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May 14th, 2014

Beat the heat

The warm weather has arrived and it’s really important to take care of yourself and protect yourself from heat illness.

TOP TIPS TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM HEAT ILLNESS

Consume cold and frozen treats — Frozen treats like ice cream and popsicles can bring delight during hot and humid days, so fill up your refrigerators with these refreshing goodies during summer.

Spend time in cool and air-conditioned places — Air conditioning generates cool air around the house that serves as protection from the heat outside. Those who do not have air conditioner at home may choose to hang out in air-conditioned places like cafes and malls.

Enjoy an ice-cold water spa — Relaxing at an Ice-cold water spa helps spread refreshing feeling all over the body, starting from the feet. To do this at home, simply soak your feet in a half-filled pail with ice cubes and water. Our body radiates heat from the palms of our hands and feet, our ears and our face, so cooling down any of these parts will eventually cool the entire body.

Keep a cold water spray bottle — Another simple yet effective way to lower the body temperature is by spraying yourself with cold water from a spray bottle in the refrigerator. Spraying water over the body’s pulse points like the neck, wrist and temples of the head – where blood vessels are closer to the surface of our skin – can help the body cool down. Make sure to bring a hand towel to wipe off excess water.

Make your refrigerator your friend — You can put household items inside the refrigerator to cool them off. Want to have a good night’s sleep during summer time? Chill your bed by placing folded sheets and pillow casings in plastic bags and letting them cool off in the fridge for a few hours. Pull them out just before going to bed for a cool and comfortable sleep.

Turn off appliances when unused — When appliances run on electricity, they create their own heat. So turn appliances off – laptops, lights, television – when not in use. By turning them off (and unplugging them), heat circulating within the area can be reduced.

Take a cool shower everyday — When all else fails, taking a cool shower once or twice everyday never disappoints. Frequent showers help lower body temperature while also rinsing off body sweat, making you feel a lot more comfortable even during hot days

Re-schedule your workout — When the heat stress index rises above 90°F, consider postponing your exercise session until later in the day. Drink before, during, and after exercising. (Drink six to eight ounces of fluid every 15 to 20 minutes during exercise). Know when to say ‘no’ to exercise. Use common sense to prevent heat stress when it gets hot out.

Sunscreen – sunscreen – sunscreen! — It’s an obvious one but so important!

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