PHOENIX — Dr. Erik Mattison, the Medial Director for Chandler Regional Medical Center, said he believes all heat-related deaths can be prevented.
We can protect ourselves and our families by making some adjustments to our daily lives when the temperatures turn up.
“Even when we live here and all the sudden, we have a 110, or a 100-degree day it’s going to take your body a week or two to get acclimated to that,” said Mattison.
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He said the two biggest takeaways are to hydrate and move your outdoor activities to the early morning hours. Mattison also suggests getting things done outside around 5 or 6 a.m. Drinking water is another safeguard.
“If you’re already starting to feel thirsty, you’re already behind the eight ball in a sense because your body is already telling you that your volume depleted,” said Mattison.
This means drinking water before you are doing an activity, he said.
Mattison said what you put into your body can also impact how you retain water. Remember medications including allergy pills can have an impact. If you are someone who uses certain supplements, caffeine and alcohol can also cause changes in your body.
Age can also impact our bodies, no matter whether you are younger or older. He said paying attention to what’s happening in the bathroom can be a great indicator of how hydrated you are.
“A simple thing, easy enough to teach kids is to look at their urine. If it’s really dark and concentrated, it means they are dehydrated and the body is trying to hold onto all the water that it can,” said Mattison.
He adds heat cramps and muscle tightening can be some of the first signs of dehydration along with thirst.
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