Summer Swimming Pool Myths Debunked
Whether cooling off for a quick dip in your backyard, lounging on a pool float or playing water polo, many swimmers and pool owners have probably heard summer swimming pool myths floating around. While folklore may make you run and grab your towel, it’s important to distinguish fact from fiction. Here are some common summer swimming pool myths debunked.
Eating Before You Swim Can Cause Drowning
False! Rumor has it that you should wait at least thirty minutes after eating before going for a swim. People believe severe stomach cramping can occur while digesting food and swimming simultaneously; thus resulting in drowning. While digestion does, in fact, exert blood circulation toward the gut and away from the muscles of the stomach, a cause of drowning has yet to occur due to someone eating and swimming in under thirty minutes.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Red Cross, swimming, or any type of exercise after eating may lead to discomfort due to the weight of a full stomach forcefully pulling on ligaments that hold the stomach muscles in place. This often results in cramping. The good news is that this discomfort will not cause any harm other than nausea or heartburn.
While there is no time limit for how long you should wait to swim after consuming food, your food choices may impact your swimming experience. It’s best not to gorge yourself; instead, eat light to avoid getting cramps. Snacks that contain simple carbohydrates are a wise choice. The energy in light carbohydrates breaks down faster-stabilizing blood circulation; meanwhile, a heavy plate will make you feel fatigued and heavy. Eat foods rich in energy such as granola bars, bananas, or peanut butter to keep your energy high when swimming and avoid exhaustion.
You Don’t Need Sunscreen If You’re Swimming
False! A common misconception is that if you submerge in water, you do not need to apply sunscreen since it will wash off once you plunge in. In actually, swimming in a body of water increases your need for protection against the sun because water intensifies the sun’s harmful UV rays; thereby increasing the risk for sunburn. Furthermore, the sun’s radiation reflects the water’s surface and the back onto whatever parts of your body are above the surface. This phenomenon actually doubles the risk of sunburn. Not wearing sunscreen while in water evidently can cause more skin damage than if you tan by the poolside or at the beach. But thanks to sun protecting products on the market, you can invest in waterproof sunscreen. Dermatologists suggest a 30SPF or higher and to reapply often.
Sunburn Will Fade Into a Tan
False! Sunburn cannot fade into a tan when your skin is wet from the ocean water or chlorine water. Sunburned skin is a simple response to DNA changes to the skin cells damaged from overexposure to the sun’s rays. When burnt, the body reacts by sending blood up to the skin cells for repair, resulting in the fiery red color. Your body heals and will peel allowing a new layer of skin to form. This new layer of skin is your original pigment, not a tan.
Sunburn can result in serious consequences such as sun poisoning or skin cancer. Be sure to apply sunscreen of SPF 25 or higher to avoid 94% of the sun’s UVB rays.
Rinsing Off Before You Swim
Did you know over 70% of people do not rinse off before they jump into a pool? While chlorine kills communicable pathogens such as bacteria or parasites, it cannot kill everything. Other bodily fluids can be acidic, causing a chemical reaction containing cyanogen chloride that can be dangerous for other swimmers in the pool. The result includes harmful chemicals to the human heart, lungs, and nervous system. Simply put, anyone entering the pool should shower beforehand. Similarly, you should also shower after using a sauna before entering a pool.
Some People Can’t Float
True! Your body type and other genetic factors determine your buoyancy. While fat typically floats, the amount of body fat depends on each individual swimmer. The body’s bones and muscles are denser, which causes the body to be heavier – or rather more float resistant. Also, the size of your lungs can determine how high the body float towards the water’s surface.
Float Past The Myths
Now that you know the truth behind some of the infamous summer myths, you can enjoy your summer and be safe. It is important that you remember how to protect yourself from harm and be healthy when swimming or enjoying other summer activities. Contact the experts at Shoreline Pools with questions or concerns.
Ikiwa unafurahiya kuogelea kwenye ubao wa kuogelea au kucheza polo ya maji, wapiga mbizi wengi na wamiliki wa dimbwi wamesikia hadithi za kuogelea za majira ya joto. Ingawa hadithi za kitamaduni zaweza kukufanya ukimbie na kukamata kitambaa chako, ni muhimu kutofautisha ukweli na uwongo. Hapa kuna hadithi za kawaida za kuogelea wakati wa kiangazi zilizofutwa. Kula Kabla ya Kuogelea Kunaweza Kusababisha Kuzama Uongo! Inasemekana kwamba unapaswa kungoja angalau dakika thelathini baada ya kula kabla ya kwenda kuogelea. Watu huamini kwamba maumivu makali ya tumbo yanaweza kutokea wakati wa kumeng'enya chakula na kuogelea wakati uleule; hivyo kusababisha kuzama. Ingawa kumeng'enya damu kwa njia ya tumbo na kuondoa misuli ya tumbo, bado hakuna sababu ya kuzama kwa sababu ya mtu kula na kuogelea chini ya dakika thelathini. Kulingana na Chuo cha Amerika cha Pediatrics na Msalaba Mwekundu wa Amerika, kuogelea au aina yoyote ya mazoezi baada ya kula inaweza kusababisha usumbufu kutokana na uzito wa tumbo kamili kwa nguvu kuvuta juu ya ligaments kwamba kushikilia misuli ya tumbo katika nafasi. Mara nyingi hilo husababisha maumivu makali. Habari njema ni kwamba maumivu hayo hayataweza kusababisha madhara mengine isipokuwa kichefuchefu au kuchomwa na moyo. Ingawa hakuna kikomo cha muda kwa muda gani unapaswa kusubiri kuogelea baada ya kula chakula, uchaguzi wako wa chakula unaweza kuathiri uzoefu wako wa kuogelea. Ni afadhali usijilemee sana; badala yake, kula chakula kidogo ili kuepuka kupatwa na maumivu ya tumbo. Vyakula vyenye wanga sahili ni chaguo la busara. Karbohydrate nyepesi huondoa nishati kwa kasi zaidi na kusimamisha mzunguko wa damu, wakati huo huo, sahani nzito itakufanya uhisi uchovu na uzito. Kula vyakula vyenye nishati nyingi kama vile granola bars, ndizi, au siagi ya karanga ili kudumisha nishati yako wakati wa kuogelea na kuepuka uchovu. Huhitaji kinga ya jua Ikiwa Unasafiri kwa Uongo! Wazo la kawaida ni kwamba ikiwa utazama ndani ya maji, hutahitaji kutumia krimu ya kujikinga na jua, kwa kuwa itakafyonzwa mara tu utakapozama. Kuogelea katika maji huongeza mahitaji yako ya ulinzi dhidi ya jua kwa sababu maji huongeza miale ya UV ya jua, na hivyo kuongeza hatari ya kuchomwa na jua. Kwa kuongezea, mnururisho wa jua huonyesha uso wa maji na nyuma kwenye sehemu zozote za mwili wako zilizo juu ya uso. Jambo hilo hufanya uwezekano wa kuungua kwa jua uwe mara mbili. Kwa kweli, kutumia krimu ya kujikinga na jua wakati wa kuogelea kunaweza kuharibu ngozi yako kuliko kutumia krimu ya kujikinga na jua wakati wa kuogelea kwenye dimbwi au pwani. Kwa sababu ya bidhaa za kuhifadhi jua, unaweza kutumia dawa ya kuzuia jua. Wataalamu wa ngozi wanapendekeza kutumia SPF 30 au zaidi na kutumia mara kwa mara. Kuungua kwa Jua Kutakuwa Kama Kuungua kwa Jua bandia! Joto la jua halitaweza kugeuka kuwa rangi ya rangi ya rangi ya rangi wakati ngozi yako ikiwa mvua kutokana na maji ya bahari au maji yenye klorini. Ngozi iliyowashwa na jua ni majibu rahisi kwa mabadiliko ya DNA kwa seli za ngozi zilizoharibiwa na mfiduo wa kupita kiasi wa miale ya jua. Wakati mwili unapochomwa, damu huelekea kwenye chembe za ngozi ili kurekebishwa, na hivyo huanza kuwa na rangi nyekundu. Mwili wako hupona na kuondoa ngozi na kuruhusu tabaka jipya la ngozi kufanyizwa. Tabaka hili jipya la ngozi ni rangi yako ya awali, si rangi ya rangi ya kahawia. Kuungua kwa jua kwaweza kusababisha matokeo mabaya kama vile sumu ya jua au kansa ya ngozi. Kwa hivyo, unapaswa kutumia krimu ya jua ya SPF 25 au zaidi ili kuepuka athari za UVB. Kuosha kabla ya kuogelea: Zaidi ya asilimia 70 ya watu hawaogopi kabla ya kuruka ndani ya dimbwi. Ingawa klorini huua vimelea vinavyoambukiza magonjwa kama vile bakteria au vimelea, haiwezi kuua kila kitu. Mvuke mwingine wa mwili unaweza kuwa na asidi, na kusababisha athari ya kemikali yenye cyanogen chloride ambayo inaweza kuwa hatari kwa waogeleaji wengine katika dimbwi. Matokeo hutia ndani kemikali zenye kudhuru moyo wa binadamu, mapafu, na mfumo wa neva. Kwa ufupi, mtu yeyote anayeingia kwenye dimbwi anapaswa kuoga kabla ya kuingia. Vivyo hivyo, unapaswa pia kuoga baada ya kutumia sauna kabla ya kuingia kwenye dimbwi. Watu Wengine Hawawezi Kuelea kwa Ukweli! Aina ya mwili wako na mambo mengine ya urithi huamua uwezo wako wa kuelea. Ingawa kwa kawaida mafuta huelea, kiasi cha mafuta ya mwili hutegemea kila mtu anayebogea. Mifupa na misuli ya mwili ni nzito zaidi, ambayo husababisha mwili kuwa nzito zaidi <unk> au badala yake zaidi float sugu. Pia, ukubwa wa mapafu yako waweza kuamua jinsi mwili unavyoelea juu ya maji. Kwa kuwa unajua ukweli wa baadhi ya hadithi mbaya za majira ya joto, unaweza kufurahia majira yako ya joto na kuwa salama. Ni muhimu kukumbuka jinsi ya kujilinda na kuwa na afya wakati wa kuogelea au kufurahia shughuli nyingine za majira ya joto. Wasiliana na wataalamu wa Shoreline Pools na maswali au wasiwasi.