Summer is here!! It is time to plan your vacation and fun activities for the warm months of the year. If you live in Florida like I do, we have summer weather most of the year, but now the kids are out of school for a few weeks and we are all planning our summer activities.
We usually think of days at the beach or around the pool during the summer. If you have children, be sure they know how to swim and never leave them unsupervised. Learn CPR and keep a phone nearby to call for help in an emergency.
We sometimes forget that adults need to take care also. Never dive into an unknown body of water head first—also go feet first to check the depth. Don’t dive into the ocean or a lake—there can be objects below the surface of those waters that are not visible. NEVER swim alone—and no alcohol! We usually think about water emergencies with smaller children, but they can and do happen to teens and adults too!
If you are working or doing any physical activity in the warm months, don’t forget the sunscreen. I used to be so good about applying sunscreen, but would forget to re-apply every few hours. A nasty sunburn is so painful and can ruin your fun in the sun for days so reapply every 2 hours and if possible, wear a hat. Sunshades are not just for fashion!! Be sure yours protect from UVA and UVB rays.
Take frequent breaks and drink lots of water. Wed MD recommends ‘Gatorade and PowerAde with electrolytes because they help replace salt and retain fluid’. Heath exhaustion and Heat stroke are especially dangerous for workers who are in the heat all day and unable to take regular breaks. Also seniors need to take care that they don’t get overheated.
Check out these signs of heat exhaustion and stroke from Web MD:
The first sign is cramping in the legs, and if that occurs, cool off and drink fluid until it goes away because if you don’t, it can progress to heat exhaustion and then heat stroke. Cramping — especially a cramp in the leg — is a sign that the body is losing salt and electrolytes, and you really ought to heed it…. Cramping and light sweating gives way to more profuse, heavier sweating, feeling lightheaded and maybe a little nauseous, and then you hit heat stroke, your body stops sweating, and can no longer cool itself.
Some of the signs of heat stroke include:
“Let the body cool down naturally in early stages of heat exhaustion, but if you miss the signs and it progresses, put ice packs on the groin, armpits and neck where blood flows close to the surface,” she says.
Other ways to cool the body include immersing the body in cool water, placing the person in a cool shower, or wrapping the person in a cool, wet blanket.
Take a few extra precautions and stay alert so that your summer can be a relaxing and safe time for you and your family.
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