What Summer Heat Can Do To You

July 25, 2011

Interview with Dr. Bruce Kaler, author of the book Owners Manual for Injury Prevention

________________

Mike Carruthers:
Now that we’re in the hot days of summer the heat can be a problem for everyone.

Dr. Bruce Kaler:
Mind you some people die from heat related problems and it’s usually the people who failed to recognize these early warning signs and failed to head it off.
 

Dr. Bruce Kaler, author of the book Owners Manual for Injury Prevention, says yes the sick, the elderly, and the very young are most susceptible to heat problems but anyone can fall victim to heat exposure if they’re not aware of the early warning signs.

You can get a head ache, you feel faint and dizzy, your judgment is impaired, you may not even appreciate how poorly you feel at the time.

And that’s a real problem – your thinking gets so messed up you can’t really tell you’re in trouble.

We often recommend for people who are going to have to be outside that they have a buddy. Working alone certainly increases the risk of you falling into trouble whereas if you have a buddy you can keep an eye on each other and make sure that you both stay on track.

Staying too hot too long and not drinking enough fluid are the 2 main reasons people get in trouble.

I think on an average basis for a healthy person on a typical day you need about 2 liters of water to just keep up to meet your basis needs. In summer months the demand for water goes up tremendously.