Healthy Living: Finding the Waters That Sooth.

As I write this I am on a trip from Connecticut out to Ohio and then down through the mountains of Kentucky all the way to Sarasota Florida.  It's fall, so the days and nights have turned cool and you can tell that it's not too long before "the white stuff" will be falling.

The one thing I look forward to after a long day of driving is the opportunity to relax and soak my achy muscles in a hot tub.  Many hotels and motels along our highways have them and there's nothing like a good soak at the end of a long day in a clean spa to help us in our life's journey to healthy living. (Whoa there, did I say "clean"?)  That's the thing; if the spa's not clean, any benefit we might get could be outweighed by the nasty things that can attack us on the inside as well as the outside.  

So how are we supposed to know that a hot tub's clean and ready for our presence?  There are a few key indicators that can help us know that conditions are not right and the water may not be fine:  

Stay out of the water if: 

• the water is any color but clear.
• you have trouble breathing when you enter the hot tub room.
• people in the spa are laughing in an effusive manner with wild eyes.
• you see a fin slowing circling in the center of the spa.
• people hugging the edge of the tub are dragged into the churning waters when the bubbler is turned on.

Of course, there are a few more mundane ways you can check on the health of the spa.  Perhaps talk to hotel or motel management and ask if daily checks on water quality are available to see or are posted.  As well, are there routine inspections by health officials and is that information available for you to see?  In most cases you will not go to these extremes unless you suspect that routine health checks are not being taken, however, doing so can give you some peace of mind, especially if you have kids with you that are begging you to go into the spa.   

Healthy living can be a challenge at times and no place more than along the highways of our great country. Take steps to make sure that your trip is safe, clean, and conducive to your health.  Have a great soak at the end of the day and know that you are doing so in a healthy and safe way. If you have any travel experiences you'd like to share, I would love to hear them.  

Next post I'll talk about tips for healthy eating when your on the highways traveling from here to there.  Buckle up and come along for the ride!