Rainbow Village

Your private spa is a great stress reliever, on the other hand, you may feel more stressed when your spa needs to be cleaned before you can soak your worries away. It may be a dark ring near or at the water line or the water is not as clear as it should be, anything that would make you say to yourself, Y-U-C-K-Y.

            Maintaining a tip top spa is easier than you might think, especially if you use spa chemicals:

1. Regularly change the water. The regularity of using the spa is the main determinant for changing the water. It is recommended that the water be changed every 3 months.
2. Remove the scum. The deposits or debris that has stuck onto the sides and bottom of the spa can be removed with good old scrubbing. The best results can be obtained with combined scrubbing and specially formulated spa or hot tub chemicals.
3. Use spa sanitizers. These disinfectants include bromine and chlorine tablets or granules. These are close to those used as swimming pool chemicals and they also have the same result, which is disinfecting the water.
4. Flocculants. Repeated use of the spa eventually results in cloudy water – the addition of flocculants returns water clarity and sparkle. The small particles of silica, carbonates, and dead algae are gathered by organic polymers that clump together and either float to the surface or sink to the bottom for easy removal.
5. Cartridge cleaners. Remove grease, oils, dirt, organic matter, and precipitated salts from filter cartridges to return filters to maximum efficiency.
6. Test the water. There are water test strips that you can use to test for the quality of water in your spa. It indicates the levels of pH, alkalinity, and chlorine or bromine. This is important to minimise the amount of chemicals you need to use to keep your spa in top condition.
7. Spa no-foam, this is more of a preference than a necessity. As the water runs, foam might be produced, so much more than what you would like. Simply squirt a small amount of the no-foam chemical and you will have a spa with just enough foam.

Your spa will always be ready and clean only if you do your fair share of checking the water quality. This guarantees you that you can get into that spa any time of the day.

Swimming pool employees and swimmers have reported cases where they experience asthma attacks whenever they go near or swim in a pool. Some swimmers have even complained of suffering from skin rashes or irritation. The number of these incidences or cases was quite noticeable that it warranted studies or research to be conducted (nhs.uk/news/2009/09September and swimming.about.com)

Chlorine was identified as the cause of the problem and that the severity of the asthma attack is dependent on how much chlorine is applied. Hold on! Don’t work yourself into a turmoil instead you should read this article then be the one to decide if there really is a reason to worry.

Chlorine-based pool chemicals are the most commonly used to clean, sanitize, and disinfect public and private swimming pools. The public, in general, are not aware that chlorine-based swimming pool chemicals can have an undesired effect on the body. Unfortunately, you don’t even have to be really swimming in the pool to experience the side effects. Being anywhere near a chlorine-treated swimming pool can also have the same effect, particularly if there is poor ventilation (for indoor pools).

Chlorine and organic wastes that have been introduced by the swimmers in the pool water are the main causal factors. Toxic chlorine by-products are produced by the combination of chlorine and organic wastes. These include aldehydes, chloroform, chloramines, and nitrogen trichloride.

One can use bromine tablets as another type of swimming pool chemical in addition to constantly and closely monitoring the pool’s chlorine concentration.

Now you know that if you or anyone you know begin to experience shortness of breath during swimming, getting out of the pool is the best option. Try to find a spot where you can breathe in fresh air then go for a refreshing shower to cleanse your body of any chlorine by-product.

In case you or someone you know is pregnant, it may make you feel more at ease knowing that swimming is a great exercise even for pregnant women. Over the years, pregnant women have become more conscious of their health and are always on the look-out for ways to keep fit without harming the baby in their womb.

Pregnant women always find themselves at the receiving end of advices – both solicited and unsolicited. Avoiding any strenuous exercise is included since it can cause harm to the baby in the womb. Low impact exercises, like swimming, are the best alternatives for pregnant women if they do want to keep healthy and fit.

Swimming is so low impact that old people and injured athletes use it as a kind of therapeutic exercise. So why should pregnant women not indulge in this terrific form of exercise as well?

Pregnant women have actually reported that they experienced less discomfort in the last trimester of their pregnancy when they regularly swam. Pregnancy does not need to be an obstruction to your love for swimming. You might need to take it a bit easy with regards to the sprints that you are used to but otherwise you are fine just as it is.

Precautionary measures should be taken by pregnant women to avoid any unnecessary complications. Pregnant women should keep themselves well-hydrated everytime they go for a swim. Make sure that you drink one glass of water before swimming, one glass of water every 20 minutes for the whole duration of your swim, and one glass of water after you get out of the pool.

The second precautionary step is making sure that she does not accidentally ingest any pool water because of the presence of swimming pool chemicals. Picking an outdoor pool, even though it is treated with pool chemicals, is also highly recommended to make sure that there is proper ventilation compared to an indoor pool.

In case you are taking a swim and suddenly find yourself feeling unwell, it would best if you get out of the pool, rinse off any swimming pool chemical residues, and have a rest in a well-ventilated area.

Scientists and health enthusiasts have always maintained that swimming is beneficial for the human body. Swimming can help tone the muscles of the body without causing injuries that are sometimes acquired through incorrect body posture while doing land-based exercises.

Your lungs can be strengthened by taking a swim since deep breathing is required to be able to swim beneath the water and not come up for air as much as possible.

Physical therapists always recommend athletes that are recovering from an injury to strengthen their body by swimming or doing water-based exercises that have been proven to be low-impact.

Remember that your body may have a reaction to the swimming pool chemicals that are used to maintain the cleanliness of the pool and make it safe for swimming.

There have been instances that the frequently used chemical chlorine can cause redness of the skin, difficulty in breathing, and itchiness. This sort of reaction by your body may indicate that you are allergic to chlorine. Bromine tablets can be used instead of chlorine, this may help; recurring exposure to something you are allergic to, can cause rashes or skin irritation.

Studies have been conducted on chlorine-treated pools and the results show that chlorine by-products are produced when chlorine reacts to organic wastes that are introduced by humans into the pool water. These chlorine by-products are the ones that are deemed harmful to humans, which is why a swimmer might suddenly find oneself experiencing an asthma attack. Bromine, another pool chemical, can also have a negative effect when it is applied at a higher than the recommended dose. It can cause skin irritation, headaches, gastrointestinal problems, and even fatigue.

If you own the pool and have an allergic response then, try to find an alternative to chlorine- or bromine-based pool chemicals to clean and sanitize your pool. Examples are ozone or ultraviolet technology, which does not necessitate the addition of swimming pool chemicals. If you frequent public swimming pools, be sure to appropriately wash and rinse off the swimming pool chemicals from your skin.

Swimming still remains as a healthy type of recreation and there is no need to panic as long as you do take the necessary steps to keeping yourself healthy.