Lifestyle If you have arthritis, warm climes are definitely your friend. Though not all studies agree, research suggests that arthritis pain tends to flare up more in the cold. In a survey of 200 people with knee osteoarthritis, every five-degree drop in temperature cranked up the pain. In another study, which had participants journaling their pain symptoms for a year, those with osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia reported more pain on cold days, while those without arthritis found no difference. Good weather also encourages you to get moving, which helps keep joints strong and flexible. In theory, you can exercise in any weather conditions – that’s what indoor gyms are for – but, if you’re like most people, a thermometer reading of minus 13 will have you thinking, “I’ll go to the gym tomorrow.” In a study reported in the Journal of Sport and Health Science, rain was three times more likely to deter participants from exercising than heat. What’s more, two-thirds of participants admitted that ice or snow would erode their motivation. Even your muscles prefer the warmth. Cold weather leads muscles to contract, restricting their range of motion and raising the risk of “pinched nerves.” Within the range of 15 to 27 ⁰C, your muscles warm up more quickly, making your workouts safer and more enjoyable. While most of us know better than to step into the blazing sun without sunscreen, experts agree that a near-complete lack of sun exposure – a real risk during the cold, grey winter months – does your muscles and bones no favours. The missing ingredient is vitamin D. Except during the warmest months, the skinmakes very little vitamin D at latitudes above 37 degrees north – think Denver or St. Louis – which explains why 32 per cent of Canadians don’t get enough vitamin D to maintain good bone health. Exposing your skin to sunlight for just five to 30 minutes, a couple of times a week, will give you enough vitamin D to maximize your bone structure and function. Bonus: vitamin D boosts your energy and may even help prevent cancer. Not to be discounted, winter weather boosts the risk of falls. Among falls that land people in the hospital, 70 per cent occur in the winter months. While snow and ice carry a risk to everyone, age compounds the danger. The leading cause of injury in seniors, falls account for 59 per cent of emergency visits and 79 per cent of injury-related hospitalizations in Canadians over 65. The best way to reduce the risk of winter-related falls is, well, to kiss winter goodbye and embrace the snowbird lifestyle. Since the Florida Lottery’s establishment in 1988, we have given players the opportunity to transform their lives, and we have been steadfast in pursuit of enhancing education statewide, year after year. Throughout that time, we have contributed more than $35 billion to public schools, universities and colleges, and directly to students through the Bright Futures Scholarship Program. Since the program’s inception, we have contributed more than $6.2 billion to send over 840,000 students to college. The Florida Lottery is proud to be a dedicated and dependable funding source for public education by contributing over $1 billion annually for the past 17 consecutive years, while remaining one of the most efficient lotteries in the country. We thank you for helping us reach these incredible milestones, as a portion of every ticket purchased goes towards education. We hope that the benefits of our contributions continue to be felt in communities across the entire state. HELPING SCHOOLS AND STUDENTS WIN THE FLORIDA LOTTERY TAKES EDUCATION FURTHER CSANews | SPRING 2020 | 39
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MzMzNzMx