Arizona's heat is not just uncomfortable; it is dangerious and deadly!

On a hot day, a person can produce as much as 2 to 3 gallons of sweat. Because so many heat illnesses involve excessive dehydration of the body, it is essential that water intake during the day be about equal to the amount of sweat produced.

People who work or live outdoors, young children, and the elderly are at greater risk to suffer from heat-related illnesses. This is an important time to check on your neighbors, especially if they are elderly or living alone.

Heat-related illness falls into three major categories

Heat cramps are muscular pains and spasms that occur when the body loses electrolytes during profuse sweating or when inadequate electrolytes are taken into the body. They usually begin in the arms, legs, or abdomen, and often precede heat exhaustion. Treatment for heat cramps is to rest in shade, get near a fan, spray the person with water, and massage the cramp.

Heat exhaustion is a medical emergency. When a person is suffering from heat exhaustion, they will perspire profusely and most likley will be pale. Heat exhaustion is best treated by taking the person to a cool place, applying cool compresses, elevating feet, and giving fluids.

Heat stroke is the worst heat-related injury. The brain has lost its ability to regulate body temperature. The person will be hot, reddish, and warm to the touch. Their temperature will be markedly high and there will be no persperation. This is a medical emergency! Call 9-1-1! The emergency care of heat stroke is to cool the body as quickly as possible. One of the best methods for cooling the body during a heat emergency is to wrap the patient in cool, wet sheets.

Other tips to avoid heat-related illness

• Never leave infants, children, or pets inside a parked vehicle.
• Increase your fluid intake regardless of activity level. Don't wait until you feel thirsty to drink fluids; drink more liquid than your thirst tells you that you need.
• There is no optimum temperature of drinking water, but most people tend not to drink warm or very cold fluids as readily as they will drink cool ones.
• Avoid "heat hangover."
Continue to drink fluids even after strenuous activity. This will enable the body to maintain optimum hydration, and help prevent the after effects of heat sxposure such as headaches and fatigue.
• Avoid beverages containing alcohol, caffeine, or large amounts of sugar as they dehydrate the body.
• Avoid very cold beverages as they cause stomach cramps.
• Never depend on thirst to signal when and how much to drink. Instead, drink 5 to 7 ounces of fluids every 15 to 20 minutes to replenish the necessary fluids in the body.
• Limit exercise or outdoor activity between the hours of 11am and 3pm which is when the sun is at its peak intensity. If active during this time frame, drink a minimum of 16 to 32 ounces of water each hour.
• Wear a sunscreen with a minimum SPF 15 and apply it at least 30 minutes before going outside.
• When outdoors, rest frequently in shady areas so your body can recover.
• Take special precaution with infants and young children by dressing them in loose, cool clothing and shading their heads and faces with hats or an umbrella. Protect their feet with shoes.
• Carry bottled water with you in the car for yourself, your passengers, and for anyone you see who might be suffering from the heat.

OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, has a publication about protecting yourself from heat stress. You can access it in the following formats:

click here to order yours today