The Hazards of Heat
Keeping Hydrated in Summer Heat
Summer is a time to
enjoy being outdoors. But these few short months
of glory are also not without their risks. |
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The higher temperatures associated with summer can quickly break down
the body's normal responses,
causing fatigue, dehydration, heat exhaustion
and heat stoke.
During heat illness, the
body's cooling system shuts down and the body
temperatures rises. At first, the symptoms of
heat exhaustion include thirst, fatigue and some
cramping in the legs and abdomen. If left
untreated, heat exhaustion can rapidly progress
to heat stroke. These more serious symptoms
include dizziness, headaches, nausea, rapid
heartbeat, vomiting, decreased alertness and a
high body temperature. In the most severe cases,
internal organs may be damaged, and death may
even occur.
The risk of heat illness
increases during physical exertion, as well as
when certain health conditions, such as
diabetes, obesity and heart disease are present.
Certain medications, including antihistamines,
and those taken for high blood pressure, and
liver and kidney conditions also increase the
risk as they interfere with your ability to
sweat. People 65 and older and the very young
are especially vulnerable.
While medical experts
agree there is a lot you can do to treat heat
related health problems, protection and
prevention in the first place is always the
best:
• Monitor weather
forecasts on TV and radio. These reports
describe hot and potentially dangerous weather
in terms like 'heat watch', 'heat warning',
'heat wave', or 'air-quality advisory'.
• Always wear a hat and
avoid direct exposure to the sun between the
hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
• Remember to carry a
water bottle, especially when travelling or
exercising. Dehydration is among the most common
heat-related dangers. Be sure to plan strenuous
activity early in the morning or evening when
it's cooler. See Tips on Keeping
Hydrated below.
• If you have a medical
condition, such as diabetes, asthma, drug or
food allergies, a heart condition, or are taking
certain medications, you should wear MedicAlert
identification. It informs others about your
condition, and reminds you to take necessary
precautions.
MedicAlert services also
help speak for you if you are ever in a
situation where you can't speak for yourself.
Their identification bracelets alert emergency
responders and health professionals to your
immediate and vital medical needs, and then
provide them with access to your medical record
and emergency contacts. More information about
how a membership in MedicAlert can help protect
your life is available at www.medicalert.ca or
by calling 1-800-68-1507.
So, enjoy those long,
lazy days of summer. Just remember to take extra
care to protect yourself from the heat.
Keeping Hydrated in Summer Heat
We've all
experienced it at some point when working out or
on the field – fatigue sets in, your mouth feels
dry and your legs are heavy. These are all
common signs of dehydration.
When an athlete works out, body
fluid is lost through sweat. If the fluid lost through
sweat is not replaced, dehydration and early fatigue are
unavoidable. Losing even 2% of body fluids (less than
3.5 pounds in a 180-pound athlete) can impair
performance by increasing fatigue and affecting
cognitive skills. Since many athletes lose between 5-8
pounds of sweat during a game, it's easy for them to
become dehydrated if they don't drink enough to replace
what is lost in sweat.
Dehydration can be prevented
When to drink: Drink before you
get thirsty. By the time you're thirsty you are already
dehydrated, so it's important to
drink at regular intervals –
especially when it is hot outside.
What to drink: Research shows
that a lightly flavoured beverage with a small amount of
sodium encourages people to drink enough to stay
hydrated. The combination of flavour and electrolytes in
a sports drink like Gatorade provides one of the best
choices to help you stay properly hydrated.
What not to drink: During
activity, avoid drinks with high sugar content, alcohol
or carbonation because:
• Alcohol can dehydrate the body
• Fruit juices, soft drinks and
energy drinks are high in sugar which slows fluid
absorption by the body
Dr. Lawrence Spriet is a leading
sports nutrition researcher with the University of
Guelph and the Gatorade Sports Science Institute. More
information on sports drinks and hydration is available
at www.gssiweb.org.
- News Canada
All tips are offered as suggestions only. While
we have tried to provide you with a list of suggestions to help parents
when travelling with children to keep them safe, unfortunately, we can’t
think of everything and it is the responsibility of parents to ensure
their children’s safety.
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For More tips go to:
Tips for Making Summer Safe from Safe Kids
Canada - Summer Safety Checklist
Walking Safety Tips and Road Safety Rules
for Walking with Children, Tips to Teach Children Road Safety
Biking Safety Tips
Pool and Beach Safety Tips
Playground Safety Tips
Sun Safety Tips
Safety News -
Summer Safety Warning - Press Release from Consumer Product Safety
Commission
Safety News -
Beginning Summer Vacation With Safety Basics - ComEd Offers Summer
Safety Tips to Families
Pools and
Parasites: Keeping Your Child Safe - The Children's Digestive Health and
Nutrition Foundation (CDHNF) Warns Parents about Dangerous Waterborne
Bacteria and Parasites Peak During Late Summer
See the following sections for specific tips:
Keep the Bugs at Bay, Eight Tips for a Bug Free Summer
Safety News - Summer Safety Warning - Press Release from Consumer Product Safety Commission
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