Dangerous for health: 8 tips on what not to do in the heat

To spend the summer without heatstroke and poisoning offers Lifehacker.

Photo: Shutterstock

1. Drink sweet soda

A refrigerator with misted cans of sugary soft drinks just beckons on a hot day. It seems that ice fizzy will perfectly quench your thirst and refresh you. In fact, this is not the case.

When sugar enters the bloodstream, water is released from the body's cells to restore balance in the blood, and production is triggered in the liver, which is then sent to the hypothalamus and causes thirst. And since the sweetener from drinks very quickly penetrates into the bloodstream, you will want to drink again in 5-10 minutes.

In principle, there is nothing wrong with this, except for the risk of gaining extra pounds. But when you're dehydrated, things get much worse.

By trying to rehydrate with sugary drinks, you only exacerbate the lack of fluid and damage your kidneys.

Soda with sugar is also useless for restoring electrolyte balance: it contains 7,5 times less sodium and about the same times more glucose than is needed to protect against hyponatremia. Therefore, feel free to walk past the colorful soda cans and choose water or sports drinks.

2. Store water in plastic bottles

Plastic bottles are made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polycarbonate. When heated, both materials release bisphenol A, which is harmful to health, and PET also releases antimony. The first substance has a similar effect to estrogens and can disrupt the hormonal balance in the body, the second is considered a toxic trace element and a potential carcinogen.

However, don't be afraid to store water in plastic at room temperature, even if your home is hot. In order for it to begin to emit harmful substances in large quantities, really high temperatures are needed. For example, as in a closed car, garage or in the sun on a particularly hot day. In such conditions, it is better to pour the water into a glass or metal bottle, or simply put it away in a cooler place.

On the subject: Do not drink cold water: 5 tips for those who can not stand the heat

3. Store supplements and vitamins in the kitchen or bathroom

In an article in The New York Times, Skye McKennon, an associate professor at the University of Washington School of Pharmacy, explains that heat can spoil drugs.

When stored at high temperatures, aspirin becomes dangerous, the hydrocortisone cream exfoliates, and preparations containing hormones lose their effect. For example, oral contraceptives and thyroid medications.

McKennon advises paying particular attention to the storage of insulin, anticoagulants and anticonvulsants, since even a small change in the dose of their active ingredients can have serious health consequences.

If not only the temperature is high, but also the humidity, supplements with vitamin C and some forms of vitamin B may deteriorate. Such dietary supplements will not harm you, but they will not be beneficial either.

WHO advises storing medicines at temperatures below 25 ° C, and if the room is warmer, put them in the refrigerator.

4. Leave perishable food on the table

Temperatures from +5 to +60 ° C are considered a dangerous area for perishable products: meat, fish, eggs. If there were bacteria in the food, then in 20 minutes their population would double.

At normal room temperature, it is not advised to leave such food out of the refrigerator for more than two hours. But when the thermometer rises to +32 ° C, the safety time is reduced to 60 minutes.

To avoid getting an eating disorder, do not leave food on the table - immediately put the uneaten food in the refrigerator or throw it away.

Also, do not defrost food outdoors - use a suitable microwave setting or transfer from the freezer to the refrigerator in advance.

5. Use a fan if it is very hot

The fans do not cool the air, they just move it around, creating a breeze. Most often, it brings relief and helps the sweat evaporate, but this is not always the case.

If the air temperature rises above + 35 ° C, the fan will blow hot air around the body, which can increase the increase in heat and bring you to heat fatigue. So if the room is really hot, don't rely on this gadget - instead, look for an air-conditioned room.

On the subject: Air conditioners can spread the coronavirus: how to survive the heat and not get infected

6. Drink alcohol

Alcohol reduces the production of vasopressin, a hormone that retains water in the body, limiting urine production in the kidneys. By reducing the amount of this hormone, alcohol causes a diuretic effect, so you run to the toilet more often.

Together with increased sweating due to hot weather, this increases the risk of dehydration and heatstroke.

If you can't stop drinking alcohol, drink plenty of water and eat. For example, you can alternate booze with it during the meal - this way you get drunk less and reduce the risk of dehydration.

7. Don't get enough sleep

Sleep deprivation disrupts thermoregulation: the body produces less sweat and does not cool itself as effectively as if you had slept. This increases the risk of overheating, especially if you go to workout.

In addition, a sleepless night reduces your ability to tolerate heat: you feel much worse than if you had enough rest. Therefore, try to sleep for 7-8 hours, especially if you are planning physical activity the next day.

8. Continue training after muscle cramps

Exercising in hot weather can cause heat cramps - painful muscle contractions. Most likely, they will make you stop, stretch your closed leg or arm, and rest in the shade. But after the cramp is gone, you can try to continue exercising. Should not be doing that!

Heat cramps are just the first symptom of overheating, which can develop into heat fatigue and heatstroke.

These are serious conditions in which the body temperature rises to 40 ° C, nausea and vomiting, dizziness and headache, and confusion appear.

Therefore, if you experience seizures, do not even think about exercising on this day. Drink water or take a few sips of isotonic, go to a cool room and stretch the spasmodic muscle group.

Read also on ForumDaily:

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