Use hydration, common sense to protect yourself from Central Texas heat
With Austin-area temperatures already soaring into the upper 90s, it's definitely the summer heat season (even if the calendar still says May).
Those high temperatures can be hard on the body.
"Any extreme is probably not good on the body," said Dr. Vivek Goswami, cardiologist with the Heart Hospital of Austin and Austin Heart.
The body copes with heat by pushing blood to the skin to radiate heat to try to cool you down. That radiating of the heat increases the blood flow two to three times, Goswami said. For people with a preexisting heart issue or other medical conditions such as chronic kidney disease, that increased blood flow can be especially bad for the cardiovascular system.
Certain groups of people also have trouble regulating their body temperatures. This includes infants as well as older people. "They can get easily get overheated," said Dr. Shyam Sivasankar, a pediatric emergency medicine physician at St. David's Children's Hospital.
Sivasankar said he also worries about older kids, especially athletes, who are spending a lot of time in the heat being active.
You can help keep yourself and your family safe in the heat of summer by following these tips:
Avoid the hottest part of the day
Try to stay inside during the hours of 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., when temperatures are highest. If you are planning on being outside, schedule shade or cooling station breaks. If you haven't been outside regularly, think about slowly building up to more time outside. Maybe start with 10 minutes outside, then 15 minutes the next day, then 20 minutes. Your body needs to acclimate.
Wear the right clothing
Make sure clothing is not too warm or has too many layers. (Of course, experienced Texans also know to have a sweater or hoodie with them for those occasions when they might find themselves in overly air-conditioned spaces). While outside, wear breathable, lightweight, light-colored clothing that will reflect sunlight rather than absorb it, keeping you cooler.
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Stay hydrated
The rule of thumb, Sivansankar said, is 8 ounces of water for every 20 minutes of activity, about half of that for elementary school-age kids. For those of us who might not measure our water, the best measure is the frequency and color of your urine. You should be going to the bathroom often, and your urine should be clear.
If you are thirsty, you should be drinking water. You should also be drinking water before you get thirsty. Soda, juice, coffee, tea and alcoholic beverages don't count as hydration; they can actually dehydrate you.
If you're being particularly active, you could consider a beverage with electrolytes to replenish the body, but plain water works well.
If you are drinking alcohol, limit the amount of alcohol and make sure to get enough water in your body as well and are taking breaks between alcoholic drinks.
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Wear sunscreen
Protect that skin that you need to radiate the heat and sweat to cool you down. Wear an SPF 30 or greater sunscreen and reapply at least every two hours.
Watch for kids in cars
No one should be left in a car — especially not children, pets or older people. Even if they are in a parked car with the air conditioning running, the car can still become too hot quickly.
To help remind you that a child is with you in the car, get in the habit of always looking in the back seat before exiting the car. A good trick is to put a purse or backpack in the back seat with the child rather than in the front seat with you. You also can buy special alarms to go off when the car is parked to remind you to look in the back seat.
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Know the signs of heat illnesses
Heat illnesses have three levels that increase in seriousness:
Heat cramps: Noticeable sweating; muscle aches; prickly heat rash especially in areas where clothing meets the skin such as the waistband; and dizziness. Move the person to a cooler area, hydrate, remove excess clothing and put cold compresses (a wet towel or shirt or icepack) on hands, feet, armpits, neck, forehead to cool them down. Call a doctor to get an assessment.
Heat exhaustion: Flushed skin; sweating even more heavily; cold or clammy skin; nausea; not wanting to eat; and a shallow heartbeat. Move the person to a cooler area, hydrate with water or an electrolyte drink, remove excess clothing and use cold compresses or spray them with water to cool them down. Call the doctor to see if you need to go to the emergency room or a doctor's office.
Heat stroke: No sweating; fast heartbeat; confusion; fainting or feeling faint; breathing quickly; confusion or delirium; loss of consciousness; and a high temperature. This is a medical emergency. If you can quickly drive them to the emergency room, great. If not, call an ambulance. While driving or waiting for the ambulance, try to do all the same interventions as for less serious heat illnesses: hydration, cooler area, less clothing, and cold compresses.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Hot weather tips to protect yourself from Central Texas heat
