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Summer is the season for relaxing, having fun and spending time with your family and friends, but it’s also a time to remember simple precautions to keep yourself and your family safe.
Heat cramps
Occur after several hours of physical exertion in the heat.
Symptoms:
- Painful muscle spasms usually in the legs or abdomen
Treatment:
- Get out of the heat and into the shade
- Hydrate with water or sports drink
- Stretch/massage the muscle
Prevention:
- Acclimatize to the environment so your body adapts to the heat
- Hydrate with water or sports drink before and during exercise
- Avoid exercising during hottest part of the day
- Wear light, loose clothing and use sunscreen
Heat exhaustion
Due to loss of water & salt through sweat
Symptoms:
- Headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness, and cool, clammy skin.
Treatment:
- Stop and rest
- Hydrate and get into a cool room or shade
- Loosen clothing and apply cool wet towels or pour cool water over the head
Prevention:
- Same as heat cramp prevention
- Dangers of Alcohol and the Sun
- Consuming alcohol can increase your risk of sunburn and dehydration and can diminish your awareness of your body and surroundings.
Alcohol can also lower inhibitions and contribute to reckless behavior. Fun summer activities, like swimming, water skiing, or recreational sports, can become potentially risky when mixed with alcohol.
Drinking alcohol also increases the risk of melanoma, or skin cancer. Rates of melanoma are up to 20 percent higher for individuals who regularly consume alcohol compared to those who occasionally or never drink alcohol.
