- Thread starter Harleysrock
- Start date
Dominicans not using fans at the Gym
The Commander has been given a short vacation to give him time to learn the rules around here.
If anyone else wants to join him, just continue to make off-topic posts in any of the regular forums.
If anyone else wants to join him, just continue to make off-topic posts in any of the regular forums.
For most people, summer involves numerous daily shifts between scorching outdoor heat and frosty air-conditioned interiors. But does exposing the body to extreme temperature swings make people sick? Professor Ron Eccles, director of the Common Cold Centre at Cardiff University in Wales, which performs clinical trials for treatments for coughs, colds and flu, explains why keeping a sweater at work isn't such a bad idea.
Chill Defenders
As warm-blooded animals, humans are hard-wired to keep our body temperature at around 98 degrees Fahrenheit. So when a person is exposed to frigid environments after being in the summer heat, the body "will do whatever it can to defend itself against chilling," Prof. Eccles says.
One such defense: A thermal regulator in the brain, after receiving messages from temperature sensors in the skin, automatically alerts blood vessels there to constrict. "You can see this when someone suddenly goes into a very cold building, they go pale or their skin mottles," says Prof. Eccles. The next stage is shivering, which will raise body temperature by generating heat.
Enlarge Image
In or Out: Shifting repeatedly from outdoor heat into air conditioning can lower the body's natural defenses. Getty Images/Image Source
At the same time, blood vessels constrict in the nose and throat, where bacteria and viruses often lurk. "If you were to look into a throat, you could see it go from a nice pink-red to a very pale color," says Prof. Eccles. "This happens within a few seconds to conserve the heat that we lose to the air we breathe out."
Immunity in Retreat
When blood flow diminishes, the white blood cells that typically fight bacteria and viruses do too, allowing these latent risk factors to easily bloom into a full-blown cold. "If there isn't as much blood flow to the throat, there aren't enough white blood cells to ward off infection," Prof. Eccles says.
But, he emphasizes, a cold won't develop unless the bacteria or virus is already present in the body.
The Sweat Factor
Sweating can amplify the risk by keeping the body colder longer?and making it harder to regain an optimal core temperature. Having sweaty clothes when walking into an air-conditioned building "could feel like diving into an ice-cold swimming pool," says Professor Eccles.
Getting some of that perspiration to evaporate first, by sitting in the shade for a few moments, for example, can help. So can keeping a sweater or light jacket at the office to ease the temperature transition.
Heating Up
Heading in the other direction?from the deep freeze to the steamy outside?doesn't pose the same cold risk, says Prof. Eccles, since even more blood circulates to the skin, nose and throat. "It's a lot like when your car radiator goes on when it gets too hot, to cool off," he says. "If you're very overheated, much of your five liters of blood gets distributed to the skin?turning you red?to eliminate heat."
It can take the body only a few seconds or minutes to acclimate to the cold inside, says Prof. Eccles.
"Every time you go outside, you're going to go through the chilling again" when you return, he says. If you have to step out from the chill into the heat frequently, he says, "limit your time to a few minutes." This way, your body won't have time to fully adjust to the heat?and the cycle won't start again.
During the first gulf war, I was aboard a destroyer for a couple of days while our helicopter got fixed. Inside the hangar on the ship it was about 90-95 degrees and I mentioned how hot it was. The guys on the ship said, the A/C is on but any colder and the shock of going out into the heat will kill you. It was around 130 on deck so I wasn't about to question them.
My wife swears she gets a cold from the car A/C.
My wife swears she gets a cold from the car A/C.
I also believe that Dominicans are more sensitive to temperature changes, because they have such an even climate.
I have had Dominicans that had never travelled come over to The Netherlands and they stayed inside with the heater on and wore double layers of coats (inside).
I have had Dominicans that had never travelled come over to The Netherlands and they stayed inside with the heater on and wore double layers of coats (inside).
Merengue does the gym in GH have LOUD music? I don't know that I can take this gym much longer it is like a sauna and I have to yell to talk to someone!
I would of course prefer to go to Gold's Gym in Sosua but 30 min is just to far to drive everyday!
I would of course prefer to go to Gold's Gym in Sosua but 30 min is just to far to drive everyday!
Harley, next time ask them why they do not want the fans turned on even though they have
them.
In the many salons that I've been to (barrios) there's fans(turned on) and in a few they have A/C.
Many homes in barrios have fans.
Also many malls and supermarkets have A/C and the rich and poor alike frequent those places.
So I do find it hard to believe that it could be because of superstition.
Come back and tell us.
them.
In the many salons that I've been to (barrios) there's fans(turned on) and in a few they have A/C.
Many homes in barrios have fans.
Also many malls and supermarkets have A/C and the rich and poor alike frequent those places.
So I do find it hard to believe that it could be because of superstition.
Come back and tell us.
My Spanish isn't that great but I will get the wife to ask why. Half the fans are on in the weight room, it's mostly the cardio area that people turn it off.
I just don't want to be the gringo that walks into their gym and insists on changing how things are done.
I just don't want to be the gringo that walks into their gym and insists on changing how things are done.
The GH gym is very basic - it's called Body Gym. I do believe they play some music but not at crazy levels - it is a basic working man's gym and I could talk to my cousins without a problem while we worked out...
Are you currently at the one in Veragua, almost as you enter the town coming from Las Canas?
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Why do Dominicans wear long pants and long sleve shirts? Why do they wear ski jackets and wool hats when it is 80 degrees and raining. Obviously, they are use to the heat and don't have the same body temp requirements as we gringos.
There is definitely a contradiction - although some do complain, the aircon is often turned up to arctic levels in buses, banks, supermarkets, cinemas etc. A foreign woman I worked with used to carry round a cardie for these eventualities and a Dominican colleague remarked that it was always the gringos who complained.
Golds Gym in Moca supposedly has central air. Yeah they have the exposed duct work but it blows air just the same as a ceiling fan. The upstairs windows are pushed open and the fans are on but it's not central air.
The only cool rooms are the lobby and the cycling/spin room. Try using the elliptical up top with the duct vent just above your head...NADA. Man have I suffered in the heat here.
The only cool rooms are the lobby and the cycling/spin room. Try using the elliptical up top with the duct vent just above your head...NADA. Man have I suffered in the heat here.
It is not really because of pneumonia. It is actually because there is a widespread belief that submitting your body to sudden and dramatic temperature changes (from hot to cold), can damage your nerves and will cause you to "pasmarse", and you?ll end up with a crooked mouth, eye, side of face, etc.
By the way, if you have asthma or pneumonia, doctors do not recommend fans but they do recommend air conditioners...............but this is not the reason why people at the gym don?t want fans anyway.
By the way, if you have asthma or pneumonia, doctors do not recommend fans but they do recommend air conditioners...............but this is not the reason why people at the gym don?t want fans anyway.
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You ever been on the Metro from Santiago to Puerto Plata..............
Feels like it is 50 degrees in there......
You could hang meat in that bus.......
And nobody ever says anything...
B in Santiago
Feels like it is 50 degrees in there......
You could hang meat in that bus.......
And nobody ever says anything...
B in Santiago
@ Chiri, the key factor here is that the temperature change must be sudden and very different. For example, if they had started exercising with all fans on, I doubt people would complain. They might not leave fans on at the beginning just because they want to increase sweating.
At the bus , it?s not the same situation than at the gym. You?ve been sitting and waiting for a while, your body is already cool and you haven?t been doing any physical work. That?s why people don?t complain.
At the bus , it?s not the same situation than at the gym. You?ve been sitting and waiting for a while, your body is already cool and you haven?t been doing any physical work. That?s why people don?t complain.
Simple answer, the fans use electricity!
Cheap Bastards!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Complex answer, Dominicans think that if you "Sweat" you are losing weight, not realizing that they are just getting dehydrated!
"Universal Answer",...... They're "Dominicanos",..."Who The F*#K KNOWS why they do ANYTHING"?????????????
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Cheap Bastards!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Complex answer, Dominicans think that if you "Sweat" you are losing weight, not realizing that they are just getting dehydrated!
"Universal Answer",...... They're "Dominicanos",..."Who The F*#K KNOWS why they do ANYTHING"?????????????
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