Summer Safety

[CocoNut]

It is essential to take the necessary precautions while exercising during the summer months. The average person can take from one to two weeks to adapt to warmer, more humid temperatures. Here are some helpful safety tips to follow while exercising during the summer:

Rehydrate your body. While exercising in hot weather you can easily lose up to a quart of water an hour. Drink water before, during and after exercising. Since your body can only absorb 8 ounces of cold water every 20 minutes, continue to drink fluids even after you no longer feel thirsty. Sports drinks may be popular among intense exercisers, but they are not necessary and may actually absorb more slowly than plain water. If you prefer the taste of these drinks, try diluting them with water before consumption for easier rehydration.

Avoid working out during peak hours. Very hot and humid weather hampers perspiration’s ability to cool your body. Try exercising in the morning or evening to avoid the most intense heat as well as the times when smog and pollution levels are highest. Or consider exercising indoors at the local YMCA, health club or shopping mall.

Try walking. Walking is considered the most popular exercise among Americans. Invest in a good pair of walking shoes with a flexible sole, and good heel and arch support. It may be the only equipment you’ll need. Gently stretch for five minutes before starting your walk. When you are finished walking, cool down for five minutes by gently walking and stretching for another five minutes to prevent soreness.

Be open to new ideas. Try a new exercise or activity every two weeks, such as hiking, canoeing, rollerblading or biking. These activities will allow you easy access to water or rest.

Cool off in the water. Swimming is an excellent way to exercise during the summer months. There is no need to be a good swimmer to benefit from water exercise. Performing strokes such as the backstroke or doggie paddle at the shallow or deep end of the pool still counts as aerobic exercise.

Don’t forget your sunscreen. Apply SPF 15 sunscreen at least 30 minutes before exercising outdoors. Protect your eyes with sunglasses that block the sun’s UV rays. Exposure to direct and indirect sunlight over many years increases your risk of developing skin cancer.

Watch out for the symptoms of heat stroke. When the body can’t rid itself of excess heat, there can be a sudden rise in body temperature. Look for very hot and dry skin, dizziness, nausea, confusion and unconsciousness. Remember, these symptoms can appear rapidly. If these conditions exist, move the person to a cool area or immerse him or her in a cool bath to lower the body temperature as quickly as possible. You can also pour cool water over the person. Seek medical attention immediately; heatstroke can be fatal.

Choose the appropriate clothing. Wear loose-fitting clothing to allow circulation of air between your skin and the environment. Also, light-colored clothing will reflect sunlight, while darker clothing will absorb the heat. Cotton and linen are natural fabrics that may absorb moisture (sweat). However, synthetic fabrics that have a mesh-like weave will allow moisture to be whisked away from your skin.

I was just browsing when I found this, it may be of help to most of us. Kindly add any other tips.

[Sadi_Sobi]

Does anyone know if I'm meant to be drinking more water during teh summer, cuz of dehydration and all taht bull.

And does anyone have tips for dry lips, mine always feel real dry during June/July time :(

[Sadi_Sobi]

And while we're on the subject of summer, do these pest repellents really work?

[system]

Tip: Summer has hot weather...drink cold liquids...don't drink hot liquids. have hot food though...but not hot liquids...

[Sadi_Sobi]

Really? I thought eating summer food (like salads) was better for you then eating full on hot meals

[system]

Hot food make you thirsty...thirsty people drink cold water...cold water evaporate quickly..therefore you feel cooler. Q.E.D.

[Sadi_Sobi]

^ Thankyou

[Mehnaz]

Sobi, have you ever tried putting Vaseline on your lips before you go to sleep? It leaves your lips feeling soft and moisturized. :)

[Shahreen]

All the pest repellents I have tried smell disgusting.....so probably repells more than just pests. I know tea tree oil is a very effective insect repellent though.

As for the dry lips, vaseline or any other lip balm should do the trick. Maybe you need to exfoliate first to get rid of any dry flaky skin?

[Muzna]

Sobz,

Try breathing through your nose......;)

[Ums]

i've always wondered...

jus what does 'exfoliate' mean?

sounds like an operation.

[Qrius]

Coco, that's a very helpful article..thanks :)

one thing you can use to cool yourself down quickly on a summer day is put some icecubes covered in a towel and massage your face with it..i find that's the best thing i can do for myself :)

sobi, i personally like a lip balm that contains sunscreen and peppermint..also what you can do is apply some vaseline or lipbalm and use an old tooth brush to brush off dryskin off your lips..it helps.

Ums, exfoliate simply means srubbing..you don't have to be harsh..you can use a gentle exfoliant that contains softer grains and they don't harm your skin. I just learnt in a seminar yesterday..that the best exfoliant should have round grains.

[ahmadjee]

It seems odd to me when Canadians, British or even Yankees for that matter talk about heat. Come down south, near the equator, where the normal temperatures run in 100s and humidity is to a point that even the AC stops working ... then talk about what to do with it. :-p

[waleed]

ahmad jee its called ebing used to 'it' for example when i go from here to pak i feel so hot laikn when i come back in september i feel so cold and there is my abu just wearing a shirt