Exercise With Caution: The Heat Can Killby Heather Long | More from this Blogger 13 Aug 2006 02:46 PM The last few weeks, the temperatures here have soared above the 100-degree mark. In fact, between the heat and the humidity, walking outside is like a one-two punch to the face. The scary part is, even at 6 in the morning, with temperatures exceeding 85 degrees and the rising humidity - normal activities like walking to school can leave you dripping sweat. Exercise + Extreme Heat = Tragedy Every year, you hear about it and you think why did they keep going? Football players collapsing from dehydration and heat stroke; athletes getting sick and the even sadder stories of the elderly who collapse from just walking out to the mailbox. The fact is, that most of life keeps going whether it's extremely hot or extremely cold. So knowing this, especially now that school is back in session, is important. The high humidity index can remain high in the morning or evening after the sun has gone down. Heat-related illnesses are prevalent and for runners, outdoors play - even just walking to and from the mailbox - you can be courting disaster and severe illness. The following tips are important to help you and your family maintain your health during this time of extreme heat and to avoid things like heat fatigue and heat exhaustion.
It's very important to pay attention to the symptoms you are feeling because heat exhaustion can easily become heatstroke. If your body's core temperature reaches 107 degrees you can suffer damage to the liver, kidney and brain that is irreversible. If you enjoy running or walking and the weather isn't cooperative, workouts at home in the air conditioning - and worse case scenario - skip your workout that day. Exercise is healthy for you - but not when you are endangering your health. Oh and one more word to the wise - especially when it's this hot outside - when you're thirsty - your body is already dehydrated. If you plan to exercise, be sure to drink plenty of water before you get started as well as during the workout. If you experience symptoms such as nausea, dizziness or exhaustion - cease immediately and get out of the heat. How do you cope with your workout in the heat? Related Articles: Protect Yourself and Others In High Temperatures Adventures in Horse Raising - Water Baby! Learn more about Heather Long  Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago. Relevantfitness tags parenting | Kids | relationships | children | pregnancy | weight loss | ideas | holidays | family | Food User Comments  Catherine Ipcizade (5617) 13 Aug 2006 04:45 PMGood article, Heather. My five-year-old has a really hard time in the heat. When we visited my mom in Arizona a few years back he actually fainted, after only 10 minutes in the sun. He gets overheated really fast and it worries me. He's starting Kindergarten soon and I won't be there at recess time to make sure he's okay.:-( I've never seen anyone be so sensitive to heat but the doctor pretty much blew me off. If anyone else has gone through this, I'd love to know what you did about it.  Heather Long (16954) 13 Aug 2006 06:46 PMMake a note on your son's paperwork and talk to his kindergarten teacher yourself. Be sure to send a bottle of water to school with him. That's what I'm doing with my midget. She really doesn't do well in extreme heat and I know I don't. I'm pretty fit and just thirty minutes in the heat can have me ready to throw-up. Community Tags dehydration, heat stroke, heat exhaustion, how to, symptoms Discuss this article
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