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TODAY IS THE OFFICIAL START OF EARNED RUNS 2019 VACATION WEEK. The blog is taking a break from fitness-related topics. We're not going to be worried about meeting challenges or staying on training schedules. The point is to NOT have a routine, but to enjoy activities that we ordinarily don't make a priority, but that help us relax and appreciate life.
Of course not everyone has vacation this very week. But these posts can be a source of vacation week activity ideas if your's is still to come. SCIENCE SATURDAY: MUSEUMS, AQUARIUMS, PLANETARIUMS. This post was originally written in 2017 for Friday and updated in 2018 for Saturday Looking back then, Saturday seemed to be the better day for this activity; it usually marks either the beginning or the end of a typical vacation period. Beginning of vacation Saturday: For 'stay-cationers' Saturday might be that day that kicks-off a week in which you remain at home nights but seek fun day-time adventures. For those traveling away, check-in time at hotels is usually late in the afternoon, and although luggage can be checked with the hotel’s bell desk or left in the car, the range of potential activities might be restricted until a room is secured. End of vacation Saturday: by this time the return home might have already been accomplished to avoid weekend traffic. There’s the need to unpack and recover a bit, as well as prepare for the upcoming non-vacation week. Regardless of whether you’re at the beginning or end of a week’s break, at home or still away at vacation’s end, perhaps the previous days were spent mostly outdoors. A break from full-on physical activity might be a welcome change. Admittedly, Saturday might be busier than weekdays at museums, aquariums, and planetariums, but being surrounded by other happy visitors can add to the excitement and fun of an institution’s offerings. Strolling through nearly empty halls on less hectic days could be dull and kind of lonely. Let’s start with museums. They’re not only about science. They can be about art, history, and sports too. Have you lived in or near a city with a museum, maybe even a famous museum, but never visited? Or toured with your elementary or middle-school classmates more than a decade ago? Aquariums and planetariums fall into the same category of these often-neglected entertainment venues. Yes, entertainment! Today’s institutions are likely to have hands-on exhibits and moving parts that educate and provide a fun experience for adults as well as children. Taking a break or eating on site can also be a treat, as sometimes specialty foods are offered that relate to the institutions theme. If you've traveled far for vacation, there is sure to be a museum nearby, even if small. Local museums may focus on an important regional industry, like petroleum and oil (Texas), autos (Michigan), flight (Washington), motorcycles (Iowa), iron (Michigan), shipbuilding (Maine, Mississippi, Massachusetts, California), to name a few. The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago is likely the most well-known, but there’s one in Baltimore too. Washington DC likely has the greatest concentration of places to visit, especially related to government activities. Nearby Baltimore area has a fantastic National Cryptologic Museum adjacent to the grounds of the National Security Agency headquarters at Fort George G. Meade, one of the most interesting I've ever visited. The end of summer vacation is perfect for slowing down and enjoying what doesn’t make it into hectic everyday schedules. Consider spending a few hours in buildings that are designed to awe and inspire! RUN & MOVE & VACATION HAPPY! Image: Early morning past the Smithsonian Institution Building, Washington DC. Taken by PKSenagore October 18, 2016. All rights reserved. http://www.businessinsider.com/the-best-museums-in-america-ranked-2016-8/#25-diabeacon-1 https://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-Museums-cTop-g191 http://petroleummuseum.org/contact/about-the-museum/ http://www.nationalmcmuseum.org/about-us/ http://www.museumofflight.org http://www.michigan.org/property/michigan-iron-industry-museum http://penobscotmarinemuseum.org/pbho-1/ships-shipbuilding/ships-shipbuilding-introduction http://www.thebmi.org https://www.nsa.gov/about/cryptologic-heritage/museum/ http://www.msichicago.org
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SUN VERSUS SUNSCREENS. The Chicago Sun Times recently reported the results of a sunscreen study published in the Journal of American Medicine Association (JAMA) that revealed several active ingredients, avobenzone, oxybenzone, octocrylene and ecamsule “enter the bloodstream at levels that far exceed the FDA’s recommended threshold without a government safety inspection.”
After 24 study participants applied sunscreen in a manner consistent with “maximal use” conditions on 4 consecutive days (4 times a day, on 75% of body surfaces), blood tests showed that absorption into the blood stream “far exceeded” 0.5ng/mL on the very FIRST day of the study. At this level, the FDA recommends performance of “nonclinical toxicology assessment including systemic carcinogenicity and additional developmental and reproductive studies.” There were 4 groups; each received a different sunscreen formulation containing a combination of active ingredients as might be found in commercially available products (lotion, spray, or cream). The study protocol required application (2 mg/cm2) for 4 days and the performance of blood tests. A conclusion of the research was that there is a need for more investigation into the “clinical significance of these findings”; there was no recommendation to discontinue use of sunscreens. My personal use of sunscreen has been restricted to inorganic barrier products included in formulations promoted for infants and persons with sensitive skin, containing only zinc oxide and/ or titanium dioxide. I am not very likely to apply as large an amount used in the study for total body coverage, nor to re-apply 4 times a day for 4 days straight. However, a SCIENTIFIC review paper on the topic of neurotoxicity of various sunscreens (including nano-particle inorganic filters I use) suggests that the safety and regulation of such UV protection technologies, applied alone or in combination, has not been sufficiently established given their continuously increasing worldwide use. Safety concerns extend not only to humans but to the environment and other living systems. The issues seem to be so complex as to be mind-boggling, and the potential hazards of using versus not using UV protection on a global scale have yet to be determined. What are outdoor fitness enthusiasts like me to do? It seems wise not to completely rely on the application of products to the skin, as I have previously, but use the type of old-fashioned methods promoted before such products were created or commonly available. Although my activities would be restricted I should perhaps give greater consideration to: enjoying the outdoors at times of the day when the sun exposure potential is lessened (mornings and evenings); wearing clothing that creates a physical barrier (like hats, sunglasses, and sleeves); and opting for shade over direct sun when possible (umbrellas, awnings, porches etc.). Clearly this isn’t the ultimate answer for me or the rest of the world when it comes to UV protection, but with information that harm might also be found in certain artificial protective measures I think I should budget my exposure to both the sun and sunscreens and be cautious in acceptance of technology. Hopefully future new UV protection could be developed with the concerns of knowledgeable scientists and the public identified and addressed up-front, rather than retro-actively investigated. RUN & MOVE HAPPY! https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2733085 https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2019/5/7/18621726/chemicals-in-sunscreen-seep-into-your-bloodstream-after-just-1-day-fda-says http://www.marinesafe.org/blog/2016/03/18/sunscreen-pollution/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5615097/ |
BRIDGE TO PHYSICAL SELF
Running, walking, and fitness activities enable us to experience our physical selves in a world mostly accessed through use of fingers on a mobile device. AuthorEARNED RUNS is edited and authored by me, runner and founder. In 1978 I began participating in 10K road races before 5Ks were common. I've been a dietitian, practiced and taught clinical pathology, and been involved with research that utilized pathology. I am fascinated with understanding the origins of disease as well as health and longevity. Archives
November 2023
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