Keep Your Cool in Hot Weather

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Learn about heat-related illness and how to stay cool and safe in hot weather.

Now is the time to prepare for the high temperatures that kill hundreds of people every year. Extreme heat caused 7,415 heat-related deaths in the United States from 1999 to 2010 . Heat-related deaths and illness are preventable, yet annually many people succumb to extreme heat.

Take measures to stay cool, remain hydrated and to keep informed. Getting too hot can make you sick. You can become ill from the heat if your body can't compensate for it and properly cool you off. The main things affecting your body's ability to cool itself during extremely hot weather are:

• High humidity. When the humidity is high, sweat won't evaporate as quickly, which keeps your body from releasing heat as fast as it may need to.
• Personal factors. Age, obesity, fever, dehydration, heart disease, mental illness, poor circulation, sunburn, and prescription drug and alcohol use can play a role in whether a person can cool off enough in very hot weather.

People age 65 and older are at high risk for heat-related illnesses.

Drink plenty of fluids to prevent heat-related illnesses.

Those who are at highest risk include people 65 and older, children younger than two, and people with chronic diseases or mental illness.  Closely monitor people who depend on you for their care:

• Are they drinking enough water?
• Do they have access to air conditioning?
• Do they need help keeping cool?

People at greatest risk for heat-related illness can take the following protective actions to prevent illness or death:

• Stay in air-conditioned buildings as much as possible. Contact your local health department or locate an air-conditioned shelter in your area. Air-conditioning is the number one protective factor against heat-related illness and death. If a home is not air-conditioned, people can reduce their risk for heat-related illness by spending time in public facilities that are air-conditioned, and using air conditioning in vehicles.
• Do not rely on a fan as your primary cooling device during an extreme heat event.
• Drink more water than usual and don't wait until you're thirsty to drink.
• Check on a friend or neighbor and have someone do the same for you.
• Don't use the stove or oven to cook—it will make you and your house hotter.

Even young and healthy people can get sick from the heat if they participate in strenuous physical activities during hot weather:

• Limit outdoor activity, especially midday when the sun is hottest.
• Wear and reapply sunscreen as indicated on the package.
• Pace activity. Start activities slow and pick up the pace gradually.
• Drink more water than usual and don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink more. Muscle cramping may be an early sign of heat-related illness.
• Wear loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing.

If you participate on a sports team that practices during hot weather protect yourself and look out for your teammates:

• Schedule workouts and practices earlier or later in the day when the temperature is cooler.
• Monitor a teammate’s condition, and have someone do the same for you.
• Seek medical care immediately if you or a teammate has symptoms of heat-related illness.
• Learn more about how to protect young athletes from heat-related illness by taking this CDC course.

Everyone should take these steps to prevent heat-related illnesses, injuries, and deaths during hot weather:

• Stay in an air-conditioned indoor location as much as possible.
• Drink plenty of fluids even if you don't feel thirsty.
• Schedule outdoor activities carefully.
  • Wear loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing and sunscreen.
  • Pace yourself.
• Take cool showers or baths to cool down.
• Check on a friend or neighbor and have someone do the same for you.
• Never leave children or pets in cars.
• Check the local news for health and safety updates.

More Information

• Beat the Heat (When Working Outdoors) [5:30 minutes]
• Downloadable Extreme Heat Media Toolkit
• Extreme Heat and Your Health
• Frequently Asked Questions about Extreme Heat
• Heat and Athletes
• Heat and Infants and Children
• Heat and Low Income
• Heat Stress in the Elderly
• How to Stay Cool in Extreme Heat
• Prepare for Diabetes Care in Heat and Emergencies
• Protect Workers from Heat Stress
• Warning Signs and Symptoms of Heat-Related Illness

Source: CDC

6 Ways Water Makes You Beautiful

Have you ever noticed how you feel tired and cranky, and your hair and eyes are dull when you haven’t had enough water? This is because the human body is roughly 70% water and it is an essential nutrient for your body to function. You should be drinking a minimum of 8 glasses a day in order to replace the large amounts you lose through skin evaporation, sweating, breathing, and urine. If your water intake doesn’t match your output then you can become dehydrated, which is unhealthy and potentially dangerous, especially for small children. Water loss is even more rigorous in warmer clients, so for us Pakistani’s drinking water is a priority.
Although you might be aware of the health reasons for water, you might not be informed about its beauty benefits. Read further to learn about ways in which water makes you beautiful from the outside:

Pore Cleanser

Our skin and body is exposed to a number of pollutants and toxins throughout the day. If the body accumulates more toxins than what the liver and kidneys can handle, then the skin takes over. Excessive toxins then leave through the skin and if the body is even slightly dehydrated then the pores become clogged. To help your skin remove toxins and keep your body and pores clear, drink water and stay hydrated.

Toned Skin

One of the numerous benefits of drinking water is that it gets stored in our cells, which expand when properly hydrated with essential H2O causing our skin to look tighter and toned. So instead of visiting the dermatologist for a jab, drink up and help smooth out the appearance of wrinkles, cellulite and flappy skin.

Shiny Hair

You can be getting a weekly protein treatment at your local parlor, but if you hair is dehydrated, there aren’t enough hair treatments to bring it back to life. Our hair is made up of 5% water and 95% protein so when you drink lots of water your hair looks more alive and bouncy. Not only can water make it shiny, but it can help stimulate hair growth, so put down the Rogaine and drink up!

Fight Acne

Like we said before, water is your body’s way of getting rid of toxins and if you’re dehydrated then your pores become clogged. When ridding itself of toxins, your skin’s pH can change. When combined with clogged pores, this is an acne breakout waiting to happen! When you have acne, look at it as a sign that your body chemistry is imbalanced and your detoxification system is backed up. Before begging for harsh retinoid creams from your dermatologist start by drinking half your body weight in ounces of water and see the magic happen.

Sparkling Eyes

Dull, lifeless and bloodshot eyes can be due to many factors, such as illness, diet and dehydration. If you’ve crossed out any medical reasons then it’s time to pretty up those peepers by treating them internally by drinking water.

Weight Loss

Have you ever had a full meal, felt stuffed and then craved food soon after? This might be because your body is dehydrated and is sending you signals to drink up but you’re confusing it with eat up.   Although eating will give you the necessary fluids your body is craving, it’ll also give you unnecessary weight gain.  So next time you feel hungry try having a glass of water instead and see if it kills the craving.

The Takeaway

After reading about the numerous health and beauty benefits of water, we hope you’re chugging away as you read this last paragraph. With benefits like clear skin, sparkling eyes, shiny hair and a smaller waist line, there is nothing keeping you from going above and beyond your minimum eight glasses a day.

7 Things You Should Know About Heart Health

You should know the importance of the heart as an organ. Without a heart, you can’t live! With that said, you need to take care of your heart. Here, I’m going to talk about the vital things you must know to make sure your heart runs like a horse. Well, not exactly like a horse, but here are 7 things you should know about heart health.

Check Your Cholesterol Level

You can only find out information about your blood cholesterol via a blood or cholesterol test. Otherwise, you can be skinny and fit and still have high cholesterol. Don’t make the mistake of assumption and put yourself at a risk of cardiovascular disease!
It is imperative to keep a track of your blood cholesterol every now and then due to the strong impact of high cholesterol on your heart health. Too much cholesterol leads to its deposition in the walls of the arteries in the heart, leading to a condition known as atherosclerosis. In this disease, the arteries are narrowed because of the cholesterol build up and blood flow throw them is impaired.

Check Your Heart Rate

Heart rate is the number of times your heart beats per minute. This is crucial to your heart health. The normal heart rate varies from one age group to another. The average heart rate (in resting state) of an adult is 60-100 beats per minute. The most common place for finding your pulse is the wrist.
If your heart rate is increased by a great margin or irregular, it’s imperative to go see a doctor!

Blood pressure: Key to Heart Health

You often hear doctors saying ‘blood pressure’s dropping’ or ‘BP’s shooting!’, but do you know what it really means? Blood pressure is the pressure exerted by the blood on the artery walls of the heart, while the blood is being pumped out.
Normal blood pressure is below 120/80. When blood pressure is consistently higher than that, it hints towards hypertension. Hypertension is a silent killer – it doesn’t come with symptoms.
It is therefore necessary to monitor your blood pressure frequently. You can do it yourself at home using a digital blood pressure device.

Know Your Numbers

Blood pressure and heart rate aren’t the only numbers you need to keep track of. Another measurement you need to be monitoring is your waistline. Obese people are multiple times greater at risk of heart attack, hypertension and atherosclerosis.
Keep a track of your BMI. It is calculated by dividing your weight in kilograms by the square of your height in meters. If your BMI is above 25, you are over-weight.

Quit Smoking!

Of course, smoking as you should know, affects your lungs and can cause lung cancer. But, did you know that smoking also increases your risk of a heart attack? An estimated 1 out of 5 deaths from heart disease is directly linked to smoking. The nicotine in cigarette raises your blood pressure and shoots your heart rate.

Stress

Stressing out does not only mentally frustrate you, but also has an impact on your heart. Stress is an established risk factor for heart disease. Stress leads to persistently high levels of hormones like adrenaline and cortisol and has also been linked to changes in the way blood clots.

Exercise More to Keep Your Heart Young

Make exercise a part of your life. Take a walk or go for a run every day, join the gym or do an easy cardio work-out at home! It strengthens your heart, helps maintain you blood pressure, and also helps regulate your weight!