Enjoy summer with good health!

SOME OF THE SUMMERTIME HEALTH HAZARDS There's a lot to love about summertime The hot weather affords us privileges that the other seasons don't; the freedom to wear sleeveless shirts, spend all day outdoors, swin, and walk barfoot. In this revelry, however, many forget that with the good always comes some bad. And summer's potential effect on one's health is no exception. Along with fresh air and the incentive to exercise, summertime brings certain dangers that can really ruin the season for you. With the most basic precautions you can avoid spending your hot days in a doctor's clinic. Here are some of the summertime health evils and some tips on sidestepping them. 1. Dehydration & Overhydration What evaporates faster: a bowl of water in the shade or one under a hot plate? Obvious? Well, your body follows the same logic, but many folks forget to replace all thefluid they lose through urine and summer sweat. Drinking lots of water before, during and after exercise is especially essential. If your mouth is dry, you're feeling sluggish, you have a headache, or your urine's dark yellow, gulp down some fluids. But don't get overzealous, Mac. A rare case of overhydration isn't what you want either, unless shorness of breath and swollen legs and organs is your idea of a good time. Prevent it by: Drinking two cups of water in the morning and half a cup every half hour. Increase this amount on hotter days. When exercising, drink eight ounces before and every 30 minutes during activity. Freezer pops and sports drinks are great for staving off thirst for longer periods. 2. Sunburn Lobster-colored chumps are a mainstay of summer vacation. No matter how convincing the warnings out there, there are still guys who think their pasty, pallid skin has all the resistant power of the Hulk. They only learn their lesson when they can't get to sleep from the burning and itching, are forced to wear a T-shirt the next day, and end up spending the rest of their vacation avoiding the sun. If this isn't discouragement enough, how about skin cancer? Prevent it by: Wearing sunscreen of at least SPF (Sun protection factor) 15, increasing the factor thewhiter your skin is. Apply 30 minutes before going outside for your skin to fully absorb it. Even if your sunscreen says it's waterproof, it probably isn't, so reapply often after swimming and sweating. Wear a hat, too. 3. Skin problems Peoplw with very dry or sensitive skin are at higher risk for developing serious skin conditions. Eczema doesn't sound charming to begin with, and neither does its scientific name, atopic dermatitis. Many people develop this incurable condition during childhood, but the heat is one element that works to aggravate it. Redness, itchiness andhardening of the skin ensue. Like rashness and dryness, your best bet is to control outbursts. Prevent it by: first experimenting with moisturizers to see which one your skin likes best. Steroid creams and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory balms help prevent eczema flare-ups. Avoid gels and greasy moisturizers that clog pores. Bathing frequently also helps keep the skin moist. 4. Overheating Just like your computer, your car engine and your barbecue grill, your body functions in an optimal temerature range. If you fail tocool it down when it gets too hot, you can suffer from heat stress (fatigue), heat cramps in your arms and legs, or worse. Heat exhaustion, characterized by nausea and headaches, requires medical attention, especially if you want to avoid a full-blown heat stroke. Prevent if by: Keeping yourself hydrated. Also, seek the shade or an air-conditioned room once in a while. Eat saltier foods to retain water, and treat yourself to some ice cream.