Summer Survival Guide
By Dr. Niket Sonpal
Long, sun filled days spent outside, vacations with family and friends, relaxing at the beach. These are only a few of the reasons that summer is the best time of year for so many of us. But while the summer can be glorious, it’s important to be aware of the health risks posed by the season.
Here are five summer safety tips to make sure you enjoy the sun and the sand!
Scrub Your Hands
It may seem obvious, but simply remembering to wash your hands regularly can stave off many illnesses and infections. There is no vaccine or medical intervention that can save as many lives as simple hand washing! Wash hands thoroughly in warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds. This isn’t pertinent to summer, but all year round.
Get out the Bug Spray
If you have not heard of Zika yet, it’s time to start googling. Even though it is a concerning infection, especially among pregnant women, standard mosquito precautions can go a long way. To avoid mosquito bites while outdoors, I suggest wearing long sleeves, pants and EPA-recommended mosquito repellent.
The Department of Health has other recommendations to prevent again mosquito bites, including:
- Drain water from garbage cans, house gutters, buckets, pool covers, coolers, toys, flower pots and any other containers where sprinkler or rain water has collected
- Empty and clean birdbaths and pet’s water bowls at least once or twice a week
- Protect boats and vehicles from rain with tarps
- Empty plastic swimming pools when not in use, and maintain swimming pools in good condition and appropriately chlorinate
- Repair screening on windows, doors, porches and patios.
Load Up on Sunscreen
You may love the look of a golden tan, but that sunburn and damage can lead to premature wrinkles and, even worse, skin cancer. I recommend covering up against the sun’s powerful rays and using sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15. Look for one that protects against ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B rays. And remember to reapply throughout the day!
Stay Cool
There is such a thing as too much heat. Heat affects both the old and young. Make sure to drink plenty of water and stay hydrated if you’re in the sun. Dehydration can cause heat exhaustion or heat stroke. I suggest eight glasses of water a day. Symptoms to watch out for:
- Heavy sweating
- Feeling weak and/or confused
- Dizziness
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Severe Headache
- Fast heartbeat
- Dark-colored urine, which indicates dehydration
- High fever (104°F or higher)
- Fast heartbeat
- Fast breathing
- Seizures
Avoid that Stomach Bug
As the temperature goes up, the amount of time perishable foods can remain sitting out goes down. Set an alarm or timer to remind you to refrigerate or freeze leftovers within two hours of serving. At your next outdoor event where the weather is 90 degrees or above, throw away any food left within one hour of serving. Better to be safe than sorry.
Dr. Niket Sonpal is Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in Harlem​
