Hiking for health-12 tips for a safe hike

Hiking is a great way to get exercise while enjoying the great outdoors. It’s a fun alternative to your regular exercise routine and can provide a calming yet invigorating workout.  However, even an easy hike should not be taken lightly as people can get unexpectedly lost, sunburned or injured.  Read these tips to raise your chances of having a safe hike.

1. Plan your location: Research where you’re going in advance and stick to county, state or federal parks.  Info can be found online regarding the intensity of the trails which are usually categorized in three levels; easy/mild, moderate or difficult/intense. If you're new to hiking you’ll want to only take “easy” trails. Easy trails can still provide you with a great work out. Many parks offer more than one trail and usually have signs at the start the trail such as animal or rattlesnake warnings and how to avoid contact with them as well as listing the level of difficulty of the trail (as mentioned above).
2. Stay on the trail. People that veer off of the trail raise their risk of getting lost or injured. Getting lost is not fun and can lead to injuries due to unexpected cliffs, rough terrain, overexposure to the elements such as extreme hot or cold and can unfortunately lead to death in some circumstances. 
3. Don’t go alone. Always hike with at least one other person. Leave word with a third person as to where you’re hiking and your expected time/date of return.
4. Wear the right shoes or boots. You don’t want shoes with smooth bottoms as it’s easier to slip and fall with smooth soled shoes. You want either trail type running shoes or hiking boots. Break them in at home first before wearing them on a long hike.  
5. Check the weather report before you go. You don’t want to get caught in a flash flood while hiking in low level terrain or valleys or, get caught in a lightening/thunderstorm.
6. Sun Protection: Wear plenty of sunscreen with and SPF of at least 30 and reapply every hour to all areas exposed to the sun. Wear a hat to protect your face and any bald spots on your head. Protecting your skin helps to prevent skin cancer too. Wear high quality sunglasses with 100 % UVA and UVB protection.                                       
7. Bring plenty of water either in bottles or canteens so you don’t get dehydrated.
8. Bring plenty of nuts and protein bars. These are light and easy to pack and will fill you up if you get hungry and can offer you good nutrition if you’re out longer than you anticipate or, if the worst occurs and you get lost or injured. *Pack hand sanitizer too so you can clean your hands before you eat. 
9. Bring a fully charged cell phone in case you have to make an emergency call and a whistle if you need to make noise in the event of getting lost or needing to scare away a wild animal.
10. Wear lightweight (if it’s hot) long pants to reduce your chances of getting bug bites or scratches from any brush you encounter. You may even want to consider a lightweight long sleeve shirt for the same reason. Always bring another layer for your upper body such as a lightweight sweatshirt or jacket in case it’s cooler than you anticipate. If your skin gets sunburned easily, in addition to sunscreen you can purchase clothing with sunscreen/sun block type of fabric at specialty stores.  Long sleeve and pants help prevent mosquito and tick bites too.
11. Don’t litter or leave human food for the animals. Leave nature as you found it!
12. Pack a small first aid kit with basics such as can of saline wound wash, bandages, first aid ointment, and an over the counter antihistamine and pain reliever, and moleskin or corn and callous pads for unexpected foot blisters.

*Last, have fun! If you plan ahead so you’re prepared, hiking can be truly enjoyable observing birds, flowers, animals, beautiful landscapes and enjoying the peace and quiet of nature, all while exercising.