Don't let the heat get you down!
The best defense is prevention.
Here are some prevention tips:
- Drink more fluids (nonalcoholic), regardless of your activity
level. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty
to drink.
Warning: If your doctor generally limits the
amount of fluid you drink or has you on water pills, ask him
how much you should drink while the weather is hot.
- Don’t drink liquids that contain caffeine, alcohol,
or large amounts of sugar — these actually cause you
to lose more body fluid. Also, avoid very cold drinks, because
they can cause stomach cramps.
- Stay indoors and, if at all possible, stay in an air-conditioned
place. If your home does not have air conditioning, go to
the shopping mall or public library–even a few hours
spent in air conditioning can help your body stay cooler when
you go back into the heat. Call your local health department
to see if there are any heat-relief shelters in your area.
- Electric fans may provide comfort, but when the temperature
is in the high 90s, fans will not prevent heat-related illness.
Taking a cool shower or bath, or moving to an air-conditioned
place is a much better way to cool off.
- Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
- NEVER leave anyone in a closed, parked vehicle.
- Although any one at any time can suffer from heat-related
illness, some people are at greater risk than others. Check
regularly on:
- Infants and young children
- People aged 65 or older
- People who have a mental illness
- Those who are physically ill, especially with heart
disease or high blood pressure
- Visit adults at risk at least twice a day and closely watch
them for signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Infants
and young children, of course, need much more frequent watching.
If you must be out in the heat:
- Limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours.
- Cut down on exercise. If you must exercise, drink two to
four glasses of cool, nonalcoholic fluids each hour. A
sports beverage can replace the salt and minerals you lose
in sweat. Warning: If you are on a low-salt diet, talk with
your doctor before drinking a sports beverage. Remember the
warning in the first “tip” (above), too.
- Try to rest often in shady areas.
- Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed
hat (also keeps you cooler) and sunglasses and by putting
on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher (the most effective products
say "broad spectrum" or "UVA/UVB protection"
on their labels).
This information provided by National
Centers for Environmental Health's (NCEH) Health Studies Branch.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC)
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/heattips.asp