No matter your age, if you don’t take certain precautions, the hot weather can be a miserable experience. A lot of what we know about protecting ourselves is common sense but some people live more dangerously than others.
The hottest and muggiest days of summer have been known to fall between early July and early September. During this time period, the reward comes from an opportunity to move a bit slower, dress in clothes that reveal some skin and go to the beach or have a holiday cookout. This and more can be the result of experiencing the sultry days of summer as long as you follow these simple rules first.
Beating The Heat
- Always dress children in light-colored cotton clothing. Babies should wear cotton t-shirts instead of going to an outing shirtless. Cotton can absorb heat and keep babies cooler. Also try shirts made from 100 percent Bamboo to reap the benefits of staying cool without perspiration.
- If babies get sunburn, never put medicated lotions on their bodies unless instructed by a physician first. Instead, be sure to buy baby lotions with the necessary sunscreen protection already in them.
- Choose sunscreens that have a broad spectrum of protection. Dry skin is not the only cause of wrinkles. Intense sunshine exposure is one of the leading causing of skin damage and wrinkles. Your options for sun protection are SPF moisturizers, basic sunscreens or tinted moisturizers.
- Drink plenty of liquids and stay away from sugar filled carbonated drinks. Carbonated drinks have an alarming amount of sugar, overwhelming calories, harmful additives and can ruin your appetite for healthy foods that your body needs.
- Senior citizens should try to stay in cool places during warm weather. Now that the dog days of summer are upon us, the risk of heatstroke among older people is much higher. If you do not have air conditioning, go somewhere that does. A movie theater, the mall, a friend or relatives or a community center for seniors are a few good places.
- Try to do all chores in the morning or afternoon when it’s cooler, instead of the peak hours between noon and 5 p.m. Never try to overexert yourself in warm weather. It slows you down and increases your chances of passing out. Arm yourself with water bottles and damp towels to keep cool even if you’re just outdoors at a cookout.
- If you have been out in the sun for an extended period of time and feel tired, weak and nauseated, drink plenty of liquids, soak in cool water and seek medical attention if symptoms are severe.
