SAVANNAH, Ga () — A hot weekend is ahead of us, a scorcher some may say.
Dr Jay Goldstein with Memorial Health said one of the top medical concerns is heat stroke, with heat exhaustion being the most common.
“When we start experiencing heat waves, especially the initial ones, is when we notice the most impact on individuals in our communities,” explained Dr. Goldstein. “They haven’t yet adapted and still think they can maintain their usual level of activity without recognizing the early signs and consequences of the heat affecting them.”
“You’re beginning to suffer from heat exhaustion as the sun, weather, and other elements start to take a toll on you. By the time you reach a state of heat stroke, your body temperature has risen substantially.”
Goldstein broke it down even more, highlighting why one is far more dangerous.
“Heat exhaustion is what happens when you’re unaccustomed to the weather, such as being on a tennis court, and you start to feel overheated, a bit thirsty, and dizzy,” Goldstein elaborated. “Heat stroke, however, is when your body temperature escalates to dangerous levels without the ability to bring it down. If you don’t take immediate and urgent action to lower your temperature, the condition can be fatal.”
How can we take care of our body as we head into the hotter months? Dr. Goldstein laid out a plan.
“So, the first thing I would tell you is alcohol and caffeine can affect you. And they actually can be kind of more diuretic,” he said. “They’ll cause you to urinate out more than you actually take in. We believe in a balanced electrolyte approach. So, drink a Gatorade and then follow it up with water or drink a half of Gatorade and then fill it back up with water.”
Dr. Goldstein also said you can’t forget about your skin when having fun. You want to start with sunscreen with SPF 15.
“Realize that the sun has very damaging effects, either sunburn, heat, illness, cancer later in life. So, we want to make sure that you are wearing your sunscreen.”
