Now heavy drinkers experience dehydration at the very beginning of the day and should probably stay home, but for those of us who get to the trail-head early on Saturday morning, there are a few tricks to making 40+ kilometer hikes.

First, if you are diabetic or have allergies to nuts or soy, you will probably want to stay away from most of the products mentioned below. Always read the cautions and the ingredients posted on the product websites and on the product packaging. If you do decide to try these energy supplements, buy them in small quantities and try them at home before taking them with you on a hike.

Beware of allergic and other physical/emotional reactions to vitamins and sports products. If you have kidney problems, then don’t eat too much protein. And when you do eat protein, make sure you have plenty of water, since your body uses water to digest protein. If you eat protein (or take amino acid supplements) without adequate water intake, you will dehydrate and cramp.

But don’t skip the protein. When you exercise for more than 2 hours, your body starts to cannibalize it’s own muscle. That’s why you need to eat protein during long hikes. I usually mix protein powder with eLoad Heat Endurance Formula in two BPA-free Nalgene bottles. Each bottle contains 20+ grams of protein plus a scoop of eLoad. I don’t add water until I’m ready to start sipping the mixture. If you do not want to mix your own, Hammer Nutrition makes a good lightweight protein endurance product called Perpetuem.

I can’t stress it enough: don’t bring bulky food. Eat compact high-energy gels, Sharkies, Shot Blocs, energy bars, and protein powders. (I usually have an Active Greens Organic Food Bar for lunch. It contains protein, vegetables, fruit, and nut butter.) And eat often, perhaps every two hours during long-distance events. You have to keep your carbs up. Don’t diet during 40 kilometer hikes!

Carry 3 to 3 1/2 liters of water (and maybe 4 to 5 liters during a heat wave), and keep some extra water in the car for after the hike. Add electrolytes to your water. Like I said before, I use eLoad Heat Endurance Formula. It contains a variety of minerals, plus the carbohydrates you need to keep going. And if you use high-calorie gels, accompany each one with at least 150 ml of water (or about a third of a 500 ml bottle) so that it doesn’t make you feel sick.

Then within 15 minutes of completing your hike, eat about 20 grams of protein, since that timing has been shown to build muscle. Yes, you want to build muscle in your legs. I usually eat a Cliff Builders Protein Bar beside my car before I change into dry shoes.

The post Endurance Training & Long-distance Hikes: Tips & Tricks first appeared on Medical Health.

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The post Winter Hiking on the Bruce Trail South of Speyside, Ontario first appeared on Medical Health.

Also see:

The post Toronto Waterfront, Leslie Spit, Cherry Beach first appeared on Medical Health.

Both New Balance and Vasque make athletic shoes that fit flat feet and wide feet. Vasque even says that their Perpetuum last is “comfortable for people with flatter feet.”

So don’t quit running, walking, and hiking. Just buy the right shoes!

The post Flat Feet and Arch Supports first appeared on Medical Health.

Then later, on the trail, when he keeps sliding on loose rock (you don’t want walk below him), you see that the soles on his 20-year-old hiking boots are worn smooth — there’s no tread.

The post Hiking and Trail Etiquette first appeared on Medical Health.

Stay on your feet. Go for a walk or a hike. Lift weights while you watch the news. Find a good deal at a gym (the best deals usually appear when a gym first opens for business and offers a contract that stipulates that they can only raise your fees by, lets say, 1 percent every 3 years).

The post Quit Sit-on-your-bottom Activities first appeared on Medical Health.

I have also mentioned that walking, running, and hiking are very good for the health (including respiratory, cardiac, and digestive health), so in this post I am going to list some of the gear I use on hikes. I am listing the Amazon links. You can follow the links to detailed descriptions, prices, and reviews. I own all of the following gear:

Julbo Race Sunglasses (w/ Zebra Photochromic Lenses)

Osprey Talon 44 Mountaineering Backpack (for overnight and multi-day hikes)

Osprey Stratos 24 Pack (for extra-long day hikes to remote wilderness areas where I need to bring along extra survival and emergency gear)

Deuter Packs AC Lite 16 Backpack (for day hikes of average length)

Mountainsmith Tour Lumbar Pack (for easy day hikes)

Men’s Merrell Phaser Peak Waterproof Boots (for rugged hikes)

Men’s Danner Expedition GORE-TEX Boots (for exceptionally rugged hikes)

I’m not sure if Columbia still makes the shoes I wear on easy hikes. Here is a link to their hiking shoes: Columbia Hiking Shoes

Danner Merino Wool Pronghorn Crew Socks

Royal Robbins Men’s Classic Billy Goat Shorts

Blurr Meta Pant – Men’s

prAna Men’s Hondo Pant

Columbia Silver Ridge II Shirt – Long-Sleeve – Men’s

Outdoor Research Sun Runner Cap

Water Bottle Holster

Marmot Precip Rain Jacket for Men

Marmot Men’s PreCip Full Zip Pant

Sea to Summit SN240 Ultra-Light Siliconized Cordura Pack Cover

Nuun Hydration Tablets

Of course I own various tents, whistles, signal mirrors, first aid kits, flashlights, cotton t-shirts, and I wear nylon hiking pants, silk undershirts, and polyester shirts and microfleeces during winter. I will probably write about those gear in a future post.

Also see my posts Cotton for the Grand Canyon and Desert Venom.

The post Hiking and Backpacking Gear first appeared on Medical Health.

If your joints are not up to running, get on the recumbent bike for a half hour or use the elliptical machine. The recumbent bike is the one where your legs are positioned further out in front of you.

You can also exercise in a swimming pool. The buoyancy takes the weight and wear and tear off your joints. (But I don’t like the chlorine.)

I run 3 times a week and walk for 30 minutes to an hour 3 or 4 times a week, that is, I get some form of aerobic exercise 6 or 7 days a week. And I take calcium (and viatamin D) for my bones and a glucosamine-chondroitin-boron complex for my joints.

The post More About Running and Aerobics first appeared on Medical Health.

But never wear cotton socks on hikes. Cotton socks hold on to the sweat from your feet, and wet feet lead to blisters and cracking. Wear merino wool socks, even in summer: the wool wicks the moisture away from your feet.

During cold weather (including cold days in the desert), wear synthetic or wool clothing that wicks your sweat away. Cold, wet clothing will rob you of body heat and lead to hypothermia.

Carry plenty of water and Nuun Hydration Tablets.

Also see my posts Desert Cotton, Hiking and Backpacking Gear and Desert Venom.

The post Cotton for The Grand Canyon first appeared on Medical Health.