ARE YOU READY FOR THE SUMMER HEAT?

Posted by Lillie Vaughn
4
Apr 9, 2008
571 Views

This summer  I heard is going to be extremely hot! So  remember to be extra vigilant in looking after yourself in the stifling weather. To find out some simple things you can do to ensure you stay cool and hydrated. Keep reading this article.

Dehydration is not a case of just being thirsty – it can become a serious health problem. Older people are particularly vulnerable to becoming dehydrated because as we age the quantity of total body water as a proportion of body weight decreases. Put simply, the older body looses its capacity to retain fluid. 

Active older people can dehydrate very easily throughout the summer months with outdoor activities like travel, golfing and gardening. Whilst body fluids can be lost through vomiting, diarrhoea and fever, older people should not ignore the risk of heat stress that can occur during summer – especially during a long, hot summer like the one we’re expecting!  And don’t be fooled by humidity.  Humid conditions reduce evaporation of perspiration from the skin.  This in turn impedes the body’s ability to cool down, so we perspire more, losing more of those important fluids and body salts (electrolytes).

Fill a large jug of water in the morning and finish it by the end of the day.

Eat small meals and eat more often. If you can, stay inside or visit an air-conditioned building. Use blinds and/or curtains and stay inside during the hottest part of the day, often 10 am to 3pm.

If you start to feel a rising body temperature, dry mouth and eyes, dizziness, headache, nausea, muscle weakness or cramps, these are all signs of heat stress. Drink more and maybe take an additional cool shower. If it continues, seek medical assistance

It is not always a quick fix to have a drink of water because the body needs both fluid and electrolytes to operate properly. It might be worth keeping a scientifically formulated rehydration solution, like Hydralyte, in the cupboard to help speed up re-hydration by quickly replacing the fluid and lost salts.

 

 

Lillie Vaughn,

AA Gerontology

http://www.lilliesemporium.com/

Comments
avatar
Please sign in to add comment.