Flying Frisbees: New sports can lead to unexpected joys

After hitting the books for five hours, I got ready to take an unwilling break Wednesday afternoon to play Ultimate Frisbee.

By the way, Frisbee is NOT my forte.

But I'd promised a friend to fill in if there was an empty spot on her co-ed, seven-player team. And on Wednesday, "That's so fetch," (team name) needed one more female player to avoid forfeiting the match. So, surly and hating school, I tromped to the field wishing I was about to play a sport where I could actually release all of my frustration effectively... some type of non-contact sport like yoga or rock climbing. Knowing my team would be flattened by the opposition sunk my spirits. After all, winning equals fun, and it didn't look like we would be pulling for a "W".

Sure enough, we lost 2 to 7. Plus, I felt like I was going to have a heat stroke when I stumbled off the field. But, unexpectedly, playing Frisbee rewarded me with a fantastic and rejuvenating study break.

At the start of the game, our team filtered onto the field, we spoke positively of plans, passing, and wins. People introduced themselves to me and we began running around like a herd of animals tossing the disc teammate to teammate. My disgruntlement soon morphed into gratefulness that my teammates included the newbie in their Frisbee passing. I happily dove for the Frisbee, rolled in the grass and sent wobbly, short passes to my teammates.

Moral of the story: Quantity of skills doesn't determine the quality of your workout. So get out there and try a new team sport. Exercising with people can make exercise "feel less like an obligation and more like a pleasure," insists an article from North Shore Medical Center. In no time, you could be looking like this:

Energy Bars: healthy fuel or cavity-causing?

I once read about a long-distance runner who stuffed avocado and mashed potatoes into a plastic tube, squeezing it into her mouth when she needed a fuel boost on the trail. You're not alone if this grosses you out.

Still, less than palatable provisions may be a better choice when compared to your average energy bar.

Energy bars, experts say, could be causing the recent upswing in dental decay. While products such as the Clif bar only carry about 21 grams of sugar, the texture of the bar causes morsels to stick fast between your teeth. The sugar can cling to crevices between teeth until brushed or flossed away.

"The more sticky it is, the more caramel it has, the more chocolate it has, the more dried fruit it has, the more the potential is there for them to linger in your mouth," Dr. Vidya Sankar, oral medicine clinic director at the University of Texas' dental school, told running.about.com. But brushing and flossing soon after eating an energy bar can protect against decay, he added.

One of my favorites, PowerBar's PRIA in Mint Chocolate Cookie, is pretty sticky but only has 9 grams of sugar. Many energy bar producers offer reduced sugar versions, but your best friend might be the old floss and toothbrush.

Should I exercise if sick? Tebow did.

As I sat down to watch college football on Saturday night with a box of tissues and Vick's Vapor Rub, I was full of self-pity and solitude, watching the Florida Gators game alone because of a head cold.

And then I heard our starting quarterback, Tim Tebow, also had chest congestion.

So, let's see. Tebow's tearing it up on the field with flu-like symptoms while I'm stuck on the couch with the sniffles. That got me to thinking, how do you find the energy to exercise when you're up to your nose in phlegm? Or is it actually healthier to be a coughing couch potato?

Some players took IVs before the game, which can counter dehydration, both from being sick and athletic performance. Side note: Pressures on the University of Florida's baller football team and your personal fitness regime are different, so be sure to take it easy on yourself if you're feeling too sick to sweat.

Next time you find your immune system takes a slap, use Prevention's "neck check". If your congestion is above the neck and you have symptoms such as a runny nose and sore throat, grab that towel and hit the gym. Cardiovascular exercise can help to clear those sinuses, and upping your circulation can counter that feeling of sluggish pity. I know my roommate's tired of hearing, "Waaah, I'm sick.. (sniff)." But be considerate! Use anti-bacterial solution so you leave behind your sweat and not your germs on the gym equipment.

Rule of thumb: If you're feeling a fever, don't even try. You're running a temperature, not the treadmill. Just tuck yourself under the covers and have some soup or more cowbell (see video below for pop culture reference.)

Icing a knee can be quick with no drip

When my physical therapist told me I could start running again this past July, he recommended I ice my ankle every day. "Right," I thought. Who has the time for that?

Being a college student low on cash and time, I bought an ACE wrap that Velcros around my knee and has a built-in pocket for an ice pack. Not as snazzy, but at least I can move around while wearing it.
My favorite icing solution however, requires time to make and elevate your injury but all you need is:

• Water


• Rubbing alcohol


• Two Ziploc bags

Create a solution that is two parts water and one part rubbing alcohol in the plastic bag and seal it. After doubling the bag with the second Ziplock and sealing it, lay your concoction in the freezer. After about nine hours, it turns into a cool gel that you can place in a pillow case liner and set on your injury of choice. This formula was passed on by my physical therapist, and is much preferable to rocky, melting ice cubes resting on your aching joint. You may have to adjust the formula if it comes out too icy or liquified.

Icing your injuries can shrink inflammation and numb the pain, but if you have a busy schedule it can be tricky setting aside the 10 to 20 minutes needed to ice effectively. So the Moji fabric ice wraps are a great solution, if you have money to spend. The moji knee and moji back wrap give you cold compression via cold cells wrapped in an absorbent fabric that conform to your body. The structure aids in absorbing the wetness normally associated with icing, so you can wear them under your clothes and walk around no problem. At $85 to $95 dollars a pop,reports fitsugar, these icing tools may lighten your wallet. Still, they can be great for long-lasting injuries, such as runner's knee or chronic back pain.

Human pee plus wood ash produces a great crop of tomatoes

The next time you bite into a tasty tomato, you might just have human pee and a fireplace to thank if new research labeling human pee and wood ash as a "natural fertilizer" is adopted by the farming industry.

Scientists say a combination of human urine and ash yielded the largest crop of tomatoes, compared with those that received only urine or a mineral fertilizer. Tomatoes grown with ash and urine also contained higher levels of magnesium, a nutrient that plays a chief role in workings of the human body, such as muscle function and keeping a steady heart rhythm. Still, all tomatoes were ranked "equally tasty".

This dynamic fertilizing duo might aid farmers in the future, but harvesting the pee presents some concerns. Traces of pharmaceutical drugs and hormones found in human urine could affect the crop's growth, though some researchers say past studies on similar residues in animal-manure fertilizers suggest they are not an issue. If you're wishing to try this new fertilizer on your backyard garden however, hormone amounts in a single family's urine "could be acceptable", one researcher said.

Growing season for tomatoes in Central Florida ends late in December and begins around early February. So if you're hankering to grow your own crop of tomatoes, the time is ripe. Check out this video for quick tips on home-growing tomatoes.

Running on Game Day

Saturday morning, my boyfriend and I went for a run. While my roommates were stretched out on couches watching football, we were stretching on the front lawn of my two-story brick house. We planned to run through my university’s campus, normally a peaceful path. But not that day. Saturdays are game days.

While the Florida Gators prepared to battle the Tennessee Vols later that afternoon, we were fighting our way through orange- and blue-colored crowds that consume campus like wildfire during most Fall weekends. For about 50 minutes we weaved in and out of tailgating students, alumni and tents. We cut through beer-guzzling Gator fans and around grills heaped with hot dogs.

Mostly, I run to relax, and the charged atmosphere before a University of Florida football game is anything but soothing. However, it is interesting, fun, full of free stuff and loud-- a nice replacement soundtrack for my dead iPod. Anyhow, I learned two things that day. Game Day running makes you feel really good about yourself. I personally felt like a beacon of fitness running around beer drinkers and hotdog eaters, later scarfing down a healthy breakfast of yogurt and granola when I got home. And secondly, always take steps to hydrate before you run. Our campus tailgators are fairly friendly, but request a cup of water and they may come up empty handed. Beer here, beer there, beer everywhere. Case in point: Around mile three, feeling the symptoms of heat cramps, we slowed to a walk near CBS's sports news broadcast by tables that hand out free stuff. We were offered hand sanitizer, koozies, computer use and an oven mitt. But no water. In a pinch, I stopped at an on-campus library's water fountain and got some of my groove back. So runners, keep your hydration on track but don't cut out crowded areas when you run. They might just add some color to your mileage.

The panic deception and how to deal

"I might be having a heart attack."

As my breath came in shallow and short, I took stock of the symptoms best I could. Rapid heartbeat? Check. Sweaty palms? Check. Dizzyness? Check. Shortness of breath? Check. Chest pains? Check. Being the neurotic health nut I am, tallying up symptoms was easy. But as the list of warning signs grew, so did my panic, which turned out to be the heart of the problem anyway. Last Wednesday, I thought I was having a heart attack.

While 22 years old? Yeah right. Three blood pressure readings, one electrocardiogram and a doctor's visit later, I confirmed my body had, in fact, siked me out. After announcing my blood pressure to be 108/66 and "perfect," the physician's assistant agreed I'd experienced a panic attack. Rapid heartbeat, sweaty palms, difficulty breathing, dizziness, disconnect? All symptoms of a panic attack.

According to The Health Center's Web site, women are twice as likely to have panic attacks, which also seem to be gifts from your gene pool. When I had my first "attack" two weeks ago, family members began sharing their experiences. As it turns out, my father, his brother and his mom have all had bouts with anxiety attacks. It just seems to be one of those subjects no one talks about, hence this blog post. To those of you who get a flutter in your chest from stress, just know you're not alone.

There are many tools to manage your anxiety, and one of these methods or a combination might form the right plan for you. To ease your stress with a click, check out this delightful Meditation Station for soothing photos and sounds. More pro-active treatments can include:

Anti-anxiety medications

Biofeedback or other alternative medicines

Yoga

Tai chi

Meditation

Joining a social support group

Counseling

Check out the AWARE method

For some of us, these treatments might seem like a threat to our perfectionist image. In which case, remember (a) perfectionism is impossible and (b) these are temporary tools to overpower your panic. Then again, integrating healthy practices such as ten minutes of meditation a day or becoming a Yogi mightn't be such a bad thing. In any case, it doesn't hurt to get examined by your physician to ensure what you're experiencing is actually a panic attack. Despite self-diagnosing myself as having a panic attack, I had a hard time believing there wasn't truly something wrong with my heart. A treatment plan and a physical gave me peace of mind.

In the past, I've read a bunch of garble on how stress negatively impacts your life, and now, in some ways, I believe it. Still, there is good stress and bad stress, I think, i.e. the good stress pushed me to ensure ethical decisions were made during my job as a news editor, while the bad stress increases my fear and hinders my enjoyment of this wonderful life. To some extent, worry works for me. Until it turns into panic.