Case of the Red Face

If you are like me, your face gets red when working out. I can remember even as a child, my face would get really red whenever I did some major exercising, especially running. When I was in 5th grade, I played soccer and was actually pretty good. However, my coach would pull me out for breaks because I looked like death with my beet red face. I felt fine, but my face told a different story. I also remember back to middle school and high school when we had to run the mile for a grade. Not only was I exhausted afterward, but my face would be red for the entire period after gym class. For a teenager, that was quite embarrassing!

Now that I have been running and really exerting myself, I have noticed the case of the red face resurfacing. I thought I was doing something wrong to cause this... so, I did some research. Several sites, including ehow, taught me that while exercising your face turns red because it is your body's way of cooling off. You are heated and your fast-pumping blood is rushing to your head (your brain). Your body sweats and your blood vessels dilate to help cool you off.

Any preventions? Nope. The only thing that might help a little is to make sure you are drinking plenty of water before, during, and after your workout. You should also wear clothes that are "breathable." It also helps to workout in a cooler environment. The other thing you could potentially do is decrease the intensity of your workout... but I don't suggest that. With all this being said, I am going to continue working out as usual and just hope that I don't scare anyone with my rudolf effect.