Healthy Lifestyle

ON THE RUN: There is no better way to gauge the effectiveness of a new treadmill other than by trying it out.

THE treadmill is one of the more popular pieces of exercise equipment.

They are easy to use, work well if you are trying to lose weight by burning calories and they also help strengthen the heart muscles.

The range of treadmills on the market is extensive, so it can be difficult to pick the right one. There is no better way to gauge the effectiveness of the equipment than by trying it out for yourself.

Wear exercise attire when you go shopping for a treadmill and don’t be afraid to spend 15 to 30 minutes trying it out.

Before kick-starting a home exercise regimen, measure how much space you have at home first. Bear in mind that treadmills are bulky!

The machine’s motor is a very important component as it affects the quality of the treadmill. And bigger does not naturally mean better.

Remember to look out for one with a motor of at least 2.0 continuous HP (horse power). Take note, too, of the stability of the treadmill. The level of stability is different for each individual. The sales person may ask for your height and weight in order to determine the stability you will need.

Stability does not necessarily mean a firm surface to run on. The running belt should provide some degree of shock absorption. It is advisable to run on a treadmill that can absorb shock as it will be less taxing on your joints.

However, the running surface should not feel too spongy like a mattress surface as your machine may not last as long and might cause knee injury.

Choose a treadmill with comprehensive electronic controls. Machines now have a gamut of interesting features which can give you all kinds of statistics — from the calories burnt to your heart rate. These
electronic features can motivate and allow users to gauge of their progress.

Most importantly, ask yourself what functions are important to you.

Finally, choose a treadmill from a reputable dealer who specialises in fitness equipment.

While buying a durable treadmill may cost a lot of money, think of it as a longterm investment for you and your family.

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection of the urinary tract. An infection anywhere from the kidneys to the ureters to the bladder to the urethra qualifies as a urinary tract infection.

Symptoms & Signs

• urethritis: discomfort or pain at the urethral meatus or a burning sensation throughout the urethra with micturition (dysuria).
• cystitis: pain in the midline suprapubic region and/or frequent urination
• hematuria (bloody urine)
• cloudy and foul-smelling urine

Diagnosis

Testing
A patient with dysuria (painful voiding) and urinary frequency generally has a spot mid-stream urine sample sent for urinalysis, specifically the presence of nitrites, leukocytes or leukocyte esterase. If there is a high bacterial load without the presence of leukocytes, it is most likely due to contamination. Pyelonephritis is ruled out by checking for costovertebral angle tenderness (CVAT). The diagnosis of UTI is confirmed by a urine culture.

If the urine culture is negative:

• symptoms of urethritis may point at Chlamydia trachomatis or Neisseria gonorrhea infection.
• symptoms of cystitis, may point at interstitial cystitis.
• in men, prostatitis may present with dysuria.

Causative agents
Common organisms that cause UTIs include: Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus saprophyticus. Less common organisms include Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Enterococcus spp.

Epidemiology

UTI’s are most common in sexually active women, and increased in diabetics and people with sickle-cell disease or anatomical malformations of the urinary tract.

Women are more prone to UTIs than males because in females, the urethra is much shorter and closer to the anus than in males. The article on vulvovaginal health has some health tips for preventing UTIs. Men are also at a 10-times decreased risk if they are circumcised.

Treatment

Most uncomplicated UTIs can be treated with oral antibiotics such as ampicillin, co-trimoxazole (or stand-alone trimethoprim), macrodantin, or cephalexin. More aggressive treatments include ciprofloxacin.

If patient has symptoms consistent with pyelonephritis, intravenousantibiotics are indicated.

Patients with recurrent UTIs may need further investigation. This may include ultrasound scans of the kidneys and bladder or intravenous urography (X-rays of the urological system following intravenous injection of iodinated contrast material).