Will it ever be safe to go back in?

Now, having been on a swim team for a couple of years in high school, and thus, being very thankful for the wonderful sterilizing uses of chlorine, this recent article came as a bit of a shock to me--

"...The CDC announced today that swimming pools and water parks may need new technology -- and good hygiene from their patrons -- to prevent a diarrhea-causing illness that chlorine doesn't always stop..."
-WebMD Medical News, July 26, 2007 (Full Article Here)

Whoa, hold on a minute: a diarrhea-causing illness that chlorine doesn't always stop? And that lab tests sometimes couldn't trace? (see article) Now that's some seriously scary news for water-lovers out there (myself included). But then again, what are we to do? Avoid the H2O altogether for fear of some seriously bad times in the john? Most likely not.

And although some of the larger preventative methods mentioned like water sterilization upgrades are a little out of the average person's control, what we CAN do as individuals to help out ourselves and the public in the meantime, is outlined by the following ways mentioned at the end of the article:

"But the CDC says swimmers also need to help by following these tips:

• If you've got diarrhea, don't get in the water until two weeks after the diarrhea ends.
• Avoid swallowing pool water.
• Practice good hygiene. Wash your hands after using a restroom or changing diapers.
• Shower before getting into the water.
• Report fecal contamination to pool operators."

(The "Avoid swallowing pool water" tip doesn't really paint the nicest mental image does it?)

Regardless, we only have about a month left of summer so by all means, let's enjoy it! Feel free to comment your thoughts or some related pool-side stories of your own.

See you in the water!
(Look before you leap though...)

TC

What's "Keep Fresh" All About?

Keep Fresh all started because as I was browsing the web one day this past summer, I happened across an article about flip flops--yes, flip flops. It talked about the potential cons of wearing them too often, which I, a beach-loving Californian was all too accustomed to doing (flip flops to school, flip flops in winter, flip flops in rain, you get the picture.)

So the notion popped into my head: "Hey! How come no one's ever brought this up to me before?" And even though to some it might seem like common sense for one not to go hiking or to go for a full day of walking in flip flops, (guess not to me though, who adventurously climbed a small scenic hill near my university one day in them) the article still made me realize that with all the big issues in medicine and health today like cancer, stem-cell research, obesity, and so on in the press, you really don't have the chance to simply hear about the little things very much anymore. But they're still relevant right?

And that's when Keep Fresh came in. On this site I just want to share, discuss, and keep in everybody's minds the smaller, simpler things in life that impact our health, our well-being, and our overall "freshness" on a daily basis.

Here's to new beginnings,

TC