By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

July 17, 2020

It’s hot outside!

My thermometer has been sticking around the 90° mark. But the heat index down here in South Florida has been averaging between 100° and 105°.

The Sunshine State isn’t the only one getting slammed by sizzling temperatures. Heat warnings and advisories have plagued many regions of the country during these steamy summer months.

And it’s taking a huge toll on some of my patients. In fact, one of them recently experienced the scare of her life.

This woman is a real go-getter. She likes to get her exercise in… no matter what it takes.

But just a few days ago, the heat literally kicked her in the butt!

It was one of those 90 degree days with the sun shining and a beautiful clear blue sky.

She put on her running shoes and started out for a vigorous run around her neighborhood.

By the time she got home, she had a pounding headache. Her muscles felt cramped and “rubbery”. And she felt weak, dizzy and nauseous.

It didn’t take her long to pick up the phone and call me. I could immediately tell that something was drastically wrong… her booming voice sounded tinny and breathless.

It turns out she was suffering from heat exhaustion…

Thankfully, it was only a mild case. All we had to do was get her cooled down and rehydrated.

Now, keep in mind. This was a healthy, physically fit woman. You can only imagine the toll the heat can take on those who are less fit, sedentary or have existing health concerns.

Heat stroke, in particular, can occur when you spend long periods of time in the outdoor heat… or shorter periods of time performing strenuous outdoor activities.

The cause is self explanatory – your body temperature rises drastically, becomes dehydrated and can’t cool itself off.

It’s typically accompanied by a racing heartbeat, rapid breathing, nausea, confusion and slurred speech. Sometimes even seizures or loss of consciousness occurs.

While heat stroke can mimic a stroke, it’s not exactly the same thing. However, it should still be viewed as a potentially fatal medical emergency that requires a call to 911.

Ride Out the Heat by Staying Smart, Cool and Hydrated

While there’s not much you can do to control the heat, there are several things you can do to protect yourself. These tips will help you avoid heat stroke or exhaustion.

Plan your outdoor activities. First and foremost… please, do not engage in strenuous outdoor physical activity during the hottest parts of the day. Schedule outdoor chores and exercise workouts in the early morning or late after evening hours when the temperatures are cooler. (If you must work outdoors during the day, make sure to take plenty of breaks to cool down.)

Keep yourself hydrated. Don’t forget to take plenty of water with you when you head outdoors on a hot sunny day. Fanny and backpack coolers are both great for carrying extra water. They’re easy to carry without interfering with your natural body movement.

Also, keep in mind that sugary, caffeinated and alcoholic drinks are all dehydrating. So limit your intake of these beverages.

Stay cool. If you are going to a concert, cookout or other outdoor activity on a scorching summer day, seek shade whenever possible. I also like to fill a spray bottle with cold water and ice cubes to take with me. Whenever I’m feeling over heated, I just give myself a cooling spray.

Eat for the heat. Foods that are salty, sugary or fried are some of the worst foods to eat during a heat wave. Instead, zero in on hydrating foods like leafy greens, cucumbers, celery, avocados and fresh fruits.

Never leave an adult, child or pet inside a parked car even if the windows are cracked open and you are parked in the shade. An outdoor temperature of 70° can climb to 99° inside the car in only 20 minutes. If it’s 90° outside, it will reach 120° in that same amount of time.

Expect power outages. When air conditioners across the city are running at full speed, it’s not uncommon for the power to go out. And it gets REALLY hot indoors when the sun is glaring down on your house and you don’t have any air circulating.

In this case, sinking into a tub of cool water or taking a cold shower can help keep your body temperature down.

Or, as we often do down here in South Florida after a hurricane strike, start your car and turn the A/C on full blast. (Just make sure to back it out of the garage first so there is plenty of ventilation for the exhaust fumes.)

If your local mall or shopping plaza has power, you can head out and do a little window shopping.

Otherwise, pile the family into the car and head for water. Throw on the sunscreen, pull out the rafts and spend a day playing in cool water. Believe me… it’s a lot more fun than sitting in a hot house feeling miserable!

In the meantime, if you believe someone is suffering from heat stroke, call 911. While you are waiting for the emergency crew to arrive, get them out of the sun and into air conditioning if possible. Take off unnecessary outer clothing and cool the person down by applying ice packs to their neck, back, arm pits, and groin area. Even bags of frozen veggies will work for this.

A few glasses of cool to cold water sipped slowly (even chewed ice chips) is always a good idea too.