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Summer is here: How to beat the heat |
By Amanda
Newman, Newberg Graphic intern
E-mail Amanda at
anewman@eaglenewspapers.com
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As summer temperatures soar over
100 degrees, people and animals are at risk of dehydration, sun
stroke and permanent brain damage, according to Providence Newberg
Medical Center’s Anya Hill.
Hill, a certified physician’s assistant with the hospitalist
program, said there is a standard list of “dos and don’ts” to follow
when the temperature starts to climb.
Do:
— Drink plenty of fluids, even when not thirsty.
— Stay indoors.
— If the air conditioning goes out, go to the mall, the movies or a
friend’s air-conditioned house.
— Even with air conditioning, set up fans to circulate the air.
— Wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
— Limit exercise routines, wear wide-brimmed hats, stay in the
shade and move slowly.
— Check on elderly neighbors and relatives.
Don’t:
— Overdress babies.
— Drink ice cold drinks, which can cause stomach cramps, or fluids
that are caffeinated, alcoholic or sugar-filled.
— Leave people or animals in cars, even with the windows cracked.
It is also important to care correctly for pets, who are also “very
subject to heat stroke,” Hill said. Pets should be supplied with
plenty of water and kept indoors, if possible.
Hill stressed the importance of drinking fluids, saying that when
temperatures exceed 90 degrees a person can lose a half-gallon of
water in 10 minutes outdoors.
“Even if you’re drinking your eight glasses a day, in this heat
it’s not enough,” Hill said, explaining that the required water
intake in extreme temperatures is about double that.
Elderly people and those affected by underlying medical conditions
— particularly heart or breathing problems — are most susceptible to
the heat, Hill explained, and should be checked on frequently.
Although dehydration is the most common side-effect of the heat,
problems can also range from heat stroke to permanent brain damage.
“They say your brain tissue actually begins to cook,” Hill said. |
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From July 14, 2007,
Newberg Graphic
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