Health & Fitness
Blog: The Chlorine Jungle
Pool Ready? Its National Recreational Water Injury and Illness Prevention Week
It's that time of year again, when we say goodbye to school and hello to the chlorine jungle. The pool always brings the smell of sunscreen and bleach, the mad search for bathing suits and floaters.
My kids have asked me every day since the first of May "is the pool open yet?" And of course I drag them to the calendar hoping to jog their memory, and we count down the days together. I take the time to share with them some water safety tips.
So instead of keeping all the top secret water safety for just my family, I guess I'll share. Let's start with some basics facts and myths! Those are always so much fun!! Swimming is the third most popular recreational activity in the United States.
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Fact!
360 million visitors hit up the pool every year. This means you will be sharing your personal bubble with many people you don't know. Make nice and you might make some new friends. Tell folks to tell other folks about being clean and healthy before visiting the pool.Sharing is caring!
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Fact or Myth #2 Swim diapers are better than regular diapers.
MYTH! Swim diapers are designed to hold solids better and longer than the regular diapers. Regular diapers are meant to absorb water. The swim diapers are a result of parents not wanting an extra 60 pounds of pool water to carry. So the rule of thumb, change the diaper every 30 minutes but check more often than that. For the older kids when the whistle blows that should be a mandatory potty break!
Fact or Myth #3 Chlorine and bleach is pretty much the same thing, so the pool water kills germs.
MYTH! Chlorine does not kill all germs instantly. Once germs get in the pool, it can take days for chlorine to kill them. Swallowing a little bit of Crypto (short for Cryptosporidium) in your water can make you sick. So now that I grossed you out about swimming, let me share some of the great things about it. Water exercise can improves or maintain bone health. Its the perfect exersice if you have fibromyalgia.
Did you know swimming can also help decrease anxiety? Exercise therapy in warm water can also decrease depression and improve mood. It's also one of the best ways to wear little ones out, so nap time can be mommy time! Please share, the more families are aware of proper pool etiquette the better the visit will be to the Chlorine Jungle for all of us!
Always Ready (usually),
Nisi Bennett
www.allheartcprtraining.com
twitter @ allhearttrain
