Drink up – It's HOT out there!

Late August and September are known as the Dog Days of Summer. The tourists are going home, but the temperatures are still warm. Here are a few late summer ideas to help you stay hydrated in the high temps. Excessive heat exposure can cause dehydration, which in turn can cause dangerous conditions like heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke (also called sunstroke). Drinking water frequently throughout the day is the easiest way to prevent the complications from excessive heat exposure. The way you dress can go a long way towards keeping you comfortable when you’re outside in the heat. Dark clothing absorbs more heat, and tight clothes don’t let you sweat, your body’s natural cooling system, evaporate. Sunglasses are chic and functional. They prevent harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from scorching your corneas and protect your eyes for many more summers to come. Choose sunglasses that block 90 to 100 percent of UV rays. Nothing knocks good days off a summer calendar like a nasty sunburn. When outdoors, use sunscreen with an SPF rating of at least 15. Use a higher-rated, waterproof sunscreen if you’ll be poolside or out on the beach. Don’t forget to cover areas that burn easily: nose, ears, shoulders, and back of the neck. Don’t forget your lips! Just like sunscreen protects the rest of your skin, a lip balm with SPF protection blocks out the sun and keeps in moisture for your lips. It’s so important to stay hydrated. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty! Drink water throughout the day to prevent dehydration or over exhaustion. All-natural juice without added sugar not only provides hydration but also important nutrients to keep you active in hot weather. Check the label on the juice bottle and make sure it says “100 percent juice with no sugar added.” A nice cool alcoholic drink sounds great and refreshing on a hot summer day. Picking an alcoholic drink isn’t the best choice however, choose water if possible. That’s because alcohol only dehydrates you more. If you can’t barbecue without a brew, drink a bottle of water between each alcoholic beverage to stay hydrated. Like alcohol, caffeine sucks the moisture out of you. On hot days, avoid it as much as possible, especially when combined with alcohol. The best advice, avoid the sun during the hottest part of the day. UV rays are at their highest, normally between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. That’s the best time to head inside, get food and water, let your body cool down, and maybe even take a nap. How much water do you need on a hot summer day? Water makes up about 60 percent of the human body, and without enough of it, dehydration can set in, causing dry mouth, tiredness, and headaches. Experts say adult males, that means about 3.7 liters of fluids per day (nearly 16 cups), while ladies need roughly 2.7 liters (or 11 cups) per day. It’s important to remember if you are not accustomed to working or exercising in a hot environment, start slowly and pick up the pace gradually. If exertion in the heat makes your heart pound and leaves you gasping for breath, STOP all activity. Get into a cool area or at least into the shade, and rest, especially if you become lightheaded, confused, weak, or faint. It is important to drink before and during physical activity in hot weather and not wait until thirsty. And if, after a period of yard work or an intense workout in the heat, watch for the signs of dehydration. Daily water intake must be balanced with losses to maintain total body water. Losing body water can adversely affect your functioning and health. Once you start feeling thirsty, you’ve probably lost about 1 percent of your body water and are dehydrated. With a 2 percent water loss, you could experience serious fatigue and cardiovascular impairments. It’s important to note that individual fluid needs differ depending on your sweat rate, the environmental temperature, your clothing, humidity and other factors. Of course, drinking filtered water, is the healthiest option you can choose. For more information on our drinking water systems, you can visit our website.]]>