The Health Benefits of Swimming

Swimming offers a number of health benefits. In fact, people who swim have about half the risk of death compared with people who are inactive. Plus, it is a lifesaving skill that everyone should have regardless of their age.

Swimming is a full body workout that is accessible to people of all ages and fitness levels. Not only do you use your entire body to propel you through the water, working your heart, muscles and lungs, but also the buoyancy of the water allows you to move without putting as much stress on your joints as you would with higher-impact activities like walking or running.

Here are the health benefits of swimming:

Helps Manage Arthritis

Swimming can reduce your joint pain and stiffness as well as improve your muscle strength and functional capacity. Additionally, it can be just as effective as cycling—which is often prescribed for people with arthritis.

Some studies even show that swimming may be more beneficial than land-based activities for improving joint function, reducing pain and enhancing quality of life in those with osteoarthritis.

Improves Mental Health

More specifically, swimming can not only boost your mood, but also may be useful in combating anxiety.

In fact, the sensation of the water gliding over the skin can be relaxing. Swimming on a consistent basis can help you manage your response to stress. The release of feel-good chemicals in the brain like endorphins, serotonin and dopamine help you feel more at ease.

A study involving a 10-week swim program found that participants experienced reduced fatigue, anger and depression symptoms. They also reported an improved mood and a heightened sense of well-being. And, a few case studies suggest that swimming consistently may reduce the need for antidepressants.

Improves Heart Health

Just like other forms of cardiovascular exercise, swimming supports the heart health. For instance, a study of 43 people with prehypertension or stage one hypertension showed that after 12 weeks of swimming, the participants had considerably lower blood pressure. They also showed signs of improved cardiovascular health.

Similarly, another study on moderate-intensity swimming for eight weeks demonstrated that swimming improves both heart health and brain health. The researchers noted that swimming lowered blood pressure, improved vascular stiffness and increased blood flow to the brain.

Provides Benefits for Older Adults

Swimming also is an ideal form of exercise for older adults, especially because it is a full body workout that has a low risk of injury. Not only are you working your heart and lungs with every movement, but you are not taxing your ligaments and joints in the process.

It also reduces the risk of heart disease, dementia, depression and anxiety. Even the risk of sarcopenia, an age-related decline in muscle mass, is reduced because swimming creates the resistance you need to strengthen muscles.

Plus, there is some evidence that swimming and other water-based activities may improve your quality of life and decrease your risk of disability. Swimming also can have a positive impact on bone health—particularly for post-menopausal people.

There is even some evidence that using aquatic exercise as an intervention may reduce the behavioral and psychological symptoms in people with dementia as well as improve their psychological well-being.

Improves Sleep

One study of 30 adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain found that six weeks of moderate-intensity aquatic exercise improved their sleep and reduced pain. 

Meanwhile, a study on older adults with insomnia found that the participants experienced improved sleep quality and overall life satisfaction after participating in consistent aerobic exercise like swimming.

Burns Calories

Not only will you burn a significant number of calories, but you will be working out your entire body. Plus, most people can achieve a calorie deficit when swimming.

For instance, a 185-pound person swimming laps at a vigorous pace for 30 minutes could potentially burn 420 calories. A person of the same weight participating in aquatic exercise or swimming at a more general pace for 30 minutes could potentially burn between 168 calories and 252 calories. As a comparison, the same 185-pound person would burn roughly 159 calories while walking 30 minutes at a moderate pace or 126 calories while weightlifting.

Strengthens Muscles

Swimming is a type of resistance training where the water provides the resistance as you move the body through it. In fact, the resistance you get from water is 10 times what you would experience on land.

As you swim, you also are working almost every muscle in your body, so you can expect to build strength in your upper body, lower body and the core if you swim consistently. In fact, the strokes you use to swim target your body's main muscle groups. From your abs, back, forearms and shoulders to your hamstrings and glutes, you can expect to use almost every muscle in your body.

Decreases Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factors

Researchers in a small study of 40 people found that 16 weeks of regular swimming sessions helped to reduce metabolic syndrome risk factors like cholesterol, blood glucose and blood pressure.

Consequently, swimming could be considered a non-pharmacological approach to managing type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. 

Regular swimming also improved metabolism rates, boosted mood and increased the number of calories burned.

Although swimming is generally a safe activity for people of all ages and fitness levels, it is still important to talk to a healthcare provider before starting a swimming routine. 

As a general rule, you should avoid swimming if you have recently had surgery, have open wounds, are sick or have diarrhea. And it is important to do so safely. Only swim in designated areas where lifeguards are present and never swim alone.

Should we drink Red Wine on the Mediterranean Diet?

 

The Mediterranean diet is considered good for us as it has cardiovascular benefits and may reduce the risk of certain chronic illnesses.

The diet consists of whole grains, lean meat and fish, fruits, olive oil, and more — people on the diet can have one to two glasses of red wine. But could the diet’s inclusion of red wine be undermining its benefits?

Alcohol is considered a known human carcinogen and has been linked to many cancers including breast, liver, esophageal, colorectal, and head and neck cancers. 

Beyond just cancer, heavy drinking can also contribute to stroke, high blood pressure and other cardiovascular issues.

Thus with mounting evidence suggesting alcohol could be risky for the health, red wine’s place in the diet has become more controversial.

“There are definitely some people who think [red wine] should be removed, as no amount of alcohol is really considered to be safe,” Leah Barron, a dietitian at The Baseline Lifestyle Company in New York, said.

“But because the current research does suggest some benefit to red wine in moderation, it is a little complicated and something we need a lot more research on.”

“But in most cases, it’s one glass—five ounces—a day for women, and two glasses—10 ounces—for men, consumed with food and in a social setting,” Barron said. “The Mediterranean diet does not specifically recommend other types of alcohol, and recommends limiting alcohol in general.”

The reason why red wine is included in the diet while other types of alcohol are not is due to the drink’s popularity in the region where the diet originated.

“Red wine contains certain components that make it thought of as a healthier alcohol option,” Abigail Collen, a dietitian at the Mount Sinai Health System, said.

In particular, a compound in red wine called resveratrol may reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer, Barron said.

Despite the compounds in red wine having positive effects on the body, the benefits in question are not so clear-cut.

“Research has shown that people who drink alcohol, specifically red wine, have a decreased risk of heart disease, including decreased cholesterol levels,” said Barron. “However, it is really important to clarify that this is correlation, not necessarily causation—meaning, people who drink red wine in moderation may also be more active and eat a healthier diet in general, which would also contribute to their decreased risk of heart disease.”

In fact, experts largely agree that drinking red wine frequently could detract from our health.

While on the Mediterranean diet, whether you should drink in moderation largely depends on your individual circumstances, experts agreed. 

“With nutrition, there are very few things that are really black and white," Collen said, which makes it hard to give blanket recommendations around alcohol or any other components of a diet. However, if you do not drink, experts do not advise starting.

What is Normal Stool Color?

Stool is usually dark or light brown.  In fact, all shades of brown and most shades of green are considered "normal" stool color. It is not uncommon for stool to change in color, typically due to a health concern or dietary causes, such as additives and dyes that are not digested.

Treating the underlying cause or adjusting the diet can help restore stool color.

Brown

The color is normally associated with the natural breakdown of bile in the GI tract. Bile is secreted by the liver and helps to break down fat.

Green

Green-colored poop may have to do with the diet or how quickly food is moving through the gut. Possible causes include:

• Diet: Due to green leafy vegetables or green food coloring. You may even spot bits of vegetable roughage in the stool, like kale.
• Gut motility: Green-colored poop may be a sign that food is moving through the digestive tract too quickly without enough time for bile to turn stool brown. This can also be due to diarrhea, in addition to dumping syndrome.
• Dumping syndrome: It is common after stomach or esophageal surgery that food moves too quickly from the stomach to the small intestine.

Orange

There are a few causes of orange stool including:

• Diet: Beta-carotene is a pigment that gives orange food (such as carrots, pumpkins, or sweet potatoes) its color.
• Liver health: A lack of bile production in the liver may cause orange poop. Liver problems, however, usually lead to white or tan-colored stool.
• Medications: Antibiotics and antacids that have aluminium hydroxide may be the cause of orange-colored stool.

Yellow

Yellow-colored stool is considered normal in infants, especially if they are breastfed. Adults may notice yellow-colored poop in a few different situations, including:

• Celiac disease: It might be a sign of celiac disease if stool is yellow and also oily, greasy and smells worse than usual. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that is triggered by gluten, which damages the small intestine. Following a gluten-free diet helps treat celiac disease and thus can help restore stool color.
• Diet: Foods that are high in fat may cause the stool to appear pale or yellow.
• Giardiasis: This is a parasitic infection caused by Giardia lamblia. People typically contract giardiasis after consuming contaminated water. The parasite can also be found in soil or stool. Other symptoms can include abdominal pain, fever, headache and vomiting.

White or Tan

Tan poop is usually the result of a problem with the biliary system, which includes the gallbladder, liver and pancreas. 

The liver makes bile, which is a yellowish-brown liquid that is stored in the gallbladder. A compound in bile called bilirubin helps give stool its brown color. A lack of bile and, therefore, a lack of bilirubin, can result in pale-colored stool. 

Several health conditions can reduce the amount of bile, including:

• Alcoholic hepatitis: This is inflammation of the liver, which results from excess alcohol intake.
• Biliary cirrhosis: This is inflammation of the bile ducts in the liver, which blocks the flow of bile.
• Biliary stricture: Narrowing of the bile duct usually occurs as a result of gallbladder surgery.
• Cysts: A cyst is a benign (non-cancerous) fluid-filled growth that develops on the bile ducts and can block the flow of bile.
• Gallstones: These hardened pieces of bilirubin or cholesterol form in the gallbladder and can block the flow of bile.
• Medications: Certain medications can cause hepatitis and affect the color of the stool. These medications may include anabolic steroids, antibiotics, herbal supplements and pain relievers, such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) and statins.
• Sclerosing cholangitis: This is inflammation of or damage to the bile ducts. Autoimmune disorders or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may cause sclerosing cholangitis in some people.
• Structural defect: Bile turns stool brown, so a tan color might mean the bile did not get into the intestine. There could be a structural defect, such as an obstruction in the bile duct or a stone in the liver.
• Tumors: Benign or malignant (cancerous) tumors can impair the flow of bile, resulting in tan poop.
• Viral hepatitis: The viruses hepatitis A, B and C can cause inflammation of the liver.

Black

Black-colored poop in babies may just be a sign of eating too many foods like blueberries. It is a sign that something serious could be going on in adults. Seek medical attention right away if you notice black, tar-like poop.

Possible causes include:

• Bleeding: Black-colored stool can indicate bleeding in the upper GI tract, including the stomach or the first part of the small intestine called the duodenum. Blood in the upper GI tract can also give stool a tar-like consistency, which could be due to ulcers, sores or tumors.
• Diet: Black licorice, blueberries, or blood sausage may turn poop black, but the consistency usually remains the same.
• Medications: Black color alone is not always cause for concern. Activated charcoal, iron supplements and Pepto-Bismol may cause black stool.

Red

Some foods, like beets and red gelatin, might cause reddish poop. But most important, a bright red color is often a sign of bleeding in the lower GI tract.

Health conditions that may cause bleeding include:

• Anal fissure: A cut or tear in the tissue lining the anus
• Cancer: Includes anal, colon or rectal cancer
• Diverticular disease: Occurs when diverticula (bulging sacs in the colon) become inflamed or infected
• Hemorrhoids: Form when veins in the anus or lower part of the rectum become swollen
• IBD: Includes Crohn's disease (inflammation of the intestines) and ulcerative colitis (inflammation of the colon)
• Infection: Usually due to bacterial gastroenteritis, an infection of the stomach and intestines
• Proctitis: Inflammation of the anus and rectum
• Rectal prolapse: Happens if the rectum protrudes from the anus, typically due to constipation, diarrhea or chronic coughing.

Overall, a change in poop color is not always an emergency. Reach out to a healthcare provider if the stool color deviates from brown for longer than a few days. Seek medical attention right away if you have black, tar-like poop or blood in the stool.

 

COLOR	POSSIBLE CAUSES
Bright red	- Eating beets and foods with red coloring - Having bleeding in the lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract, usually due to an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or hemorrhoids
Black	- Eating black licorice, blueberries, or blood sausage - Having bleeding in the upper GI tract (e.g., stomach) - Taking iron supplements, activated charcoal, or drugs that contain bismuth subsalicylate (e.g., Pepto-Bismol)
Green	- Eating green-colored foods (e.g., green leafy vegetables or green juice) - Having diarrhea, which causes food to move quickly through the large intestine
Light- or pale-colored	- Having a lack of bile (a fluid made by the liver) in the stool
Yellow	- Eating gluten (a protein found in grains like barley, rye, and wheat) - Having malabsorption, usually due to celiac disease, which causes too much fat in the stool

                       Source: https://www.health.com/condition/digestive-health/poop-color-meaning