It's Hot Out There!

Recently, our family attended an outdoor music festival. It was an all-day event and plans were made to carry sunscreen, chairs, lots of drinking water and snacks. While we were prepared for a hot day, we did not realize there would be no shade at all, and temperatures were in the mid- to high 90’s that day. One of our family members unfortunately was not able to handle the heat, and began exhibiting symptoms of heat exhaustion. We made the decision to leave the show early, and he quickly recovered once we moved indoors and he was able to cool down.

It is surprising how quickly heat exhaustion and heat stroke can occur. Certainly the first and best defense against heat related illness is to stay well hydrated. Drinking plenty of water during a hot spell or season is a given. But don’t wait until you are already hot or overheating. Your hydration plan should begin 12 to 24 hours before exposure to heat and humidity. Once you are exposed to the heat, you should continue to drink water, approximately 16 oz or so every 15 minutes, which is about two liters per hour, according to “11 Hydration Strategies for Hot Weather” at Active.com.

Water composes almost 60% of the adult body, and proper fluid intake is an important part of maintaining health. The safest water to drink is not necessarily bottled water (which also creates an environmental problem due to the manufacture and disposal of the plastic bottles), but rather filtered water, right out of the tap, carried in a safe container such as stainless steel or glass.