Are You Drinking Enough Water?

Over half of your body is made up of water. According to ThoughtCo.com, water comprises 60% of adult males, 55% of adult females, 65% of children, and 75% of infants. Most of the body's water is in the intracellular fluid (2/3 of the body's water). The other third is in the extracellular fluid (1/3 of the water). According to a study published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, the amount of water in the human heart and brain is 73%, the lungs are 83%, muscles and kidneys are 79%, the skin is 64%, and the bones are around 31%.

Water is the primary building block of cells and acts as an insulator, regulating internal body temperature. Water is needed to metabolize proteins and carbohydrates used as food, and is the primary component of saliva -- used to digest carbohydrates and aid in swallowing food. Water lubricates joints, acts as a shock absorber, and insulates the brain, spinal cord, organs, and fetus. Water is used to flush waste and toxins from the body via urine and is the principal solvent in the body. It dissolves minerals, soluble vitamins, and certain nutrients. Also, water carries oxygen and nutrients to cells. Water plays a vital role in the body's regulation, protection, and function.

When I was running solo across America in temperatures that were typically around the 100-degree mark, I would drink at least two gallons of water on a 35-mile day as my body exerted tremendous energy covering the distance while pushing a jogging stroller averaging 65 pounds in weight. Even at the office, I drink water regularly and it is the only form of liquid I drink during the work day. The percent of water in your body depends on your hydration level. People feel thirsty when they have already lost around 2-3% of their body's water. Mental performance and physical coordination start to become impaired before thirst kicks in, typically around 1% dehydration.

So, how much water should you drink each day? There are many different opinions! The health authorities commonly recommend eight 8-ounce glasses, which equals about 2 liters, or half a gallon. This is called the 8×8 rule and is very easy to remember. However, there is also a way to calculate how much water you should drink daily based on your weight. For instance, a 200 pound man and 100 pound woman require different amounts of water every day. To figure out how much water to drink each day based on your weight, I've read that you multiple your weight by 2/3 (or 67%). For example, if you weigh 190 pounds, you multiple that by 2/3. That would mean that you should be drinking about 127 ounces of water every day (or 1 gallon). If you want to adjust that number based on how often you work out -- since you are expelling water when you sweat -- you should add 12 ounces of water to your daily total for every 30 minutes that you work out. As an example, if you work out for 45 minutes daily, you would add 18 ounces of water to your daily intake.

From Him, Through Him, For Him (Romans 11:36),

Paul J. Staso

_______________________________________

Visit my YouTube channel -- https://www.youtube.com/user/pacetrek

Click on any of the links below to see some of my adventure photos:

• United States in 2006 (3,260 miles solo in 108 days at age 41)
• Montana in 2008 (620 miles solo in 20 days at age 43)
• Alaska in 2009 (500 miles solo in 18 days at age 44)
• Germany in 2010 (500 miles solo in 21 days at age 45)
• The Mojave Desert in 2011 (506 miles solo in 17 days at age 46)
• Various Photos From Mileposts Gone By
• Students Worldwide Who Ran With Me Virtually
• Roadside Sights From My Running Adventures
• Some Cycling Moments From The Past

New "Active Shooter" Video Game Uses School Environment

According to a recent poll, ten percent of Americans (32 million people) consider themselves "Gamers." Last year, a study published in Molecular Psychiatry stated that people who play action video games that involve first-person shooters, such as Call of Duty and Medal of Honor, experience shrinkage in a brain region called the hippocampus. That part of the brain is associated with spatial navigation, stress regulation and memory. Playing Super Mario games, in which the plumber strives to rescue a princess, had the opposite effect on the hippocampus, causing growth in it.

In recent years, scientists have done dozens of studies looking to see if playing video games affects people's health and behavior. There is some evidence that video games may improve people's visual short-term memory and eye-hand coordination. Five months ago, Newsweek featured an article which stated that playing video games for a 12-hour streak could be a mental health problem, and Forbes reported that the World Health Organization is adding gaming disorder to a beta draft of its International Classification of Diseases.

According to the draft, gaming becomes more than just a hobby when you’re unable to control how often you play or can’t seem to stop even after battling it out for hours on end -- the game often taking over your life and gets in the way of everyday activities. And despite any negative consequences, like getting fired for too many skipped work days, people who have the disorder can’t stop themselves from playing. The draft states, "The behavior pattern is of sufficient severity to result in significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning. The pattern of gaming behavior may be continuous or episodic and recurrent."

The International Classification of Diseases, or ICD, is used by health professionals globally and serves as an international standard for defining health conditions and diseases. The 11th edition includes this new gaming disorder.

Last week, a Fortune magazine headline caught my attention. It reads, "Upcoming Video Game Lets You Play as a School Shooter." With all of the tragic school shootings that have been taking place, I shook my head in disbelief as I read the headline -- and felt sick at the same time. "Active Shooter" is slated to go on sale June 6 on the Steam digital distribution platform. The game describes itself as a simulation of an active shooter situation, where players can opt to be either the killer or the SWAT team tasked with neutralizing the situation. Screenshots from the game show attacks taking place in both an office and school environment.

Active Shooter will be sold for between $5 to $10 and is being highly criticized by gamers on social media and it is reported that the developer appears to be hoping that the controversy will boost sales. Yesterday, CNN reported that parents of slain students of school shootings -- as well as the general public -- are outraged about the video game. However, Fortune magazine reported, "Video games are protected under the First Amendment, the Supreme Court ruled in 2011. And while some can be hyper-violent, few developers push this far beyond the line of good taste."

As a father of four children, a Christian, a former 5th grade teacher, and a man who despises shootings as those promoted by this latest video game... please, do not support the sale of the "Active Shooter" video game or the Steam platform, which is owned by Valve Corporation -- a video game developer based in Washington state. The game was developed by Revived Games and published by a Russian company called Acid. Please, boycott those companies.

From Him, Through Him, For Him (Romans 11:36),

Paul J. Staso

_______________________________________

Visit my YouTube channel -- https://www.youtube.com/user/pacetrek

Click on any of the links below to see some of my adventure photos:

• United States in 2006 (3,260 miles solo in 108 days at age 41)
• Montana in 2008 (620 miles solo in 20 days at age 43)
• Alaska in 2009 (500 miles solo in 18 days at age 44)
• Germany in 2010 (500 miles solo in 21 days at age 45)
• The Mojave Desert in 2011 (506 miles solo in 17 days at age 46)
• Various Photos From Mileposts Gone By
• Students Worldwide Who Ran With Me Virtually
• Roadside Sights From My Running Adventures
• Some Cycling Moments From The Past

Arlington, Virginia Ranked as Fittest City in America for 2018

The results are in! The 2018 American Fitness Index report from the American College of Sports Medicine ranked the 100 largest U.S. cities on health and fitness. Rankings are based off of cities' overall scores, which include data on fitness, nutrition, chronic disease, smoking, mental health, access to parks and public transportation.

Based on the report, Arlington, Virginia is America's fittest city, taking the top spot with a score of 77.7. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, took last position with 26.3.

Rank	City	State	Score
1	Arlington	VA	77.7
2	Minneapolis	MN	77.2
3	Washington	D.C.	74
4	Madison	WI	72.4
5	Portland	OR	71.6
6	Seattle	WA	71.5
7	Denver	CO	70.2
8	St. Paul	MN	70.2
9	San Jose	CA	69.8
10	Boise	ID	69.2
11	Oakland	CA	68.5
12	Plano	TX	67.9
13	Irvine	CA	67.8
14	San Francisco	CA	67.3
15	Boston,	MA	67.1
16	San Diego	CA	66.4
17	Lincoln	NE	65.7
18	Raleigh	NC	62.9
19	Fremont	CA	62.3
20	Atlanta	GA	61.5
21	Anchorage	AK	60.6
22	Aurora,	CO	60.5
23	St. Petersburg	FL	60.4
24	Colorado Springs	CO	58.1
25	Miami	FL	57.4
26	Durham	NC	57.2
27	Sacramento	CA	57.1
28	Albuquerque	NM	57
29	Cincinnati	OH	57
30	Virginia Beach	VA	56.9
31	Dallas	TX	56.7
32	Chicago	IL	56.7
33	Omaha	NE	55.8
34	Milwaukee	WI	55.8
35	Chula Vista	CA	55.3
36	Pittsburgh	PA	55.1
37	Tampa	FL	55
38	Orlando	FL	54.8
39	Long Beach	CA	54.8
40	Santa Ana	CA	53.7
41	Anaheim	CA	52.8
42	Austin	TX	52.5
43	Buffalo	NY	52.5
44	Norfolk	VA	51.9
45	New Orleans	LA	51.8
46	Honolulu	HI	51.5
47	Tucson	AZ	51.5
48	Reno	NV	50
49	Cleveland	OH	49.2
50	Los Angeles	CA	48.9
51	Garland	TX	48.9
52	New York	NY	48.6
53	Hialeah	FL	48.2
54	Irving	TX	48.1
55	Richmond	VA	47.7
56	Fort Worth	TX	47.6
57	St. Louis	MO	47.4
58	Glendale	AZ	47.3
59	Charlotte	NC	47.2
60	Houston	TX	46.9
61	Scottsdale	AZ	46.9
62	Riverside	CA	45.8
63	Las Vegas	NV	45.1
64	Jacksonville	FL	45
65	Nashville	TN	44.2
66	Bakersfield	CA	44
67	Baton Rouge	LA	43.4
68	San Antonio	TX	43.4
69	Jersey City	NJ	43.2
70	Lexington	KY	42.9
71	Greensboro	NC	42.8
72	Phoenix	AZ	42.5
73	Henderson	NV	42.4
74	Kansas City	MO	41.5
75	Chesapeake	VA	41.5
76	Chandler	AZ	40.9
77	Corpus Christi	TX	40.6
78	Baltimore	MD	40.5
79 (tie)	Columbus	OH	40.3
79 (tie)	El Paso	TX	40.3
81	Mesa	AZ	40.2
82	Philadelphia	PA	39.8
83	Arlington	TX	39.7
84	Fort Wayne	IN	39.2
85	Stockton	CA	38.8
86	Newark	NJ	38.6
87	Lubbock	TX	36.6
88	Memphis	TN	35.5
89	Laredo	TX	34.9
90	Winston-Salem	NC	34.5
91	Tulsa	OK	34.4
92	North Las Vegas	NV	34
93	Gilbert	AZ	33.5
94	Fresno	CA	33
95	Wichita	KS	32.5
96	Toledo	OH	30.3
97	Detroit	MI	30
98	Louisville	KY	27
99	Indianapolis	IN	26.9
100	Oklahoma City	OK	26.3

It should be noted that in the finer details of the report it shows that Madison, Wisconsin residents are the most active, with more than 90% saying they exercise regularly. However, Boise, Idaho has the biggest percentage of residents who meet aerobic fitness standards, and Plano, Texas, has the most residents who meet both aerobic and strength guidelines. Yet, it is Arlington, Virginia that the 2018 American Fitness Index report states is the fittest city in the USA.

From Him, Through Him, For Him (Romans 11:36),

Paul J. Staso

_______________________________________

Visit my YouTube channel -- https://www.youtube.com/user/pacetrek

Click on any of the links below to see some of my adventure photos:

• United States in 2006 (3,260 miles solo in 108 days at age 41)
• Montana in 2008 (620 miles solo in 20 days at age 43)
• Alaska in 2009 (500 miles solo in 18 days at age 44)
• Germany in 2010 (500 miles solo in 21 days at age 45)
• The Mojave Desert in 2011 (506 miles solo in 17 days at age 46)
• Various Photos From Mileposts Gone By
• Students Worldwide Who Ran With Me Virtually
• Roadside Sights From My Running Adventures
• Some Cycling Moments From The Past