Pulse Oximeter Used As a Health Monitoring Device While Walking

Walking is widely considered one of the best and most effective exercises that a person can engage in. Walking allows individuals to raise their heart rate in order to achieve a good exercise level while at the same time not engaging in any type of physical activity that may characterized as intense or that may cause some sort of injury. The elderly in particular not only enjoy walking on a daily basis but it is also recommended that they walk on a daily basis. It is typically recommended for the elderly to walk on a daily basis because like mentioned before it is a physical activity that not only is good for you but is not intensive whereby it would cause any type of serious injury. While the individual is walking it is important to monitor your health in order to determine whether you are functioning at optimal levels. The monitoring that I am referring to is in regards to pulse rate and blood oxygen saturation (SpO2). The pulse rate is due to the fact that blood flows in and out of the tissues in the human body and different rates. This rate is what contributes to the level of pulse rate. When the blood-flow is more intense and moves in and out of the tissues faster the pulse rate thus will be faster.

On the other hand, blood oxygen saturation is the percentage of oxygen in the hemoglobin. In other words, its the oxygen level of an individual in their blood. Both of these vital signs are very important to monitor why walking due to the fact that during walking exercises both the pulse rate and the SpO2 levels are affected and thus a portable device is necessary in order to utilize to measure these vital signs. One such device is a pulse oximeter.

A pulse oximeter is a medical and health device that measures pulse rate and SpO2 levels with accuracy and speed. The process is very simple. You simply place your finger inside the portable pulse oximeter device and within seconds the oximeter will give you a reading of your pulse rata and SpO2 levels. The device is a fraction of the size of the smallest cell phone on the market and easily can fit in the person's pocket without being too bulky or heavy. The benefit of utilizing a pulse oximter is the fact that you can take it with you wherever you desire to go and anytime it is necessary you simply take the oximeter out of your pocket and place your finger inside of it to get accurate readings.

Previous generations of oximeters where no where close to be as portable and small as the current generation. Previously the devices were limited to hospitals and clinics and as such they were very expensive and definitely not mobile. With the advent of new technology and chips that allow for smaller devices to be built the oximeters of today are small and lightweight and can be taken anywhere that the person exercising desire to got.

Sudden Teen Death - Prevent Tragedies at School Sporting Events by Monitoring Teens' Magnesium Level

Every year, tragedy strikes young athletes on the playing field or indoor court: A 20-year-old star basketball or football player collapses during a game and dies. Or a high school track runner dies after finishing second in a race. Sadly, 1 out of 50,000 young adults falls victim to sudden death. Although these deaths seem to come out of nowhere, such deaths are actually preventable by monitoring teen athletes' levels of magnesium.

The Culprit in Sudden Teen Deaths

Most of these cases have been linked to a thickened, enlarged heart called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or arrhythmia, a disturbed heart rhythm. In turn, these conditions are often caused by a deficiency in magnesium. In the research of cardiologist Carla Sueta at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, magnesium given to patients reduced the incidence of several types of ventricular arrhythmia by 53 to 76 percent.

Doctors and coaches understand that potassium is vital for a normal heartbeat, but equally important, a good deal of magnesium is lost when someone sweats.

Even apart from exercise, magnesium deficiencies are rampant. Dr. Mildred Seelig, a leading authority on the topic, suggests that 80-90 percent of the population has a deficiency in this essential nutrient. Most doctors never even check patients' magnesium levels, she says.

Common Symptoms of Deficiency

The most common symptoms of magnesium deficiency include back and neck pain, muscle spasms, anxiety, panic disorders, Raynaud's disease (a condition characterized by chronically cold hands), heart arrhythmia, fatigue, eye twitches, vertigo and migraines.

Testing for Deficiency

The two most accurate tests for determining someone's level of magnesium are the RBC Minerals test, also known as Elemental Analysis in Packed Erythrocytes, and the Urine Magnesium Loading Test.

Best Nutritional Sources of Magnesium

The best way of insuring enough magnesium is to eat a variety of whole foods, including whole grains, nuts, seeds and vegetables, preferably food grown on naturally composted soil. The green color of green vegetables is due to chlorophyll, which is a molecule that contains magnesium. Avoid refined processed foods, especially white sugar and white flour products, as most magnesium is removed from them. It's also possible to increase your level of magnesium by taking it in supplement form.

Coaches and Parents, Please Help

It's high time to spread the word about the importance of magnesium. Begin by telling other parents and coaches about the dangers of its depletion. Health information and monitoring can save lives.

Dr. Ron Grisanti, D.C., is the founder and director of Functional Medicine University, a training program for medical professionals. For the general public, he has created the health information site YourMedicalDetective.com, which offers free, easy-to-understand articles on a broad range of health problems. For a free membership in YourMedicalDetective.com, go to http://www.yourmedicaldetective.com/