blame for mothers’ lack of sleep; that women are all like Christina Applegate in the sitcom “Up All Night,” cutely wan from their infant’s 2 a.m. feedings. But here is the reality: it is the mothers who keep themselves awake.

Do you find yourself turning to prescription sleep aids since becoming a mother?