You know what they say – it’s always summer somewhere in the world! Summer means warm sunshine, beaches, swimming, ice creams, road trips, and long vacations.
It’s the best season to take out and flaunt your bikini but if you don’t take care, the scorching heat can cause sunburn, dehydration, and heat stroke. It is important to know how to handle the soaring temperatures so that you can enjoy the weeks of summer fun.
5 Tips To Avoid Heat Illness
The best ways to avoid heat-related illness is by hydrating yourself with water, fruits, and flavored drinks, and by planning your summer outdoor activities well. Let us look at these tips in detail.
Everyone knows that running is a great way to get into shape, but it also can benefit almost every part of your bod and lift your mood. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Avoid Extreme Heat
It is best to avoid the outdoors when the weather forecast predicts a heatwave or very high temperatures. The heat is not the only factor to consider. Keep a weather application on your phone or other devices to track humidity levels too as it can magnify the effect of heat. If you can’t avoid going out on an extremely hot day, use an umbrella to protect yourself from the heat of the sun. Wear light-colored cool clothes, make sunscreen your best friend, and always carry a water bottle with you!
Load Up On Summer Fruits
Summer fruits usually have a high-water content, which makes them an ideal choice to keep you hydrated. Fruits are easier to digest and will make your body feel lighter. The most common summertime fruits are watermelon, pineapple, apple, and mangos, to name a few. These fruits are high in water, rich in fiber, and are sweet and tasty. You can eat these fruits as is, or add them to salads, smoothies, or even make fruit kebabs.
It is essential to include fruits in your diet during sunny days to maintain your health and avoid summer illnesses. Create a custom meal plan including summer fruits so you can have many meal choices daily. [1]
Drink lots of water
Drinking water also helps in improving skin health. Photo Credit: Shutterstock
On extremely hot days, water is truly your best friend. Drink water as often as you can and always keep a bottle in your bag when you go out. Water keeps the body hydrated when exposed to heat. Drinking water regularly also keeps your skin moisturized. You will notice that during summer, your skin becomes dry and rough when you do not use skin moisturizing products. Apart from using products, water is the most natural way to keep your skin hydrated. Be sure to keep drinking water even when you plan to stay indoors and do not go out in direct sunlight. Summer heat can cause dehydration even when you are indoors.
Beware of heat-related illness
It’s always good to keep yourself informed about the possible heat-related illness. This way, you will know to prevent them, identify symptoms should you acquire any, and what to do when you get these diseases.
Common heat-related illnesses that are communicable are sore eyes and the flu. Extreme heat can give rise to viruses that can infect your respiratory tract, leading to flu and other lung infections. Non-communicable and self-acquired illnesses include dehydration, sunburn, and heat stroke. Heat stroke is a serious condition that can even be fatal when not attended to immediately. It is important to know the tell-tale signs when you develop these kinds of diseases and to seek medical attention immediately.
Plan for the outdoor activity
Planning your outdoor activities will help you make most of your day and maximize your summer enjoyment. This strategy also helps you plan out how to avoid being exposed to harmful direct sunlight and to prevent heat-related illnesses that can hinder you from doing these summer activities.
Experienced hikers know and understand the importance of planning. They know how to estimate how much energy they would need to perform specific activities under different weather circumstances. The more detailed their plans are, the less likely they will encounter roadblocks and not know how to get through them. Like these experienced hikers, you too should plan your outdoor activities. It may seem like a strict strategy but it can definitely help you make the most out of your summer days.
As summer rolls around the corner and you start planning your vacation with your family and friends, keep these tips handy to stay healthy and enjoy the best of what summer has to give!
