Temperature’s Rising!

We’re having a heat wave…

A tropical heat wave…

Here in the Northeast we are experiencing nearly record-breaking temperatures in addition to a decided lack of water. With the heat and humidity, it’s important to keep in mind some very important rules to safeguard your health.

  • Drink plenty of water while you are out and about and avoid caffeinated drinks which are diuretics. Also avoid alcohol.
  • If you are drinking sports drinks with all those electrolytes and metabolytes, please double-check the label especially if you have high blood pressure. The salts in those “lytes” may present a problem to your system.
  • If you need to be out and about, avoid the hottest part of the day from 11ish to 2ish.
  • Make sure to put on sun block if you will be out in the sun for any length of time or go fashionable and put on a nice broad-brimmed hat.
  • Do not leave animals or small children in cars with closed/semi-open windows. Not even for a minute since their bodies are much less able to tolerate high heat.
  • Wet your t-shirt, hanky or the insides of your wrists with water to help drive away the heat from your body. Get one of those spritz fan bottles and go to town!
  • If you don’t have air conditioning, make your own! Place a bowl of ice or cold water in front of the fan. It’ll pick up the cool and spread it around. Also place washcloths in a baggie and put them in the freezer. Take one out when it’s chilled and put it on your neck or wrists for instant cool.
  • Keep curtains and blinds drawn to cool off your house.
  • Wear loose, light-colored clothing.
  • If that doesn’t do it and if your local public library has air conditioning, head there for a quiet day of reading! After all, it’s your tax dollars paying for that air conditioning, so why not take advantage of it and of the many books to be found there.
  • Finally, learn the signs of heat stroke, namely, no sweating, dizziness, headache, nausea, confusion, unconsciousness, high body temp (103 or over), rapid pulse and flushed hot skin. If you see these symptoms, get the person to a shady area, get them water and try to cool them down. Last, but not least, call for medical help. Heat stroke can be deadly.

Hope these tips help you deal with our little tropical heat wave.