Senior Health: Summer Survival

 You can spray yourself with bug spray, turn the air condition on high or rent a cottage at the beach but don’t forget the basics when it comes to taking care of yourself during the heat of summer. Although anyone can be adversely affected by the heat, children and seniors are the most severely compromised because they have the least effective sweat mechanisms. Mary Anne Dunkin writing for Arthritis Today (July/Aug 2008) included several other “at risk” segments of the population in her Summer Survival Guide. • People who have heart disease. Excessive sweating causes blood volume to drop, which forces the heart to work harder. • People who live in cities. Cities are hotter than rural or suburban areas because buildings and pavement absorb heat during the day and radiate it at night. • People in cool climates. Heat has a greater effect on people who live in climates where is it is not common because their bodies are not accustomed to it. The author sites that fewer people die of heat in Phoenix than in Toronto. The body works hard to maintain a constant temperature, but when the weather gets hot, the body has to compensate. Generally speaking your heart rate increases. Blood vessels near the skin open to rid the body of heat and the body sweats to cool the skin. These compensations can be maintained for only so long before they themselves run into problems. Dehydration, kidney failure or confusion and even death may occur. So, what can you do to keep cool? Prevention is the best treatment. Staying inside, preferably in an air conditioned environment is the most obvious thing to do, but other things that you can do include: • Drink plenty of cold nonalcoholic, non-caffeinated beverages. • Avoid big meals and hot foods. • Take cool showers or baths. • Stay indoors. If you don’t have air conditioning use ceiling and window fans to circulate the air. Mist yourself from a spray bottle of water. • If you go outside, avoid strenuous activities during the warmest part of the day. • If you exercise regularly, do it early in the morning or in the evening. Ratchet down your workouts a notch or two. This might be the time to try mall walking or going to an air conditioned gym. • Wear light-colored, lightweight clothing.