Archive for the ‘Community Healthcare Center’ Category

I spent my 4^th of July weekend in Las Vegas.  While Sin City was never on my wish list of travel destinations, my wife had been many years ago and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.  She raved about the extravagant shows and endless entertainment options.  So after years of her wearing me down, it was viva las vegas.

Upon leaving the airport, the first thing I was struck by—literally—was the heat.  As soon as I left the airport, a wall of heat nearly took me off my feet.  Even by north Texas standards, it was smoking hot.  After checking into our hotel on the Vegas strip, my wife and I decided to venture out into the desert climate. 

Once on the strip, I was taken aback by the prevalence of booze on the street – it’s legal to consume alcohol on public sidewalks and outside areas.  Even in 100+ degree heat, young (mostly) partygoers carried and drank beer as they hopped from one hot spot to another.  The combination of heat and alcohol got me thinking about sun safety, and coincidently, the tips below for preventing heat-related illnesses appeared in my inbox today, courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). 

It’s too late for these tips to help me in Las Vegas, but perhaps they’ll help you and yours this summer in the blistering north Texas heat. 

What else did I do in Vegas?  WHIVSIV.

The best defense against heat illness is prevention. Here are some prevention tips:

• Drink more fluids (nonalcoholic), regardless of your activity level. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink. Warning: If your doctor generally limits the amount of fluid you drink or has you on water pills, ask him how much you should drink while the weather is hot.
   
• Don’t drink liquids that contain alcohol or large amounts of sugar–these actually cause you to lose more body fluid. Also, avoid very cold drinks, because they can cause stomach cramps.
   
• Stay indoors and, if at all possible, stay in an air-conditioned place. If your home does not have air conditioning, go to the shopping mall or public library–even a few hours spent in air conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you go back into the heat. Call your local health department to see if there are any heat-relief shelters in your area.
   
• Electric fans may provide comfort, but when the temperature is in the high 90s, fans will not prevent heat-related illness. Taking a cool shower or bath, or moving to an air-conditioned place is a much better way to cool off.
   
• Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.
   
• NEVER leave anyone in a closed, parked vehicle.
   
• Although any one at any time can suffer from heat-related illness, some people are at greater risk than others. Check regularly on:
   
  • Infants and young children
  • People aged 65 or older
  • People who have a mental illness
  • Those who are physically ill, especially with heart disease or high blood pressure
     
• Visit adults at risk at least twice a day and closely watch them for signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Infants and young children, of course, need much more frequent watching.

If you must be out in the heat:

• Limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours.
   
• Cut down on exercise. If you must exercise, drink two to four glasses of cool, nonalcoholic fluids each hour.  A sports beverage can replace the salt and minerals you lose in sweat. Warning: If you are on a low-salt diet, talk with your doctor before drinking a sports beverage. Remember the warning in the first “tip” (above), too.
   
• Try to rest often in shady areas.
   

Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat (also keeps you cooler) and sunglasses and by putting on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher (the most effective products say “broad spectrum” or “UVA/UVB protection” on their labels).

Brett Moyer, Community Relations Coordinator