Happy Trails
Courtney Carter
/ Categories: WELLNESS, 2024

Happy Trails

Fall hiking safety tips

Autumn is the perfect time to heed the call of the mountains and take to the trails to soak up the amazing color display.

But as with all types of recreation, hiking carries certain risks. To ensure you and your hiking companions have a memorable (in a good way) experience, it pays to plan and pack for the variable conditions autumn may throw your way.

Here are a few tips to get you started:

Prepare for Changing Weather

Autumn weather can be unpredictable, with temperatures fluctuating dramatically throughout the day. Dress in layers to adapt to changing conditions. Start with a moisture-wicking base layer, add an insulating mid-layer like a fleece jacket, and top it off with a waterproof outer shell. Don't forget to pack gloves and a warm hat, as temperatures can drop quickly, especially at higher elevations.

If there’s chance you might run into ice or snow at higher elevations, pack microspikes or other traction devices to prevent slips and falls.

Winter is Coming

First frost dates calendar

To get a sense of when trails may start getting icy and slippery, visit Almanac.com and enter your zip code for a predicted first frost date.

Stretch Before (and After) You Go

Stretching before your hike will warm your muscles giving your greater range of motion and flexibility and can help prevent injury. Stretching after a hike can lessen any post-adventure soreness. 

Some simple stretches to do both before and after hiking include: 

1. Low lunge 

Using a tree, fence or wall for support, take a large lunge step forward and hold. Next, lower your back knee to the ground, making sure to square your hips forward. Shift forward toward your front foot to stretch into your hip flexors (the muscle at the front of your hip). Engage your core (your stomach and trunk muscles) to support your low back. Hold for a count of five. Repeat on the other side.

2. Low lunge with a twist 

From the low lunge position with your right foot forward, lower your left hand down inside your right leg, the lower the better. Extend your right hand up to the sky for a twist. Looking up toward your hand, squeeze your shoulder blades toward your spine. Look up past your right hand. Hold for a count of five. Repeat on the other side.

3. One-legged chair 

Using a tree, fence, or wall for support, cross your right ankle over your left knee, and bend your standing leg. For a deeper stretch, flex the toes on your right foot and, keeping your spine straight, lower your chest toward the flexed foot. Hold for a count of five. Repeat on the other side.

4. Seated forward-facing reach

Sitting on the ground, extend one leg out straight and bend the other bringing the foot of that leg toward the knee of the outstretched leg. Reach towards the toes on the extended leg while keeping your back straight. It’s ok not to be able to touch your toes, but you should feel a stretch on the back of your leg. Switch positions of your legs and repeat the stretch over the other leg. 

5. Shoulder stretch 

Standing, position your feet hip-width distance apart or wider. Interlace your hands behind your lower back. Next, bend forward, extending your chest over your legs and relax your neck. Lift your arms up away from your lower back to release in your shoulders. Hold for a count of five and repeat two to three times. 

Watch Your Step

Fallen leaves can obscure trail markers and hide potential hazards like rocks, roots, and uneven terrain. Tread carefully and pay close attention to the path ahead. Consider using trekking poles for added stability, especially on slippery surfaces.

Plan for Shorter Days

With daylight hours diminishing in fall, it's crucial to start your hikes earlier and plan to finish before sunset. Always carry a headlamp or flashlight in case your hike takes longer than expected.

Stay Hydrated and Nourished

Even though you may not feel as thirsty in cooler weather, it's important to stay hydrated. Pack plenty of water and high-energy snacks to maintain your energy levels throughout the hike.

Watch for Wildlife

Fall is an active time for many animals preparing for winter. Be aware of your surroundings and keep a safe distance from wildlife. In some areas, it's also hunting season, so wear bright colors (like blaze orange) to ensure visibility.

Check Trail Conditions

Before setting out, research current trail conditions and weather forecasts. Recent rainfall can make trails muddy and streams more difficult to cross. Be prepared to turn back if conditions are unsafe. Many trails and regions have active Facebook groups that feature current trail conditions. Alternatively, you can visit the following sites:

New England Trail Conditions

Pure Adirondacks

Catskill Trail Conditions

Pack the Essentials

Always carry the ten essentials:

  • trail map

  • compass (GPS is not always an option)

  • extra food and water

  • first aid kit

  • headlamp

  • sun protection

  • insect repellant

  • knife

  • fire starter

  • emergency shelter

  • dry clothes

These items can be literal lifesavers if you encounter unexpected situations or become injured and are unable to complete your hike.

Inform Others of Your Plans

Before heading out, let someone know your hiking plans, including your route and expected return time. This information can be crucial if search and rescue efforts become necessary.

By following these safety tips, you can enjoy the beauty of fall hiking while minimizing risks. Remember, the key to a safe and enjoyable autumn hike is proper preparation and awareness of your surroundings. Happy trails!

Find Your Own Path

No matter what kind of hike you’re looking for—from flat walking paths to challenging climbs—you can find it using the links below.

Southern Vermont

North Adams and Williamstown, MA

Eastern Rensselaer County, NY

 

Daniel Couture, PTA, is a member of the Outpatient Rehabilitation team at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center.

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How to Maintain a Healthy Immune System

There are so many things that we have little control over. We can't control what genes we get, how old we are, or what viruses are circulating in our environment, but there is a lot we can do to prevent illness. Remarkably, many of the same habits that protect you from diseases like diabetes, cancer, and heart disease also help your immune system fight infections.

Most viruses can't hurt you until they get inside your body. So, we can help our immune system if we avoid viruses and cut off the ways they travel. Viruses can spread through the air, but not usually for very far. Keep your distance—at least 6 feet—from others, and be a good neighbor by wearing a mask in all public areas.

Viruses that cause the most common illnesses—respiratory infections, including the common cold, flu, and the new COVID-19—travel into the body through your mouth, nose, and eyes and make their way to the areas they infect, like the lungs. The best way to break this chain is to clean your hands frequently, and don't touch your face with hands that have touched anything else. In addition, you can reduce the number of viruses in your environment by cleaning frequently touched objects with a bleach- or alcohol-based cleaner.

Vaccinations are your next line of defense. Immunizations, like the flu shot, introduce a small and harmless part of a virus or bacteria. The vaccine gives your immune system an opportunity to make antibodies against the virus. A vaccinated immune system responds more quickly and effectively when illnesses are introduced. What's more, when we all get vaccinated, we decrease the likelihood that anyone will get sick. If you are unsure about whether you or your children are up to date on their vaccinations, call your primary care provider’s office.

Your third line of defense is living a healthy lifestyle. It is clear that the same things that help the rest of our bodies function also improve the strength of our immune response. Likewise, things that hinder our bodies' ability to function compromise the immune system.

Regular exercise might be the most powerful way to maintain a healthy immune system. By increasing heart rate and blood flow, we allow the cells and substances of the immune system to move through the body freely and do their job efficiently. Similarly, things that slow the movement of cells and substances, like smoking or drinking alcohol in excess, may decrease the body’s ability to function and decreases the immune response, as well.

Getting adequate sleep may also positively affect the immune response. Chronic sleep deprivation has been shown to decrease the beneficial boost in immunity from vaccinations.

Our emotional state, too—whether we are stressed, lonely, or depressed, for instance—affects our immune response so much that a relatively new specialty called psychoneuroimmunology now studies the connection. One pioneering study, conducted in the early 1980s, found that college students operating within a stressful 3-day exam period had fewer of the cells that fight tumors and viral infections. In simple terms, the students almost stopped producing immunity boosters and infection fighters.

Finally, physicians have concluded that eating a mostly plant-based diet—including fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, whole grains, and lean protein—supports overall health and may also support immunity. Nutritious foods include important vitamins that the immune system needs to function, such as beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc. Note, however, that supplements that claim to improve immune function have not yet been shown to do so to the extent necessary to protect against infection and disease. It is better to eat whole foods that are rich in vitamins rather than take supplements.

Always consult with your provider before making changes to your exercise plan or trying a new supplement and if you have any medical concerns. Physicians and the other professionals working in their offices also provide help for developing a plan for a healthier life. Call your primary care office or 802-447-5007 to find a primary care provider.

Healthy habits, like those that protect your body from disease and infection, are not always easy to adopt or maintain. Perhaps knowing just how important they are to maintaining a healthy immune response will provide the extra motivation necessary to make them a priority.

Kim Fodor, MD, is an internal medicine physician at SVMC Internal Medicine.

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