Ways to combat Heat Stroke

(Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/carlosmatus/3487760642/)

By Kathryn Sunga

In a tropical country like the Philippines, excessive heat is often experienced by a lot of people especially during summer. Staying under the sun is quite popular to some people to get a tan or simply just to get some vitamins from it. But nowadays, too much exposure to the sun can lead to several problems such as, skin cancer and the most popular during summer time is heat stroke.

Too much heat can definitely lead to heat stroke which is deadly. People who are suffering from heat stroke should immediately seek a medical care as soon as possible to avoid death. This usually happens when the person is no longer producing perspiration due to dehydration. A person's body temperature will dramatically rise because the body is in too much heat that it cannot cool itself anymore.

Here are some of the symptoms of heat stroke:

• Shallow breathing
• Rapid heartbeat
• High core temperature of up to a hundred degrees Fahrenheit
• Strange behaviour or confusion
• Loss of consciousness
• Headache
• Dry, hot and red skin
• Convulsions
• Hallucinations
• Bizarre activities

There some tips on how you can avoid heat stroke and dehydration during summer time. Here are some helpful and easy tips that you should definitely follow:

Avoid staying under the sun, especially during the hottest time of the day which is noon to 3p.m.

Wear something comfortable. You can wear hat and a light color and loose fitting clothing to allow your body to breathe.

Reserve your exercise activities during early morning and later in the night.

Avoid meals that are hot. Hot meals usually increase a person's metabolism which can cause an increase in the body temperature as well.

Stay in a cool place. Set your room air conditioner between 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. For people who don't own one, taking a cool shower twice or thrice a day can also help.

Drink plenty of water to help your body produce sweat. Sweating is the way of your body to cool itself. Avoid caffeinated and alcoholic drinks that can only be loss through urination and not by sweating.

Eat more fruits that can help you to be well hydrated such as, watermelons, coconuts, cucumber and tomatoes. These foods can help your body to be cool during hot summer days.

Understanding what heat stroke is all about can help you avoid experiencing it. Share it with the people around you to help them avoid having heat stroke. Follow these easy and important things to avoid dehydration which can lead to heat stroke and eventually death.

(Kathyrn Sunga is a freelance writer specializing in fashion, technology and health issues)