Category: prevention and fitness

Winning Attitudes: Inspiration from Team USA

Team USA, managed by the US Olympic Committee, is a federally chartered nonprofit corporation without federal financial support. The world-class Olympic Training facility in Colorado Springs houses both Olympic and Paralympic athletes. The tour highlights the importance of physical activity, provides guidelines for optimal health, and shares winning attitudes. The facility is open for visits.

Did you know Team USA is not a government organization or agency? According to the United States Olympic Committee  (USOC) website, Team USA is

“a federally chartered nonprofit corporation and does not receive federal financial support (other than for select Paralympic military programs). Unlike most other nations, the United States does not have a sports ministry.”

USOC

“The USOC has two primary responsibilities in its oversight of Olympic and Paralympic sport in the United States.

  1. to generate resources in support of its mission, which is to help American athletes achieve sustained competitive excellence.
  2. to ensure organizational resources are wisely and effectively used to that end.”

A visit to Team USA in Colorado Springs

I toured the United States Olympic Training facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Both Olympic and Paralympic athletes train and live here. The facilities are state-of-the-art, modern, and open for visits and tours.

In this post I’m sharing my tour with you.

The Ancient Olympic GAmes sign
brief history of the Olympic Games

As much as I admire the elite athletes who comprise the Olympic team, the Paralympic athletes captivate my imagination.

These athletes  compete with, not  despite, significant physical impairments. Many of them play and compete in physically demanding sports without full use of their arms and legs; some don’t even have all of their arms and legs.

Lessons for sports and life

As we walked around the complex on a guided tour, I was reminded of the importance of physical activity for our physical and mental health.  Although there is conflicting advice on preventive health, all experts agree that physical activity is vital to achieving and maintaining optimal health and well-being.

click the image to access and download a copy of the guidelines

In the Top 10 Things to Know About the Second Edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans we learn

  • Adults caring for children this age should encourage active play (light, moderate, or vigorous intensity) and aim for at least 3 hours per day.
  • Each day, youth ages 6 through 17 need at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity to attain the most health benefits from physical activity.
  • To attain the most health benefits from physical activity, adults need at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, like brisk walking or fast dancing, each week. Adults also need muscle-strengthening activity, like lifting weights or doing push-ups, at least 2 days each week.
  • The first key guideline for adults is to move more and sit less.
  • New evidence shows that physical activity has immediate health benefits
  • We now know that any amount of physical activity has some health benefits. Americans can benefit from small amounts of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity throughout the day.
  • Medical studies show that exercise can prevent or improve many chronic health conditions and lack of exercise contributes to many diseases.
  • Physical activity may reduce the risk of cancers of the breast, colon, uterus, prostate and pancreas.
  • Regular exercise may help prevent diabetes and heart disease.
  • Exercise relieves joint and back pain due to arthritis.
  • Depression is improved with physical activity .

Winning Attitudes

As we walked through the  USA Shooting area I picked up a flyer titled “Winning Attitudes”, which I’m sharing with you along with my photos.

I hope they will encourage you to develop a “winning attitude” in all areas of your life.

lesson 1

Become excited, confident, and enthusiastic about your goals.

statue of four athletes jumping

lesson 2

True confidence is based on the thoroughness of preparation. 

Olympic work out room

lesson 3

Winners have the ability to look inside themselves and find that special dream.

lesson 4

Winners focus on solutions, not problems.

wheelchairs
wheelchairs adapted for playing

lesson 5

Winners have positive attitudes in all elements of their lives. The more you think about, talk about, and write about a thing happening, the greater the certainty of that thing happening.

vehicle
on display in the Hall of Fame

lesson 6

Goals should identify minimum performance levels. They should never limit your performance.

swimming pool
a real “olympic sized” swimming pool

lesson 7

Real winners are champions in life, not just in sports.

two champion athletes
Runner Tyson Gay and gymnast Mary Lou Retton in the Hall of Fame

lesson 8

Missing a goal means setting another goal to strive for.

gym
multi use gymnasium

lesson 9

A champion constantly learns and improves.

practice
words to train by and live by

lesson 10

Champions are willing to risk a little in the short run to gain an advantage in the long run.

lesson 11

Winners have the ability to look inside themselves and find that special dream. 

lesson 12

Excellence is achieved only through constant pursuit. 

DSCN1135
passing the torch

lesson 13

A champion constantly learns and improves .

housing.
The athletes live, eat, and sleep here.

lesson 14

Real winners are champions in life, not just sports. 

statue of four athletes raising arms

lesson 15

Don’t just achieve your goals; strive to exceed your goals. 

bronze statue, ice skater

 Are YOU a CHAMPION? 

Which of these “winning attitudes” do you live by?

Which might you adopt?

sharing the HEART of champions

I hope you enjoyed this tour through the Olympic Complex. If you go to Colorado Springs, be sure and visit.

I’d love for you to follow this blog and follow me on social media.

I share information and inspiration to help you transform challenges into opportunities for learning and growth.

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I enjoy seeing who is new to Watercress Words. When you subscribe, I will visit your blog or website. Thanks and see you next time.

Dr. Aletha

Don’t Drink the Water- How to Avoid Water-related Illness

In this post learn how Water can pose health risks beyond drinking, including illnesses from contact during swimming or recreational activities. Drowning is a significant risk, especially for children. Common waterborne illnesses include gastrointestinal and respiratory conditions. Prevention strategies, such as swimming safety skills and avoiding contaminated water, can prevent these dangers.

You’ve probably heard the advice “Don’t drink the water” when you travel to less developed areas of the world. But water can make you sick even without drinking it.

Illness from Contact with Water

Bacteria and other disease-causing organisms can be transmitted by swimming and other water-related sports

  • in private and public pools
  • recreational freshwater and oceans
  • hot tubs, splash pads, water parks
  • decorative fountains

Drinking, inhaling, and direct contact with water contaminated with a variety of bugs can cause a wide range of illnesses, most of which are preventable. Here is an overview of common conditions to watch out for.

Drowning

The most serious risk of water is drowning or near-drowning, with 3,300 deaths and another 5,000 hospitalizations annually in the United States.

Children are especially at risk of drowning. Teaching children to swim as early as practical and supervising them around pools and other bodies of water are critical to prevention.

Drowning Prevention

  • Learn basic swimming and water safety skills
  • Build fences that fully enclose pools
  • Wear a life jacket
  • continue reading at the link
caution signs at a swimming pool.
Drowning can be prevented by following rules.

Gastrointestinal (stomach and intestines) Illnesses-

Symptoms
  • Nausea,
  • vomiting,
  • diarrhea,
  • cramps,
  • fever
Causes
stream with a kayak
Water in creeks, streams, and rivers is not safe to swallow.

Respiratory (nose, throat, lungs) illnesses

Symptoms
  • cough,
  • nasal/sinus congestion,
  • ear pain/fullness,fever
Swimmer’s Ear
Causes-
  • pool chemicals
  • Legionella and other bacteria
rapids in a stream

Skin Conditions

Symptoms–
  • rash,
  • redness,
  • itching,
  • burning
Causes –

Most of these conditions resolve without treatment, or are treatable with appropriate antibiotics.

two people dangling their legs into a pool.
Don’t let water related illness spoil your summer fun. photo from stock photo site- Lightstock.com- affiliate link

Serious but Rare

Primary amebic meningoencephalitis is a rare but deadly sinus-related infection caused by Naegleria fowleri in freshwater and soil 

Leptospirosis is another brain infection caused by a group of spirochetes known collectively as leptospires. It is also infrequent.

Preventing Water-related Infection

  1. Don’t drink water used for recreation even if treated with chlorine.
  2. Children younger than five years should not use hot tubs.
  3. Persons with diarrhea or recent diarrhea infection should not swim for one week after symptoms have cleared.
  4. Swimmers should shower before using a hot tub or pool.
  5. Don’t swim with open wounds, or use waterproof bandage if you do. .
  6. Learn more and get more tips on staying well at these links from

drawing of a child standing on a diving board at a pool
from the American Academy of Family Physicians

from American Family Physician

Waterborne Illnesses

Talk to your doctor if you have bloody diarrhea, diarrhea that lasts more than a week, or a cough with fever. See your doctor right away if you have more serious symptoms, such as fever and a stiff neck after swimming in a freshwater pond, or a bad skin infection with fever. Be sure to tell your doctor that you’ve been in the water.

Safe Surfing

Sharks very rarely attack people. Common sense can protect you from most shark attacks. Do not go into the water if sharks have been reported in your area. Do not surf if you are bleeding or have open cuts. If you see a shark, get out of the water. Do not try to touch the shark. Get help right away if you think you have been bitten.

Sea Creature Injuries and Fish Poisoning

To avoid ciguatera poisoning, don’t eat the fish that often carry the ciguatera toxin. This includes amberjack, grouper, snapper, sturgeon, king mackerel, barracuda, and moray eel.

in a Key West Florida art shop

At Smithsonian, learn about

8 diseases to watch out for at the beach 

man and woman next to a wooden boat on a beach
My husband and I are enjoying the beach on our last day in Zanzibar

Exploring the HEART of Summer Health

I took all of the photos in this post except the cover photo. It and another one are from Lightstock, credited in the caption.

I’d love for you to follow this blog and follow me on social media.

I share information and inspiration to help you transform challenges into opportunities for learning and growth.

Add your name to the subscribe box to be notified of new posts by email. Click the link to read the post and browse other content. It’s that simple. No spam.

I enjoy seeing who is new to Watercress Words. When you subscribe, I will visit your blog or website. Thanks and see you next time.

Dr. Aletha