Q: I'm breast feeding my new baby and want to start running again. Will wearing a tight sports bra hurt my milk supply?
A: Running might harm your milk supply, but not necessarily because of a tight sports bra, says Nancy Anderson, a registered dietitian at the Emory Heart Center. A more likely cause would be dehydration. "It is very important to drink extra fluids to replace those lost during exercise and breast-feeding," Anderson says. As a runner with two kids, she speaks from experience. Anderson suggests exercising after you have just nursed your baby, rather than before. That's because some experts believe that intense exercise causes a build up of lactic acid in the breast milk, causing some babies to reject it because of its bad taste.
Q: Does heavy exercise increase my chances of getting varicose veins?
A: People who exercise heavily lose body fat, which means that the veins become closer to the skin and more visible, says Dr. John Xerogeans, chief of sports medicine at Emory University. Many people mistake these surface blood vessels for varicose veins. Look at marathon runners or body builders. "They have blood vessels sticking out all over," Xerogeans says.
Q: What are the benefits of yoga over a traditional low-impact aerobics class?
A: Both aerobics and yoga will make you look better in a bathing suit, says Graham Fowler, founder/director of the Peachtree Yoga Center. But yoga is quieter --- no blaring TV or rock music while you exercise. Not all yoga is slow and meditative, Fowler notes; yoga can be customized to meet the needs of any body type and personality. There is a difference in emphasis between yoga and traditional exercise. Yoga strives to integrate mind and body, achieving not only greater health, strength and flexibility but "a feeling of being at home in your body," Fowler says. "Rather than doing something to the body, we connect deeply with the body. Yoga is about transformation of life --- where the point of peace and stillness which you attain by the end of class becomes the center from which you live."
Q: I have asthma but still enjoying taking long fitness walks. What times of day are the pollen levels at their lowest?
A: Recent research by the Atlanta Allergy & Asthma Clinic shows that pollen is lowest in the early morning, peaks around noon, then begins decreasing. Those observations hold true year-round. That's why people sensitive to pollen should plan their outdoor exercise in the evening or early morning. Summer is another good reason to exercise during the coolest part of the day. People with asthma and respiratory problems are especially at risk from high heat and humidity. A good rule is to stay inside or in the shade during the hottest hours, noon-4 p.m., and drink plenty of water to prevent dehydration. Heat stroke can be deadly.
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Send questions for our fitness experts to Derrick Henry, P.O. Box 4689, Atlanta, GA 30302; fax them to 404-526-5977; or send e-mail to dhenry@ajc.com.
