Summer’s Hazards: Heat!!!
The scenario (#9) for July is this:
You are exposed
to summer’s hazard’s in the dry hot desert.
You, your family, could find yourselves stranded in the desert because of a car breakdown. You could find yourself in your house in hundred degree weather without any airconditioning because of power outages. Because we live in the Mojave desert, we face this possibility. There have been accounts, in the last few years, of peopel perishing in our nearby desert when their cars broke down on remote roads and they tried to walk out for help, only to die of dehydration and hyperthermia. People who live in lush humid areas also can suffer from overheating during “heat waves.”
How to Prepare for this Scenario:
-No matter where you go in your car, always, ALWAYS have plenty of water stored in your car.
-Understand how to prevent dehydration. Know that consuming drinks high in sugar, sodium, or caffiene can rapidly dehydrate your body.
-Understand how to keep you body from overheating: Reduce activity, stay in the shade, cool off with water to wet your clothing.
-Know how to help yourself and other when you do get heat exhuastion or heat stroke.
-Know about and have on hand sunscreens, clothing and other items that can protect you from the sun’s heat.
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How can I Prevent Hyperthermia?
http://www.wisegeek.com/how-can-i-prevent-hyperthermia.htm
Hyperthermia occurs when the body produces more heat than it can get rid of. Hyperthermia is usually the result of exposure to extreme heat, which causes the body’s temperature to rise to a level with which it cannot cope. Hyperthermia is an extremely serious medical condition that should be treated immediately.
Hyperthermia can also occur due to exhaustion from physical exercise. Certain illnesses can also be a contributing factor. Any illness that causes weakness or high fever makes the body more susceptible to hyperthermia.
There are a few preventative measures that can be taken to avoid hyperthermia. The main preventative measure is the clothing one wears in high temperatures. The body needs to perspire in hot weather, and wearing loose fitting garments is helpful.
Lightweight clothes made of fabrics such as linen are excellent to keep the body cool. Shorts and cotton t-shirts are also excellent choices for hot weather. Wearing a sun hat or any type of hat that shades the head from the sun can help prevent hyperthermia.
Drinking plenty of fluids in hot weather is also a necessary precaution against hyperthermia. Fluids should be taken even if you do not feel thirsty. You may not notice when your body perspires. A regular intake of fluids is necessary to replenish lost water and to maintain blood circulation.
Avoid rooms or areas that are overly warm. Make sure that rooms are well ventilated and that air conditioning can be used. Do not eat large, heavy meals when venturing into the sun, as this makes the body more tired.
When venturing into the sun, do not overexpose yourself. Sun worshippers have a habit of staying in the sun for hours on end. This dehydrates the body and can lead to severe exhaustion. Always allow time for the body to become accustomed to changes in heat.
Avoiding substances such as caffeine and nicotine also helps the body avoid hyperthermia. Caffeine and nicotine are diuretics and dehydrate the body. Alcohol also causes dehydration and should be avoided in the sun.
Hyperthermia can happen in any weather to anyone. Older people using medication may be more susceptible, and young children are also especially at risk. Symptoms of hyperthermia include headaches, disorientation, tiredness and nausea. If suspected, hyperthermia should be treated by a medical expert immediately.
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What are the Symptoms of Heat Stroke?
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-symptoms-of-heat-stroke.html
Heat stroke is a very serious condition which can cause severe dehydration and blackouts. Heat stroke is caused by the body’s temperature rising, usually due to excessive heat. The body will lose vital fluids and minerals, usually through excessive sweating. Heat stroke can also be a serious side effect of extreme vomiting, fever or diarrhea.
The symptoms of heat stroke are wide ranging. They include headaches, fatigue and dizziness to begin with. Other symptoms of heat stroke are muscle cramps, high body heat, rapid breathing and a rapid pulse. The heat stroke sufferer may also become severely disorientated and suffer from seizures. One of the very serious symptoms of heat stroke is a loss of consciousness.
In addition to excessive heat, there may be some underlying reasons as to why a person is suffering from heat stroke. One of the main causes of heat stroke is dehydration; drinking alcohol while sunbathing can cause heat stroke. Alcohol dehydrates the body, and mixed with the heat, it is not a good combination.
Overweight people are also thought to be more susceptible to the symptoms of heat stroke. Overweight people tend to sweat more in excessive heat. This quickly dehydrates the body and can bring about the symptoms of heat stroke. People who suffer from undiagnosed overactive thyroid glands may also be more prone to heat stroke.
Heat exhaustion can also lead to the symptoms of heat stroke. When you have received a nasty sunburn or have been under some kind of physical exertion, heat stroke can occur. The earliest symptoms of heat stroke may not be noticeable. The condition can occur gradually as your temperature rises.
Although heat stroke can happen to anyone, some people need to take greater care than others. Older people, babies and young children are more susceptible to heat stroke. People who are physically active and people such as manual workers who work outside also have a higher risk of heat stroke.
If your temperature reaches over 103.1°F (39.5°C) and you are showing some of the symptoms of heat stroke, you may require medical attention. If your body temperature reaches 105.8°F (41°C), then this is seen as critical and you will need emergency medical treatment immediately. If you are suffering from milder symptoms of heat stroke, there are a few things you can do.
Move to a cooler area immediately and drink water. Do not take any medicine, and if possible, shower with cool water. Try to increase ventilation or cover the body with damp clothes in order to cool down. If the symptoms become more serious, a medical professional should be called immediately.
What are Symptoms of Sunstroke?
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-symptoms-of-sunstroke.htm
Sunstroke is a life threatening condition caused by overexposure to extreme heat. Sunstroke, sometimes called heatstroke, occurs when the body’s heat control system fails and it cannot lose the excessive heat. High temperatures can cause the body’s major organs to fail.
There are a large variety of symptoms present with the onset of sunstroke. In the early stages, the skin will become both hot and dry. Sweating usually stops, and breathing becomes rapid enough to bring on hyperventilation.
The body’s temperature, along with the pulse, will begin to rise rapidly. Other symptoms include muscle cramps and headaches. There may also be some mental and verbal confusion. Speech may be unintelligible or incoherent, and violent behavior may appear.
As sunstroke becomes more severe, the sufferer may be prone to hallucinations. The body’s temperature will rise rapidly, and convulsions may occur. Finally, the sufferer will lose consciousness.
The cause of sunstroke is usually lengthy exposure to high temperatures. Sunstroke can also be caused by heat exhaustion. People who work outside are susceptible, as are people who exercise for long periods of time without proper fluid intake.
Sunstroke can happen to anyone, but older people and children are more susceptible. If the body has had or is going through an illness, then sunstroke may occur more easily. Also, wearing clothes that are not suitable for high temperatures can contribute to sunstroke.
Certain medications can also contribute to the onset of sunstroke. Antidepressants, beta blockers and diuretics may have an adverse affect and interfere with the body’s heat control system. Sudden cramps and muscle spasm are also symptoms of sunstroke.
If sunstroke occurs, a doctor or medical help should be sought immediately. Blood pressure and body temperature tests will be taken in order to diagnose the condition. Urine and blood samples may also be taken.
Depending on the extremity of the condition, a stay in the hospital may be required. Body temperature will need to be lowered as soon as possible. Fluids and salt will need to be replaced, usually by an intravenous (IV) drip. A period of observation will also be necessary to monitor any temperature changes and to look for any complications that may occur.
What is the Heat Index?
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-heat-index.htm
Those who live in hot, humid climates have all heard the lament, “It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity!” on a particularly hot, sticky day. A heat index takes the actual air temperature and factors in the relative humidity to arrive at the temperature that the human body feels. Because humidity has a real effect on the human body’s ability to cool itself effectively, measuring the temperature a body feels under the influence of high heat and humidity is important to keep people safe from possible heat disorders.
When a body cools itself, perspiration forms on the skin and the air evaporates it. When humidity is high, since the air is already so saturated with water, the perspiration is not evaporated as quickly, or not at all. Therefore, when it is not only hot, but also humid, the temperature feels hotter because the body cannot cool itself effectively.
The heat index is calculated in the shade, with a light wind factored in. Direct sun exposure can raise the heat index by as much as 15 degrees Fahrenheit (about 8 degrees Celsius). Relative humidity is the ratio of the amount of water vapor in the air to the greatest amount of vapor possible. The formula is very complicated, especially for non-mathematicians, so numerous heat index charts are available on the Internet. In most areas hot and humid enough to require a heat index, weather forecasters usually give the actual temperature along with the heat index temperature.
For example, the heat index temperature for a 90°F (32°C) day with a relative humidity of 90% would be 121°F (49°C). At 80% humidity, a temperature of 95°F (35°C) would feel like 133°F (56°C). The highest recorded heat index reading was on 8 July 2003 in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. The relative humidity was 67% and the temperature was 108°F (42°C), making it feel like 176°F (80°C). When one compares a desert city with a relatively high temperature to a southern city near the ocean with a lower temperature, it may feel hotter in the southern city because the relative humidity pushes the heat index up.
The heat index, which is called the humidex in Canada, is a useful tool in predicting heat disorders. By calculating the heat index, health officials can issue helpful warnings to citizens about potential dangers from the heat. Temperatures from 90° to 105°F (32° to 41°C) can contribute to sunstroke and heat exhaustion. From 105° to 130°F (41° to 54°C), one can add heat stroke to the list of possible heat complications. During extended periods of exposure to temperatures over 130°F (54°C), heat stroke is nearly guaranteed.
Can Drinking too Much Water be Unhealthy or Even Dangerous?
http://www.wisegeek.com/can-drinking-too-much-water-be-unhealthy-or-even-dangerous.htm
Drinking too much water can be dangerous and has proven fatal. This may come as a surprise to dieters or to athletes who are told to be certain to get adequate fluids. The condition caused by drinking too much water is called water intoxication. It can have several possible effects, which can quickly cause an emergency medical situation.
While most people are safe drinking six to eight glasses of water a day, dieters or athletes may try to get an extra edge by drinking more. Especially high performance athletes like marathon runners may over-drink. This can result in an imbalance of the body’s electrolytes. Too much water can quickly deplete electrolytes like sodium compounds.
Rapid intake of too much water floods the inside of cells when sodium is depleted. This sodium depletion, called hyponatremia, can rupture the cells, either from extra pressure on the cells from without, or from pressure within flooded cells. As cells rupture in various parts of the body, certain symptoms emerge with rapidity. Severe vomiting and nausea are common. Headache may occur as the brain swells. A person may be confused or disoriented.
Symptoms progress and may include seizures, and coma. Untreated cases can and have resulted in death. The hazing incident in Chico, California that caused the death of Michael Carrington in 2005 was the direct result of drinking too much water. As well, Carrington was forced to perform exercises in a very cold basement. His death was noted as heart failure from water intoxication.
Runners have also collapsed by drinking too much water quickly. Some sports drinks replace electrolytes as they replace fluids. Yet not all drinks marketed as “sports drinks” are equivalent. Generally, a doctor will be able to tell one which drinks are the best when one is competing in sports. As well runners are now advised to drink when thirsty, instead of getting ahead of thirst. This helps reduce fluid intake to needed amounts in many cases, though most electrolyte replacing drinks are still better choices than water, which might be consumed in excess amounts to satisfy thirst.
Generally too much water is defined as water consumed above what the kidneys can process in an hour. Extremely healthy kidneys would be able to process about 30 ounces (approx .9 liters) of water in an hour. A person with kidney problems or with only one kidney should drink much less, as per doctor’s instructions.
The person with healthy kidneys could develop water intoxication by drinking about 2 to 3 times what the kidneys can process. For a person with kidney problems or with one kidney, too much water might be defined as just an ounce or two over the recommended amounts.
For people with healthy kidneys it should be perfectly safe to drink two cups of water an hour, and for the dieter, even one cup an hour will fulfill requirements for getting plenty of water. However, drinking too much water in rapid succession can prove fatal and should definitely be avoided.
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What is the Best Way to Protect my Eyes from the Sun?
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-best-way-to-protect-my-eyes-from-the-sun.html
Medical studies have increasingly tied chronic exposure to UV and near-UV rays to ocular diseases like cataracts and macular degeneration. Shade does not provide adequate protection, as the eyes still absorb UV radiation, especially when near water, snow, or highly reflective surfaces like concrete or sand. The best way to protect your eyes is a quality pair of sunglasses that meet recommended criteria for sun protection.
Although lenses are the most important feature, if the frames allow a considerable amount of light to enter the eyes without first being filtered through the lenses, much of the sun protection is lost. The most effective frames are a wrap-around style that blocks light from entering at the sides. Wraparounds also hug the face, lessening the amount of light that can enter over the top or at the cheekbones.
It is also vital that the lenses offer maximum sun protection. This isn’t dependent on how dark the lenses are, but rather on their ability to filter out certain wavelengths. Look for lenses that block 100% UV-A and UV-B rays. These are the same rays that cause sunburn and skin cancer. Though UV-C rays are often mentioned, the earth’s atmosphere blocks virtually all of these.
It is also important to look for lenses that filter near-UV light. Studies suggest that excessive exposure to near-UV light contributes to macular degeneration as we age, a chronic disease that results in deteriorated visual clarity. Near-UV is also called high energy visible (HEV) light or “blue light.” These rays are less destructive than UV-A or UV-B rays and do not have to be blocked entirely, but this spectrum should be at least partially filtered to provide better sun protection.
The near-UV range falls between 400 and 515 nanometers (nm) within the visible light spectrum. If glasses “block near-UV to 400nm,” this is an indicator that they don’t block much of this spectrum. Conversely, if they “block near-UV light to 515nm,” they filter out the entire spectrum, eliminating blue.
Yellow lenses remove the blue light spectrum completely, filtering all near-UV rays. This distorts color perception and feels harsh to many people. Amber lenses block some of this range and are less harsh then yellow lenses, preserving more true color. Melanin lenses are fairly new, based on the body’s own form of built-in sun protection, and filter a large portion of the near-UV or blue light spectrum while maintaining the truest color of HEV-blocking lenses.
Quality sunglasses will have a tag or accompanying information revealing the amount of sun protection they provide. Sunglasses missing this information probably don’t provide maximum sun protection, as 100% UV blockage and HEV filtering are valuable selling points.
Though sunglasses don’t have to be expensive, quality sunglasses are an investment in the long-term health of your eyes. Sunglasses that provide good sun protection will also help to protect the delicate skin surrounding the eyes from premature wrinkles and skin cancer. All the way around, a good pair of sunglasses is an investment well worth the money. Your eyes deserve good sun protection.
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Sunburns
Prevent sunburns by using sunscreen with a minimum SPF 15, limit exposure to sun and wear protective clothing, including a hat. A great tip is to teach your kids to put on their sunscreen EVERY morning before they get dressed. That way, as a parent, you’ll feel confident knowing your kids are protected no matter the situation. And don´t forget, always reapply sunscreen throughout the day, especially at the pool or beach. Just a few bad sunburns substantially increase the chance of getting skin cancer. If you or your child does get a sunburn to help ease the pain: apply wet, cool cloths on the burn for 10 to 15 minutes several times a day; apply lotion to soothe the skin; and take an over the counter pain reliever.
Joan’s Tips for when
air conditioning doesn’t work in your house
and the temperatures in your house are in the 90’s….
What I do…. and encourage family members to do:
I take a T-shirt…soak it in water and wring it out and put it on.
I am so nice and cool for about 20 minutes or so, then it becomes dry and I take it off and wet it again.
A wet bandana around the neck does wonders, if you do not like the feel of a wet T shirt.
I drink icy drinks…water with a touch of juice to flavor it…
I hose down the cement patio slab in back and the cement sidewlk in front…
the water evaporates up and has a refreshing cooling effect.
Avoid moving around too much. Sit in fron of a fan. Relax.
Hot chili peppers seem to relieve that overwhelming hot feeling.
