Category: Body

In the Renaissance, there was an emphasis on the rebirth of learning, and arguably, the face of the movement is Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519). Da Vinci was a master artist who had mastered multiple artistic media, including was not limited to painting and sculptures, but the major takeaway of his artistic masterpieces wasn’t his adaptability but his accuracy and precision in every element of the artwork. He never had formal art training but that did not hinder his fascination in any field of study. Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man (fig 1.), 1487 is the perfect link between his passion for science and art. In order to understand the complexities and nuances of The Vitruvian Man (fig 1.), 1487, there needs to be an understanding of the content and inspiration of the piece, the significance of the artwork, and the various techniques and skills that were used to create the iconic sketch.

The Renaissance translates to “rebirth” in Italian. This rebirth was the awakening of the arts and other scholarly pursuits after the Dark Ages. This meant that with the new Renaissance movement there also came to be a new expectation for men to become a “Renaissance Man” . Da Vinci was the face of this movement. His life was dedicated to various pursuits of virtually every field of academia. Although he is predominantly known for his art, he was also an exceptional mathematician. The Vitruvian Man (fig 1.), 1487, is proof of this. The sketch has become an iconic cultural symbol. The sketch has symbolism within it. The man, potentially Jesus, is inscribed within a circle to show the connection to the divine, but the man is also inscribed within a square to show the connection to the Earth. The truly remarkable part of the sketch is the mathematical aspect of it. The entire sketch is covered from top to bottom in mathematical calculations that portray the accuracy of Da Vinci’s sketch. The Vitruvian Man (fig 1.), 1487 was the most precise human drawing of its time and that was Da Vinci’s intention. The famous sketch was made to connect the arts, proportions, and math together in a seamless, fluid manner.

The next important aspect that needs to be addressed about The Vitruvian Man (fig 1.), 1487 is the significance of the art piece. The famous sketch connects the arts, proportions, and math together in a seamless fluid manner. Because of the sketch’s versatile use in many different areas of expertise, it impacted multiple fields of study. For instance, it recently influenced modern architecture through Le Corbusier’s use of Vitruvian Man (fig 1.), 1487 and its accuracy. He was able to implement the idea of using human proportions and the golden ratio to create the Modulor , a scale, that became a universal scale used in architecture even today. This same sketch also made appearances in his buildings (fig.2), 1943. Da Vinci also contributed to the medical field through the sketch. Throughout Da Vinci’s lifetime, he dissected dozens of corpses to perfect his understanding of anatomy. At the time, he had sketchbooks filled with medical drawings and potential procedures that were extremely accurate, but did not become commonly accepted within the medical field until the 1900’s.

The techniques and skills used to create The Vitruvian Man (fig 1.), 1487 were very simple. The Vitruvian Man (fig 1.), 1487 is a sketch. Da Vinci used ink and a metal point pen which was very common during the Renaissance. Da Vinci did nearly all of his sketches with the same materials. The Vitruvian Man (fig 1.), 1487 is commonly referred to as the “Canon of Proportions”. This is because Da Vinci perfected the realistic style and proportions used today through his use of mathematics. Also, he used limited shading and let the controlled linework be at the forefront of the image. In addition to the aforementioned techniques, he superimposed multiple positionings to further his content by demonstrating different views of the same person and, showing that the proportions do not change regardless of the different stances.

Through comprehension and appreciation of the complexities and nuances of The Vitruvian Man (fig 1.), 1487 its impact and importance is all the more impressive. The piece is the Canon of Proportions because of its precision and accuracy. Da Vinci created this piece to show the beauty of proportions and the connection between all things divine and earthly. In addition to its contribution to the art world, it also has provided a significant impact on the fields of medicine and architecture through Da Vinci’s mathematical findings. Although the piece has ordinary mediums it does not take away from the extraordinary masterpiece that it is known as today. The Vitruvian Man (fig 1.), 1487 has been an iconic and equally relevant artwork for centuries and will be for centuries to follow.

It is evident that media plays a significant role in many aspects of Western culture. From music to videos, to advertisements, so much of what we do, the things we buy, and the thoughts we think are influenced by the media. This paper outlines several ways in which the media can affect one’s thoughts on body image, and eating through the critical analysis of an advertisement and a music video.

Within Western culture, advertising images are so apparent that they are almost difficult to avoid. Magazines, billboards, and internet ads alike are constantly telling society what to buy, and how to dress, and in the focus of this paper, the way in which our bodies “should” look. A 2015 advertisement published by “Protein World,’ a popular supplement company, sparked outrage for featuring a slim, toned, and unrealistic-looking bikini model along with the words “Are you beach body ready?”. The image, advertising the company’s new “Weight-loss Collection” line of supplements, was mass distributed, and almost immediately began to receive backlash for its negative portrayal of the “ideal” female body image. The message sent out through the wording and imaging of the advertisement was implying that unless a woman was excessively slim, toned, and fit, she was not “beach body ready”, and that she must therefore become more skinny in order to fit the unrealistic ideal portrayed by the advertisement. Along with illustrating an unrealistic expectation for a woman/s body image, the company was advertising for its new line of supplements claiming to help the consumer lose weight quickly and effortlessly. Not only is this incorrect, as it is common knowledge that healthy eating and active living are proven ways of maintaining a healthy life and healthy body, but it is also detrimental to the way female body image is portrayed and perceived by society and the media, specifically the “ideal” body shape and size. The company, by way of this advertisement, was spreading a false standard of what women and their bodies should look like, as well as the way in which women, and society, should reach this “standard”, that being by the use of supplements to aid in “quick and easy” weight-loss. It is easy for advertisements, such as the one previously analyzed, to quickly spread these false ideals, leaving women young and old with a distorted perception of what their bodies should look like, and leaving men with unrealistic expectations for women.

This same unrealistic expectation of women’s bodies is seen in many aspects of the media other than just advertising images. The music industry is notorious for its distorted, misogynistic views of what a woman’s body should look like, often over-sexualizing women and their bodies, especially in music videos. The lyrics and music video of the song “Sexy Chick” by David Guetta featuring Akon explicitly portray the over-sexualization of women and unrealistic body image expectations. The video specifically features fully clothed men at a pool party, being danced around and enticed by very slim, fit women wearing quite revealing swimwear. The lyrics of the song spread the message of a “good-looking” young woman, including lyrics such as “The way that booty movin’ I can’t take no more”, and “Damn you’s a sexy bitch”, implying that the body of the woman is some type of trophy/exhibit for men to stare at and take advantage of. By only featuring women in the video who are very slim and fit, and claiming them to be “sexy,’ “a diva,’ and “every girl wanna be her,’ it is promoting a negative body image culture, especially within the targeted age range of the song, that being young women. As humans are a social species who seek belonging and acceptance, it is easy for us to create and fall into societal norms and expectations, especially in regard to the way our bodies look. By viewing this video, released by a popular artist, full of unrealistic expectations of the way women’s bodies should look, young women are receiving the message that in order to be “sexy” and desirable, they too must meet these body image “expectations”, looking slim and fit. This idea can negatively impact the mental well-being of women, especially those who may not typically fall into the category of meeting the unrealistic expectations set out by society and the media in particular, thinking that their bodies are not good enough, not slim enough, or unattractive These intrusive thoughts can quickly develop into negative habits such as over-exercising, under-eating, binge-eating, etc. and thus can further escalate into an eating disorder or other mental illness. It is important for the music industry, and the media as a whole, to acknowledge the necessity of promoting body positivity within the messages of videos and advertisements. Taking advantage of, and profiting off of body shaming, and featuring only those who meet a specific and unrealistic standard in music videos (and throughout the media as a whole) is not only disturbing but can be detrimental to the health and well-being of viewers.

It is clear that the media can greatly affect societal norms within a culture. These norms can appear, change, and dissipate quickly, with the rise of social media over the last several years helping them to spread widely in just short periods of time. Social media has an even larger advertising outreach than traditional advertising methods such as billboards, flyers, and newspaper and magazine advertisements, thus making social media the go-to place for many companies looking to advertise. The use of pop-ups, sponsored ads, and side banner advertisements makes it easy for companies to gain a higher view rate and reach a larger audience, with the idea of thus creating a higher profit for the company. The media and advertising become an issue when controversial advertisements, pictures, news articles, and videos begin to circulate on the internet (or on more traditional advertising sources). As the internet has a large population of very young users, many of whom are in the self-discovery stage of their life, it can quickly become a place where these young viewers receive a lot of influence, especially towards body image and eating habits. For many years, the societal norm and “expectation” for people’s bodies is to be as thin as possible. The internet is crawling with advertisements, websites, and videos promoting supplements, workouts, diets, technology, and more to help people lose weight, become skinny, and “look good”. This spreads a negative culture and sends negative body-image thoughts spiraling into the minds of men and women alike, especially those in their younger years. These thoughts and mindsets can quickly turn into distorted habits, especially those directly relating to body image, such as eating and exercising. In today’s society, while the social norm still remains for men and women to look slim and fit, there is slowly becoming a growing movement of body positivity and acceptance of all body shapes and sizes. However, while larger, more curvy body sizes are becoming more accepted within Western society, it has become more of an appreciation rather than a full integration, with slim and fit still being the ultimate goal, and big and curvy being more of an “accepted style”. Over the past few years the internet has seen and spread many songs and advertising campaigns directed specifically toward the positive acceptance of those who may not fit into societal norms in regard to body image. While singers, songwriters, and companies are aiming to decrease the stigma towards people with larger body sizes and “fat-shaming”, this sometimes causes society to react with occasional backlash, claiming the campaign, advertisement, song, etc., are not promoting full-body positivity, but are doing the reverse of the original intention and “skinny-shaming”. This backlash was seen in 2014 with the release of Meghan Trainor’s song “All About That Bass”. The intention of the message in this song was to promote body positivity and that “big is beautiful”, but by featuring lyrics such as “I’m bringing booty back, go ‘head and tell them skinny bitches that” and “You know I won’t be no stick figure, silicone Barbie doll”, it began to receive backlash claiming the song to be indirectly “skinny-shaming”, and looking down upon people who are very slim, whether naturally having a petite frame, or those struggling with an eating disorder. Therefore, we can see that it is evident that the internet and social media together play a large role in how Western culture shapes its views of body image, easily able to skew the current norms to fit society. When we look around us, influences from the media are all around us, both online and in person.

Much like its digital counterpart, analog advertising (billboards, magazines, flyers, etc.) also greatly influences the way society views standards and norms. Nowadays, people are taught from a young age the expression “don’t believe everything you hear on the internet,’ yet humans are still very quick to believe things they see and read on the street. Where we are taught the idea that “anyone can post anything online” we are still left with the underlying thought of “someone had to approve this” when we see advertisements in public places. The ads however are designed typically by a marketing team within a company with specific intentions as to their target audience, knowing the exact ways in which they will design the advertisement in order to reach that audience. In instances such as the “Protein World” advertisement controversy as previously mentioned in the paper, everything from the colors, font, picture, and layout was carefully selected to create the most impact (and therefore profit) from the target audience, which in this case, were women looking to lose weight, possibly “overweight” women. These advertisements when posted publicly on surfaces from billboards, to bus stops, to subway trains, are seen by members of the public, and can easily create false ideas in the minds of the viewers, with potentially detrimental effects on their mental and physical health and wellbeing. Having the “ideal” body image is a such strong focus of society everything from the foods restaurants make, to the way clothing is sized is designed around the way we want our bodies to look and feel. Women’s clothing uses a different scale for sizing in order for the size numbers to appear lower than that of men’s clothing. Restaurants will charge two times the price for a dish that is deemed “healthy” versus “unhealthy”, simply because they know that people are willing to pay those prices in order to stay skinny and to “not get fat”. We live in a world with a such twisted view of what it means to truly be healthy, thinking that to be healthy is s synonym for being as skinny as possible. This shift in our thinking, caused in part by the media, has led many people to fall into patterns of distorted eating and eating disorders, which still today are faced with many stigmas present in Western culture.

It is not uncommon to hear people say that people who struggle with eating disorders “just need to eat something”, that the way they behave is “just for attention”, and that eating disorders are “not real illnesses.” Eating disorders, body image, and the stigmas surrounding each are heavily affected by the media, as well as the reverse, where the media heavily affects the way society views eating and body image. The relationship between the two is bidirectional and interconnected. The media will always have an impact on the way society views our bodies. While societal norms will always exist, rather than take advantage of its role, the media could better be using its voice and its position to integrate all body shapes and sizes into marketing and advertising and within the music industry to break the stigma society has created surrounding body image, eating, and eating disorders. If the media were to feed into acceptance and positivity, stigma and unrealistic body expectations would starve.

Johnny Depp speaks for many of us when he says, “My body is my journal, and my tattoos are my story.” Telling a story with tattoos is more facile for those whose voices can’t. There are those that are accepting; more disposed to give compliments, even asking questions and listening to the responses given. Others are not so accepting; openly travestying and vilipending your method of expression. Tattoos are met with negative stereotypes; often being accused as an act of rebellion, unprofessional, or a telltale of being a malefactor. It’s important for people to be able to express themselves, and no one should be able to tell you otherwise.

Tattoos have an extensive range of history. The earliest evidence of tattooing belonged to a mummy nicknamed Otzi. He was discovered by husband and wife Helmut and Erika Simon when they were walking down the mountain passes of Hauslabjoch and Tisenjoch in 1991. According to Laura Geggel, “Otzi’s tattoos are no secret…but researchers have disagreed about the number of tattoos on Otzi’s body for years, and ‘we decided it would be important to have a clear number of the tattoos’…” The number of tattoos is important because of the way it is used to classify other groups of people. Geggel continues by mentioning, “All 61 of the tattoos are made of black lines, measuring 0.3 inches to 1.6 inches (0.7 to 4 centimeters) in length and arranged in groups of two, three, or four parallel lines…” This doesn’t seem too different from Morse Code, as it also uses parallel lines to symbolize something.

In different parts of the world, tattoos have a very strong meaning to both men and women. Kent State University graduate Amanda Leu goes on to ancient Egypt’s history of body art. She goes on to mention that “…people in ancient Egypt use tattoos for important aspects of their culture…” The Egyptians seemed to favor tattoos among women as there were a series of dots and dashes across the lower abdomen. The reasoning was when a woman got pregnant, her lower abdomen would expand, and the dots and dashes would stretch to create a net-like structure that would protect the unborn child from the advances of malevolent spirits thought to harbor disease (Mark).

This additionally applies to the Polynesian culture. Like other aspects of cultures with tattoos, they are very proud of what their body art represents. Meghan Kliewer talks about how the process among them signifies a right of passage and preserves their history. She interviews Sulu’ape Si’i Liufau, owner of A-Town Tattoo. He states, ‘You’re expected to survive your infection, finish regardless of whatever. It brought me to tears, but I finished it.’ When he mentions ‘expected to survive’ and ‘finish regardless,” he is referring to how failing to finish receiving your tattoo and backing down is a contradiction to the bravery of Polynesian people. Kliewer also talks with Nathan Mabalr about his Filipino heritage. Because of the tribal tattoos he saw on his father and uncle, he was to get one also. She takes notes on what he says: ‘I wanted something more about my heritage. Honestly, I know pretty much nothing about my Filipino side.’

The practice of body art also grew into more places and more people; sailors were getting tattoos to note their travels: an anchor for crossing the Atlantic and arriving south of the equator meant a turtle (Anderson). As the people and places expand, so do their methods. Besides the tattoo machine (which we most commonly use today), there are also those using the bamboo method, rake, and striking stick, and metal tube. Using sharpened bamboo was common in Thailand. In appearance, they ranged in length from half a foot to a foot in length, and are often shaped like quills. They were also dipped in ink and inserted into the skin with the hand; the hand poked method is also known as Tebori and is still practiced today (Jakobs). The raking and striking stick stands out from the other methods mentioned; it was a two-person job. One person has to hold someone down while the other stretches the skin. Originating in Polynesia, the striking stick would puncture the skin rather than push it at an angle (Muratore). Metal tubing and the tattoo machine are not so different. As a matter of fact, metal tubing is what is thought to inspire the modern tattoo practice (Dave and Deb).

A 2018 study at ​Dalia Research​ records the number of people with tattoos around the world. It is shown that the U.S. is in the top three at 46 percent with Sweden coming in second at 47 percent, and Italy taking the lead at 48 percent. At about 45 percent, there are people ages 30 to 49 with the highest rate of tattoos.

Works Cited

1. Anderson, Addison. ‘The History of Tattoos.’, ​YouTube, uploaded by TED-Ed, 18 Sep 2014, https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MYn15yDBvxM
2. Dave and Deb. ‘Bamboo Tattoos and Other Unique Techniques From Around the World.’ ​The Planet D, 18 Aug 2019, ​https://the planetd.com/bamboo-tattoos-unique-tattooing-techniques/
3. Geggel, Laura. ‘Fresh Ink: Mummified Iceman Has New Tattoo.’ ​Google​, Google, 28 Jan 2015, www.google.com/amp/s/www.livescience.com/amp/49611-otzi-iceman-mummy-tattoos.html​.
4. Holmes, Anisa. ‘Who has the Most Tattoos? It’s Not Who You’d Expect.’ ​Dalia Research, 17 May 2018, https://medium.com/daliaresearch/who-has-the-most-tattoos-its-not-who-you-d-expect-1d5ffff660f8
5. Jakobs, Helen. “The Evolution of Tattooing Technology.” Blogool, 18 June 2017, blogool.com/article/the-evolution-of-tattooing-technology.
6. Kliewer, Meghan. ‘Polynesian Tattoos Symbolize Identity and Tell Cultural Stories.’ ​Daily Titan, 31 Oct 2017, https://dailytitan.com/2017/10/polynesian-tattoos-tell-cultural-stories-body-art/
7. Leu, Amanda. ‘Tattoo Acceptance: Understanding Identity and Personal Expression.’ ​YouTube, uploaded by TEDx Talks, 21 Aug 2018, ​https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Wix20uEChpu https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MYn15yDBvxM
8. https://theplanetd.com/bamboo-tattoos-unique-tattooing-techniques/
9. http://www.google.com/amp/s/www.livescience.com/amp/49611-otzi-iceman-mummy-tattoos.html
10. https://medium.com/daliaresearch/who-has-the-most-tattoos-its-not-who-you-d-expect-1d5ffff660f8
11. https://medium.com/daliaresearch/who-has-the-most-tattoos-its-not-who-you-d-expect-1d5ffff660f8
12. https://blogool.com/article/the-evolution-of-tattooing-technology
13. https://dailytitan.com/2017/10/polynesian-tattoos-tell-cultural-stories-body-art/
14. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Wix20uEChpu
15. Mark, Joshua J. ‘Tattoos on Ancient Egypt.’ ​Ancient Egypt Encyclopedia, 9 Jan 2017,​https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ancient.eu/amp/2-1000/
16. Muratore, Gio. “4 Methods of Tattooing from History.” ​Joyenergizer, 12 Jan. 2017, 10:03 am, https://joyenergizer.com/4-methods-of-tattooing-from-history/
17. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ancient.eu/amp/2-1000/
18. https://joyenergizer.com/4-methods-of-tattooing-from-history/

The human body can be seen as a machine made up of several different parts that enable movement. These movements occur in the many joints formed by the specific components of the body’s musculoskeletal system. The joints in the human body, connect various segments together and often allow for movement between the two pieces. The design of the joint shall represent their demands. Joints are designed to allow various degrees and types of movement and are classified by both structural design and functionality. Some joints, like that of the shoulder, elbow, and knee, are self-lubrication, almost frictionless, and are capable of resisting compression and maintaining heavy loads while still performing smooth and precise movements. Other joints, such as stitching between bones Enable very little movement of the skull (only during birth) to protect the brain and the sense organs The bond between the tooth and the jawbone is often called a joint and is defined as a fibrous joint known as gomphosis. Arthrology is the study of joint structure, function, and dysfunction.

The joint is a bond /articular surface between two bones that link the skeletal system into a functional whole. However, joints have a number of functions, perhaps the most essential is to help in motion. Joints are also able to bear the Weight of the body and provide stability. Joints are designed in variations from simple to complex. Simple human joints tend to have stability as a main function; more complicated joints typically have mobility as a main function. Moreover, most of the joints in the human body have a dual mobility-stability feature and it must bring dynamic stability to life. The stability joints in the design are similar to the table joints in that the ends of the bones can be contoured to fit into the bones or choose to lie flat against each other. Capsules (The outer layer of the capsule is made up of a strong fibrous tissue that holds the joint together and the inner layer is lined with a synovial membrane that secretes the synovial fluid), articulator surface which is very smooth and covered with cartilage called hyaline, Synovial cavity filled with Synovial fluid, ligaments and tendons, these are all components of synovial joints, which are designed primarily for mobile joints. Synovial joints are constructed in such a way that the ends of the bone components are covered by hyalin cartilage and enclosed in a synovial sheath and a fibrous layer that together constitute the joint capsule. The basis of the type is divided into two broad categories, on the basis of the type of materials and the methods of uniting the bony components. Subdivisions of these specific categories are based on materials that form and contours of the articulations used and the form of motion that is permitted. The two categories of joints are synarthroses (non-synovial) and diarthroses (synovial joints).

In fibrous joints, bone is bound to another bone directly by fibrous tissues. There are three different types of fibrous joints in the human body: sutures, gomphosis, and syndesmoses. Sutures are fibrous joints in which short collagen fibers connect the bones of the skull together making them immobile or slightly mobile. Sutures can be listed as Serrate which is an interlocking of wavy lines as that of the coronal, sagittal, and lambdoid sutures. Lap which are overlapping beveled edges as that of the temporal and parietal bones. Plane (butt) which is straight, non-overlapping edges as that of the maxillary and palatine processes. Gomphoses are the attachment of the tooth to its socket, held in place by a fibrous periodontal ligament composed of collagen fibers, connecting the tooth to the jawbone, and allowing the tooth to move slightly under the tension of chewing. Syndesmoses are fibrous joints, where two bones are connected by long collagen fibers, the gap between the bones and the length of the fibers gives these joints more mobility than the sutures and gomphosis. Syndesmoses joints are like that of the interosseus membrane connecting the radius to the ulna allowing supination and pronation which is very mobile and the joint between the tibia to the fibula which is less mobile. The cartilaginous joint has either fibrocartilage or hyaline fibrocartilage. As an example of the cartilaginous joint, Vertebral joints are joints in which disks of fibrocartilage are directly linked to the bones. The first sternocostal joint is an example that is constructed of hyaline cartilage. Cartilaginous joints are sometimes referred to as amphiarthrodial joints, Because they permit a small amount of motion, such as twisting or bending and some compression. These joints provide a great deal of stability. There are two types of cartilaginous joints: Synchondroses which is a plate of hyalin cartilage that connects bones to synchondrosis. Examples of synchondrosis are temporary joints in epiphyseal plates in children who connect epiphysis to diaphysis and sternum to first rib but other costal cartilages are connected to the sternum by synovial joints and Symphyses The articular surfaces of the bones are covered by the hyaline cartilage which is fused to the intermediate pad or plate of the fibrocartilage, which is the main connecting material. It acts as a shock absorber and allows a limited amount of joint movement. Symphyses are amphiarthrotic joints built to be flexible and strong. Examples: the Pubic symphysis linking the right and left pubic bones to the interpubic disk and the vertebral body to the intervertebral disk.

The shoulder complex is composed of the clavicle, the scapula, and the humerus. It is an intricate combination of three joints that link the thorax to the upper extremity. It provides mobility so that we can place our hand over a wide range of space. It includes the sternoclavicular articulation which is the joint between the sternum manubrium and clavicle bone. It is structurally classified as a synovial saddle joint and functionally classified as a diarthrosis and multiaxial joint. The acromioclavicular joint is a joint at the top of the shoulder. It is the junction between the acromion and the clavicle. It is a plane synovial joint. The scapulothoracic joint is not a true anatomical joint, but it binds the sternoclavicular and acromioclavicular joints and the junction between the anterior surface of the scapula and the thoracic cage. The shoulder joint (glenohumeral joint) is the joint of the ball and socket between the scapula and the humerus. It is the joint that connects the upper limb to the trunk. The elbow complex consists of three bones, three ligaments, two joints, and one capsule. The articulation of the humerus with ulna and radius is commonly known as the Joint elbow.

And the raradioulnardial joints. The joint of the elbow is considered to be a loose joint of the hinge. Allowing for flexion and extension movements that occur in the sagittal plane around the coronal axis. A slight bit of axial rotation and side-to-side motion of the ulna occurs during flexion and extension. Proximal and distal radioulnar joints are interlinked and function as a single joint. The two joints acting together produce a rotation of the forearm. Radioulnar joints are diarthrodial uniaxial joints of the pivot type that allow supination and pronation to occur in the transverse plane around the longitudinal axis. The wrist complex as a whole is biaxial, with extension/flexion movements around the coronal axis and ulnar deviation / radial deviation of the anteroposterior axis.

The complex as a whole is variable, it arises from factors such as ligamentous laxity, the shape of the articular surfaces, and restricting the effects of muscles. The ranges shall be contributed in different proportions of radiocarpal and midcarpal joints.

The hand consists of five digits: four fingers and one thumb. Each digit has a carpometacarpal joint and a metacarpophalangeal Joint. The digits of each of them have two interphalangeal joints, a proximal interphalangeal joint and a distal interphalangeal and the thumb just has one. There are 19 bones and 19 joints distal to the carpals that make up the hand complex. The temporomandibular joints are the two joints that link up the jawbone to the skull. This is a bilateral synovial articulation. It is used during chewing, swallowing, talking, yawning… Superiorly, it’s made up of the articular fossa of the temporal bone but the articulation with the condyle of the mandible is inferior. It is a pure hinge joint synovial joint as it makes some gliding, too. The sacroiliac joint is a synovial, nonaxial joint between the sacrum and the Ilium. It is defined as a plane joint, but the articular surfaces are very irregular. The role of the sacroiliac joint is to transmit weight from the upper body through the vertebral column to the bones of the hip. It is designed for great stability and has very little mobility. The role of the sacroiliac joint is to transmit weight from the upper body through the vertebral column To the bones of the hip. like other synovial joints, it is articular surface is covered with hyaline cartilage. Synovial has a fibrous capsule reinforced by ligaments. the membrane forms the non-articular parts of the joint. It is widely agreed, that the motions that do occur when the SI joint is nutation and counternutation. The hip joint (coxofemoral joint), where the acetabulum of the pelvis and the head of the femur. These two parts make up the diarthrodial ball-and-socket joint with three degrees of freedom: flexion/ extension in the sagittal plane, abduction/adduction in the frontal plane, and medial/lateral rotation in the transverse plane. The hip joint is built to bear the weight of the shoulder, arms, and trunk both of them in upright posture The hip joint is used for weight-bearing tasks. The joint of the hip, the tibiofemoral is one of the most complex joints in the body. The knee is completely protected and preserved by muscles and ligaments with no bone support, and it is often exposed to strains and stresses. It’s a synovial hinge joint with three degrees of freedom of rotation. Flexion and extension occur in the sagittal plane around the coronal axis via the epicondyles of the distal femur, medial/lateral (internal/external) rotation occurs in the transverse plane about a longitudinal axis through the lateral side of the medial tibial condyle, and abduction and adduction occur in the frontal plane around an anteroposterior axis. Unlike the elbow, the knee joint is not a true hinge, because it has a rotational component. The ankle joint or talocrural joint is a synovial hinge joint found in the lower limb. It is shaped by the bones of the hip (tibia and fibula) and the abdomen (talus). Functionally, the joint performs dorsiflexion and plantarflexion of the foot. The ankle/foot complex meets these requirements through the movements of its 28 bones that form 25 component joints. These joints include the proximal and distal tibiofibular joints, talocrural (ankle) joint, talocalcaneal (subtalar) joint, talonavicular and calcaneocuboid joints (transverse tarsal joints), five tarsometatarsal joints, metatarsophalangeal joints, and nine interphalangeal joints.

References:

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5. Hall S: Basic Biomechanics (ed. 3). Boston, WCB/McGraw-Hill, 1999.
6. Panjabi MW, White A: Biomechanics of the Musculoskeletal System. Philadelphia, Churchill-Livingstone, 2001.

Though out years of education around the world it has stayed for the most part the same; as schools are higher ranking education over creativity. Almost every school of education is teaching every student the same when not one person is the exact same as the other. As Sir Ken Robinson states in his ted talk wherever you travel every basic education system has the same hierarchy of subjects the top being English and Mathematics and the bottom being preforming arts. Tying what I said in the beginning maybe some children’s strengths are in preforming arts and not in Mathematics or English, but some people don’t find that out till later when they already pursued a career. Today pursuing a career in preforming arts is looked down upon because there is no ForeSure place for them. Adults want their children to have an education that if they pursue it then there is a higher chance there will be a job available for them. Most people listen to their parents and do as their told and end up disliking their job and being miserable with their life. If schools taught creativity just as much as they would teach education there would be a greater outcome in people’s lives.

Since were children we witness how women feel less powerful them men. In a kindergarten classroom it is more likely for boys to raise their hand and participate when most of the girls are shy and keep to themselves not trying to be noticed or have much attention. These behaviors show how people feel about themselves when people are more spread out with their bodies and are talkative those are signs of how dominant they feel around the people they’re with, but to what Amy Cuddy was saying in her ted talk was that sometimes people fake their emotion so people won’t really notice their feelings. Usually when you feel sad and tell someone otherwise you tend to believe what your telling. If people did the same things with their body language like start making yourself look open and dominant in front of people when you feel less dominant than someone else, then your mind starts to believe what your portraying. When people that tend to feel powerless, they’re the people who typically not stress reactive. In powerful leaders they’re proven to have high testosterone being the dominance trait and low cortisol being the stress hormone. In some roles including in wildlife a new leader usually needs to take over because something stressful has happened and that leader has low cortisol where they’re not able to handle the job needed to be done. When someone else takes their place; a person who has equal level of testosterone and cortisol they tend to do a better job of controlling the situation than the original leader. And when the new leader comes up, they’re cortisol hormone begins to lower from how dominant they feel making their testosterone levels raise having the same cycle. So, when you feel powerless try to open and make yourself look dominant so your mind will connect with your body language instead of when you feel powerless typically you would pull your body closer together being unseen and low.

References

1. Sir Ken Robinson (2007) do schools kill creativity? (First ed)
2. Amy Cuddy (2012) your body language may shape who you are (Second ed)

I have seen progressive changes in the way that women are portrayed in contemporary American popular culture. In the fashion industry, Victoria’s Secret Angels are now women of many races. Transgender models are getting hired by major companies like Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Vogue. Plus-size models are finally getting recognition and representing women of different sizes. The film industry is changing as well, casting women in more empowering roles and taking actors of bigger sizes, like Melissa McCarthy and Chrissy Metz, seriously. However, despite the positive changes that have diversified how women are represented in the aspect of body shape, size, and type, the way that women’s personalities and abilities are represented has not changed. The definition of what it means to “be a woman” in contemporary American popular culture is largely based on stereotypes.

“You throw like a girl,” “Only girls like pink,” and “Women are weak”; are common phrases we’ve all probably heard at some point in our lives. People throw these expressions around to insult or intimidate someone when they are acting soft, like a baby, or in other words, “like a girl.” Female stereotypes are nothing new and can even be considered “the norm” in society. Although they have been around for a long time, stereotypes surrounding women are still hurtful, and degrading, and strip one’s individuality. Stereotypes are derogatory and can lower self-esteem and self-confidence, but women and young girls still fulfill these stereotypes so that they can be considered feminine. We live in a culture where women are placed at an inferior rank, and girls are taught to believe this from childhood. Mothers teach their baby girls to act “ladylike” so they can be accepted because acting “like a girl” is what it takes to be considered a woman in society.

The stereotypes surrounding women in American culture are quite extensive; women are emotional, work in the home, are fragile, high maintenance, are not natural leaders, should always look beautiful, and are meant to be looked upon by men. In the film industry, women are playing more strong and empowering roles, but part of their character still conforms to female stereotypes. For example, DC Comics Wonder Woman features a strong, fierce warrior named Diana who saves the world. One would think that she would be admired for her bravery, but many of the men in the movie marvel at her looks and lessen her to just a beautiful woman, versus a strong AND beautiful woman. It is not Diana’s strength, power, or courage that makes her a hero; it’s that she is able to have all of these abilities and look stunning while doing it. Diana would have been taken as “too masculine” if she displayed these normally more masculine traits and wasn’t beautiful, and this idea is supported by philosopher Susan Bordo in “Beauty (Re) Discovers the Male Body.” Bordo explains that “Women are supposed to care very much about fashion, ‘vanity, looking good, and may be seen as unfeminine if they don’t” (Bordo 211). This would have been the case for Diana since her leadership qualities and unwavering bravery would be seen as masculine, but because she is a gorgeous woman, she is still considered to be feminine.

Although gender stereotypes are still prevalent in American culture, I am happy to say that the representation of what it means to “be a woman” is changing for the better. Companies like Dove and Aerie celebrate “real beauty” and feature women in their ads that may not look like the cliche, skinny models. In Disney’s newest princess movie Moana, the heroine possesses great strength, determination, and fearlessness and her goal isn’t to impress a man, unlike most other princess films. The era that we live in is shifting to a cultural acceptance that women have more to them than just stereotypes. Women can be strong, independent, leaders, fierce, and confident, and that’s exactly what feminine hygiene company Always showcases in their #likeagirl ad campaign. Susan Bordo’s ideas and techniques can be seen in this ad, and are used to promote female empowerment and acceptance of oneself.

Women have always been depicted in a particular way in advertising, mostly sexy and submissive, but this ad from Always is the complete opposite. Although this ad depicts young and teen girls and not adult women, it still presents a unique perspective on female stereotypes. In her book, Bordo says that in the 19th century “New words like “pussyfoot” and “stuffed shirt”– and most deadly, “sissy”– came into parlance” (Bordo 213), and were used when a man was acting feminine. Now, even though the first two words aren’t used anymore, “sissy” is still used fairly frequently in American culture, showing that stereotypes of women being feeble have been around for almost two centuries. The words that Bordo mentions are terms that could be used when someone is acting “like a girl” or not masculine enough. However in this ad, the girls show what it means to do something like a girl, but the way they portray the phrase challenges traditional notions entirely. Normally, the phrase “like a girl” is used as an insult, however, this ad uses it as a form of empowerment. These girls are defining what it means to act like a girl. To them, it doesn’t mean to be weak or timid; it means to do something with power, passion, and to their best ability. This ad does not represent the conventional ideas of womanhood; it illustrates the idea that women are not stereotyped, and can be just as powerful as everyone else.

Bordo in “Beauty (Re)Discovers the Male Body” explains various advertising techniques that are used to make men seem dominant and powerful, and these can be seen in the Always ad despite it depicting girls. Bordo says that men who want to depict dominance (called “Rocks”) will have an intense stare and position themselves forward to give the appearance that they are asserting power (Bordo 200). In the Always ad, all three girls are in a position that makes them seem mighty and confident, similar to the way that ads make men look dominant. Furthermore, two of the three girls are staring right at the viewer which represents the power they feel in acting “like a girl” because it shouldn’t be something to be ashamed of. This approach to advertising is usually used to make men seem strong and women submissive, but Always opposes that and uses them in a different way. By implementing the techniques discussed by Bordo, Always achieves the goal of depicting women as empowered, and not weak.

The mind-body dilemma has been the subject of philosophical analysis for decades and has but to be wholly understood. As the main advocate for dualism, Descartes states that as people we are composed of two essential substances: the mental and the bodily, which manipulate to exist aspect by way of side. Without a doubt, Cartesian dualism used to be one of Descartes’s major contributions to the find out about philosophy; though with which I agree based on the following analysis.

The elemental preference between the mind-body hassle and its contra argument is the existence of materialism and its denial. Descartes states that the idea is separate from the body based on the reasoning that the mind exists and stands by itself as a substance, therefore, they should be separate things. He then proceeds to add that something physical occupies space. Not at all like the intellect, the body can be modified due to its materialistic nature, and it can be changed and isolated into littler components. We find further support in Leibniz’ law, which states that “if a has a property that b lacks, then a is no longer identical to b”, which apply to the thinking and body, as the idea does now not occupy space, it is simply housed utilizing the body.

Another argument is the one of introspection, which relies on the rationale that our quality proof for the existence of a mental substance is the get admission to our mind. Via introspection of the mind, we are capable of getting access to and assessing unique aspects of our mind such as feelings, sensations, desires, etc. None of them have bodily properties. Descartes then elaborates on this principle declaring that there are sure things that come naturally to us as people, such as desires, which come instinctively. Be that as it may, there are others, such as considering, which has to be based on intentionality. Among these facets, we also stumble upon consciousness, which has been defined via Descartes as the epitome of human nature, although it is now not something that can be perceived by way of the senses, thus, it is now not physical. We are capable of imagining the existence of our idea without the body. In the case of any cloth object, you can describe object ‘a’ as existing or object ‘a’ as now not existing; then again there cannot be a mixing of each premise. Contrary to this, we have consciously simply pictured the thinking current barring the body, therefore it must observe that the thought and the body are separate things. As written in Descartes’ ‘Meditation VI’: “And although I may, or rather, as I will quickly say, although I certainly do possess a body with which I am very intently conjoined; nevertheless, because, on the one hand, I have a clear and distinct idea of myself, in as some distance as I am solely a wondering and unextended thing, and as, on the different hand, I possess a distinct concept of body, in as a far as it is only an extended and unthinking thing, it is certain that I, that is, my mind, by which I am what I am, is entirely and truly distinct from my body, and may exist without it”. An example would be a paralyzed patient, the place he is completely conscious of his environment and is aware of his want to act, but he can’t do so. He lacks the functionality to gather sensations physically, though he can nevertheless think about what it would sense like to operate such a task.

As with any predominant idea, we locate opposition, in this case, in the arms of the scientific community. The thought that Descartes’s work fails to explain how the connection between mind and body works is enough to trigger a response. As clarified within the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: “Willis wrote about the pineal gland that we can scarcely agree with this to be the seat of the soul, or its chief colleges to occur from it due to the fact animals which imagination, memory and other most desirable powers of the soul have this glandular or kernel massive and truthful enough” (Lockhorst, 2013).

Furthermore, Descartes’s idea has been rejected primarily based on the fact that the attributes linked to the idea are easy responses to neurological and chemical stimuli in the brain. An instance can be the use of any drug. Although the idea is supposed to be an independent entity from the body, when any type of chemical/drug is ingested, it can alter the intellectual state, even though most of the time it additionally alters your body as well. The same analogy applies if the affected person suffers some physiological injury to the brain; it will yield physical penalties and adjustments in motor coordination. Although the bridge between the idea and the body may also no longer lay at the pineal gland, a clear big difference between these two residences has been performed in the previous, and it should not be ignored the truth that in accordance to Descartes the single most vital attribute of the human nature is attention and no longer the soul as the human essence, our capacity to suppose and rationalize our thoughts.

As in all, although Descartes dualism concept is no longer infallible and it fails to utterly explain how precisely the connection between body and idea works, it does fulfill the functions of explaining why would the idea be something one-of-a-kind from the body, employing means of his very simple, yet logical arguments. Descartes went as ways as growing what is known as a ‘trialistic distinction’, the place he unites and acknowledges the probabilities of the existence of the mind, the body, and the union of the latter as a 1/3 state.

Acceleration is when the rate at which velocity changes over time. Acceleration is a vector, it results in the changes of its speed, direction, or both. A human body can withstand any constant speed, but if we speed up or slow down too quickly, we would pass out. Speeding ups acceleration is positive and slowing down the acceleration is negative. If the velocity changes by the equivalent quantity of time, the acceleration is constant. Acceleration is measured within terms of gravity.

The acceleration of a person’s body without getting a blackout is 9Gs that’s when an individual is getting a proper breathing exercise. They will have blackouts if their acceleration is high for a long period of time. A healthy person can face 5Gs without blackouts. This also affects the design of many entertainment and transportation devices. For example, roller coasters are like teardrops shape rather than a full loop, because if it was, then the people will have blackouts, because the acceleration will increase. Pilots or fighter pilots are taught to breathe in different techniques and wear special suits to help them control their blood flow to get to the brain.

Roller Coaster

As we know that one g-force is the gravity we feel when standing on earth. This force of earth’s gravitational pull on our bodies. Roller coaster riders accelerate and decelerate, they will experience more or less gravitational force. When there is a high gravitational force, such as 12Gs, blood isn’t reaching your brain, it goes from your brain to your feet resulting in blackouts. If riders are upside down, blood will flood to your skull, which causes your eyes turning red. Going quickly from positive to negative g-force may end up in getting headaches, back and neck pain. This is why roller coasters are not full loops.

Pilots or Fighter Pilots

The acceleration that leads to blackouts in fighter pilots is known as the maximum g-force. Fighter pilots feel this force when accelerating or decelerating quickly. At high g-forces the pilot’s blood pressure changes and the flow of oxygen to the brain quickly reduces. This occurs because the pressure outside of the pilot’s body is greater than the pressure a human is usually familiar with. One human body can handle different amounts of g-forces than another. It is the same as a roller coaster, when you go upside-down, blood will flood to your brain and your eyes will have blood, which will make your eyes appear red. For example, John Stapp experimented and pushed human limits. He was trying to attempt the maximum speed at which pilots could safely eject. He endured an enormous 43Gs throughout deceleration is similar to smashing into a wall at 70 miles/hr. The problem is he got injuries that weren’t permeant and he got a blackout of a short time

The Suit

A g-suit is an anti-gravity suit worn by fighter pilots. It starts its job when the pilots start dragging positive g-forces, the suit expands and stops blood from pooling in their feet and legs which might build them lose consciousness. It is used for the same reason as the roller coaster and the fighter pilots.

Final Thoughts and Conclusion

Some people say that roller coasters are dangerous, harmful and unsafe, however, it is safe and fun to play. Roller coasters these days won’t kill you, it is safer than old days, and it is not a full loop that can kill you. Those who believe that fighter pilots can take the same amount of g-forces that we have, you are wrong, because they are trained well and have special techniques of breathing. Some people may argue that the g-suit doesn’t make any difference because it will stop the blood from pooling to their feet for only a short time and cause them having blackouts.

In conclusion, the human’s body that isn’t prepared like a fighter pilot can resist 9Gs without getting blackouts, but a healthy person can handle 5Gs. If roller coasters are more than 5Gs, blood might not arrive at the brain and no oxygen will. When fighter pilots accelerate or decelerate quickly, they would get blackouts at high g-force, which will act like the roller coaster at high g-forces. The human body can endure any constant speed, but without speeding up or slowing down quickly.

What is the relationship between our mind and our body? Is there an alliance between the biological processes of the body and voluntary action, which gives rise to the notion of free will, or is the mind simply an ontology of the brain and are fundamentally the same? Such questions have led to the mind-body problem and the long-standing conflict between the ideology of the ancient Greeks (in particular the Aristotelian view): the human mind and body are not separate, and the theorizing that the two are separate but influence each other. The latter being pioneered in the 17th century by philosopher Rene Descartes, which has led to the understanding of the ‘mind-body problem’ as it exists today.

Throughout history, there have been a myriad of approaches to the ‘mind-body problem’, which extends itself as far back as 429 BCE with Plato. He considered the body and mind (soul) as “two distinct and radically different kinds of entity” (Brysbaert & Rastle, 2013, p.16). In many civilizations today, there are depictions of the body and a separate spiritual mind, with the belief that the soul is the entity that defines a person. A notion held largely by Christianity at the time, this had a powerful influence on the idea of the soul being the article which drives all living things. Widely adopted, this aligned itself with the ideal of the soul being immortal, as it was responsible for morality, thereby possessed innate knowledge. Consequently, like his predecessor Socrates, Plato perceived the soul as the entity responsible for thinking and the entity which controlled the body. In this ideal form of understanding, the capitalization of knowledge rested with looking at the inward path of the soul (the eternal world) and not the outward path of perception (the material world).

However, this divorce of the body and soul was a theory that Aristotle (384 – 322 BCE) did not agree with. Nyvlt (2012) argues that “Aristotle concerns himself with the natural, physical world and its causes, while Plato deals with the divine world”. In Platonism, divinity, represented by the soul is perfection as it ‘survives the body’ (Brysbaert & Rastle, 2013, p. 268). But is there such a thing? Aristotle believed in nature’s in-built patterns and considered this to be improbable. While he believed in souls, he theorized that the soul was a form of the body and supposed that the soul was the thing that made the living organism capable of carrying out its function. He argues that “for Aristotle, the body and soul are not two separate elements, …as Plato would have it…but are two different parts or aspects of the same thing”. For this reason, the soul could not exist without the body and therefore was not immortal. Hence why Aristotle surmised that there was no such thing as innate knowledge, but that behavior was learnt. If behavior was learnt, then the careful observation of the purpose of behavior was the vacuum in which consciousness thrived, thus the mind and body must be studied in relation to each other.

Conversely, the underlying concept brought by the wave of the Scientific Revolution in the 17th century, saw an increase in rationalism, which in turn birthed the concept of dualism. While critics may argue that dualism is implausible as there is no peculiarity between the mind and the brain (Brysbaert & Rastle, 2013), Descartes paid little attention to the conclusion drawn by Aristotle and his successors. He reasoned that the immaterial mind and material body were separate entities but interacted with each other. Chambliss (2018) draws on the ideal that generating a mind–body problem requires appreciating features of both mental and physical states and realizing that each is unsuited to explaining the other. Descartes felt that this collaboration was achieved through the pineal gland in the brain. This led to a closer inspection of the two-way system of interactivity, which concluded that no matter the organism, the brain was the central organ. This was perhaps the beginning of the ‘development of the Western tradition in philosophy’ (Ludwig, 2003, p.14), as it placed the brain at the center of human functioning.

Insights drawn from the radical stance of the Cartesian method also fueled stern attacks in its reasoning. How can an immaterial substance determine the actions of a physical body, and what transpired when we slept? The inability of dualists to answer such questions led to the rise of monism. In its assertion that the body and mind cannot be distinct, and that substances are all of one kind, monism concerns itself with attributes or properties of the physical, or mental form (Crane, 2000). Anatomically, monism believes in one reality which allows for the denial of free will and propels the understanding that “humans… are mere survival machines for the genes they contain” (Brysbaert & Rastle, 2013, p.277). Typically, many researchers today align themselves to this theory, especially with advancements in neuroscience. But monism, like its predecessors, has its problems, and it seems that as the world develops, and new spheres of science are discovered, there needs to be coordination between philosophers and scientists on what the mind–body problem is, and what kinds of explanations are needed to solve it (Chambliss, 2018).

It is evident that although there has been a plethora of approaches throughout history in attempting to solve the ‘mind-body problem’, this paradigm issue is still alive. Therefore, evolving an understanding of the problem involves building upon the diverse approaches. As a Christian, the dualistic approach is more aligned with my faith, however, there has to be an appreciation for the approaches formed after as I believe we are experiencing the limitations of our current models. In a societal landscape which is constantly changing politically, scientifically, culturally, etc., where one doesn’t have to subscribe to one particular approach, can the mind-body problem ever be solved?

Hydration is essential in maintaining the bodily systems balance. Water makes up nearly 60 percent of our body, therefore the importance of hydration is imperative. Consuming a healthy diet and at least 2 to 3 liters a day of water or fluids will ensure that each of our body’s systems is running efficiently. Water in our body serves many important roles. For example, water dissolves proteins and transfers them through our entire body. It also delivers nutrients to cells and carries waste away. Water is also crucial in protein synthesis and acts as a catalyst to speed up enzyme interactions with other chemicals. When it comes to performance, water lubricates joints and acts as a kind of shock absorber. Another important factor is when we sweat, and as it begins to evaporate, it cools the body acting in temperature regulation. Thus, water and fluid balance are necessary for optimal performance of the body.

Molly is an endurance athlete that has run in over a handful of marathons. A few years ago, she decided to participate in a marathon in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. However little did she know that this race would be different. Molly went in with the mindset that this was like any other race. She did not take into consideration the brutal humidity and heat that she would have to endure. Molly said that she had carb loaded the night before as well as consumed what she thought was a substantial amount of water and got plenty of rest. She said she felt great at the starting line and was ready to conquer the race. The temperature was 92 degrees that afternoon with 95% humidity. Molly said that she had skipped the aide stations and before she knew it she hit mile 6, this is where she started feeling symptoms of dry mouth, thirst, and fatigue. Luckily, there was an aide station a few minutes ahead where she stopped and gulped down a couple of water cups. She thought that she would feel better after quenching her thirst, however, her heart rate started racing and a headache began to occur. Still, she was able to carry on a couple more miles. Around mile twelve dehydration started to kick in fully. She started feeling the effects of intense fatigue, light-headedness and began cramping in her legs. This continued for another mile or so until Molly eventually had to stop and seek refuge under a shade tree. There she sat while the medical team examined her and deemed her unfit to finish the race. Molly said she will never forget that day and how miserable she felt. She said that the effects of dehydration took place over a period of time and eventually just overcame her. She also said that it took her at least a week to recover from the incident and has learned proper hydration techniques to avoid another occurrence. She said that she was blindsided by the extreme humidity and temperature of Louisiana.

After hearing about Molly’s devastating encounter with dehydration, I compiled a list of ways she could have avoided this mishap. Starting two to three days before a race Molly should have consumed at least two to three liters of water per day. In addition, every few cups she should have consumed an electrolyte sports drink that contained sodium. The sodium would have helped with water retention. There is a product called GU hydration that she could have also consumed that helps with hydration and contains electrolytes. She could have consumed this before, during, and after her race to replenish the electrolytes and water that she had lost. She should have also ensured that she was getting enough rest at night to ensure optimal performance and recovery. A few hours before her race she should have consumed at least 10 percent of her body weight in fluids, and this timeline would ensure she had ample time to flush any excess fluid out of her system. During the marathon, she should have utilized the aide stations more frequently. After the first few miles, she should have aimed at consuming at least 16 to 30 ounces of water or sports drinks every hour. If she had brought a portable water bottle, she should have had a goal of taking small sips accumulating at least 4 ounces every twenty minutes or so. After the succession of the race, she should have consumed at least 20 to 24 ounces of fluid for each pound of body weight lost. A recovery drink containing carbs, protein, and electrolytes would have also been beneficial. Carbohydrates replenish glycogen, protein would repair the damaged muscle tissue, and electrolytes would aid in the process of rehydration. If Molly would have taken these simple steps, there is no doubt that she would have been able to complete the marathon and have a successful recovery.

Performance decreases significantly when the body loses 1-2 percent of body weight in water. Consistent hydration replaces fluids that are lost by sweat, and so maintains our body temperature. Can reduce heat stress and regulates blood pressure. In addition, proper and consistent hydration maintains muscle function and performance and helps the movement and transport of essential nutrients throughout the body. Consuming 1 liter of water during and after workouts as well as 1-2 cups of water at each meal will help target the daily goal of 2 to 3 liters per day. Also monitoring your urine color will allow you to assess your hydration status. A diet high in fruits and vegetables will also allow individuals to ingest fluids. Exercise intensity, duration, performance, and recovery all depend on one’s personal hydration strategy. After all our bones contain 22 percent water, adipose tissue 25 percent, and most importantly, muscle cells 75 percent water. Therefore, in able to obtain optimal performance and successful recovery proper hydration is crucial.

In my future training endeavors, I will make it a point to explain to my clients the importance of hydration and how it affects performance and recovery. If fluid intake is a constant struggle, I will set realistic goals for them to achieve, such as drinking a certain amount of fluid every hour and eating more fruits and vegetables. I will also have them keep track of how their body feels after proper hydration is obtained. They will then be able to witness the importance of performance and proper hydration. I will also be able to go into detail about how electrolytes can replenish hydration and how many liters per day a person should consume to achieve desired results. Statistics are important when explaining to a client a proper hydration strategy. For example, performance decreases when there is as little as a 1-2 percent reduction in body weight due to water loss. My clients who are seeking optimal benefits will be able to understand how and why hydration is the key to maintaining performance and muscle function.