STAY SAFE WHILE ENJOYING SUMMERTIME FUN!
2. Stay Hydrated a. Drink more fluids, regardless of how active you are. Don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink. b. Stay away from sugary or alcoholic drinks: These cause you to lose more body fluid. c. Replace salt and minerals: Heavy sweating removes salt and minerals from the body that need to be replaced. A sports drink can replace the salt and minerals you lose in sweat. d. Check out the other side for benefits of staying hydrated. 3. Stay Informed a. Check for updates: Check your local news for extreme heat alerts and safety tips and to learn about any cooling shelters in your area. b. Monitor those at risk: infants and young children, those over 65, and those who are ill. If you fall into this category, consider using the buddy system. Check on each other. Check in with elderly neighbors and family members at least twice a day during a heat wave, especially if they don’t have air conditioning. c. To learn more about heat-related illness and signs to look out for, go to the CDC website: CDC. gov/disasters/extremeheat/warning.html
Whether it is playing at the beach, hiking in the mountains, or enjoying backyard barbecues, summer brings us outdoors. Summer also brings higher temperatures and risk of heat-related illness, especially with sports and heavy physical activity. Here are a few tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on staying healthy when the thermostat rises. 1. Stay Cool a. Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. b. Stay cool in an air-conditioned place as much as possible. c. Limit your outdoor activity to the coolest parts of the day, like morning and evening hours. d. Wear sunscreen: A sunburn affects your body’s ability to cool down and can dehydrate you. e. Do not leave children and pets in cars. Cars heat up to dangerous levels quickly even with the window cracked. f. Manage medications: Some medications can impair heat loss, such as antihistamines (often used to combat those allergies you experience outdoors).
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