National Heat Awareness Day

While summertime is a fun time for physical activity outdoors, the heat can be potentially dangerous causing heat cramps, heat exhaustion, or heat stroke. There are several things you can do to protect yourself, your family, and your pets from heat-related illnesses and even death.

Watch the weather

Either check the weather daily or download a weather app onto your phone so you will get weather advisories from the National Weather Service such as Excessive Heat Outlooks, Excessive Heat Watches, Excessive Heat Warning/Advisories.

Avoid exercising at the heat of the day

If at all possible, stay in the shade or indoors when it’s hottest outside. If you want to go outside for your daily exercise, a good rule to follow is to be sure that your shadow is longer than you are.

Drink plenty of water throughout the day

Many of us can be dehydrated even when cool outside. Signs of moderate dehydration are a dry mouth, sleepiness, thirst, decreased urine output, dry skin, and headaches. When it’s hot outside and when you workout, you need to be even more cautious that you keep replenishing your body with water, as your body is made up of approximately 65% of water.

If you believe someone is experiencing a heat stroke it is important to call 911 immediately.

For more information about heat safety tips, check out the National Weather Service Heat Safety Tips and Resources.

Gardening Counts As Exercise

This time of year, more people are going outside to do yard work or to start their gardens. Whether you're mowing the grass, weeding, or planting new flowers; you can get some great exercise. However, because injury is possible with any physical activity, we must take the proper precautions to avoid injury while working in the yard or garden. Here are some tips that I try to keep in mind whenever I am out in my backyard.

Stay Hydrated

Whether you keep a water bottle outside with you or if you take frequent breaks to go inside to get a drink of water, you need to make sure you stay cool and hydrated, even if it doesn't feel that hot outside. If you struggle with muscle cramps, you may want to drink something with electrolytes.

Use Knee Pads

If you're going to be down on your knees in your flowerbeds, you may want to invest in high quality knee pads or a knee mat. However, if you still experience knee pain afterward, be sure to ice your knees. For tips on safe ways to ice, check out a previous blog, "Ice vs Heat."

Avoid Twisting

If you are planning to be weeding or hoeing,  it can feel natural to twist in order to reach more area. However, twisting can cause injury to your back. Instead, move your whole body so you can reach the area easier without twisting. Again, if you find you twisted without realizing and have injured your back muscles while working outside, be sure to stop to ice your back.


Yard work and gardening can bring great satisfaction as well as great exercise. Just be sure you stay hydrated and avoid injury.

Don't fall behind on water!

Whether you're out for sports this fall, or you're running the kids out to their sporting events, you need to be sure that you (and your family) stay hydrated. According to Larry Kenney, PhD and professor of physiology and kinesiology at Penn State in the article Quest for Hydration, "as little as a 2% decrease in body water can lead to dehydration and performance detriments in sports." Dehydration by 3 or 4% have much more seriously effects.

Symptoms of dehydration are:

• Dry mouth
• Increased Thirst
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Moodiness
• Concentration
• Faintness
• Rapid Breathing
• Weak, Rapid Pulse
• Loss of Consciousness
• Anxiety
• Confusion

So, drink your water. Your brain and body will thank you. 

Exercise with Your Child Week

Did you know that August 7 - 13th is Exercise with Your Child Week? With school right around the corner, finding fun ways to exercise with your children this week will give them wonderful summer memories. Get creative!
Some ideas:

• Go for a bike ride
• Walk at the park
• Organize a scavenger hunt
• Have a dance party
• Play catch in the backyard

And of course, don't forget to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated!

Electrolyte Hot Days

Summertime is a fun time to go to ball games and enjoy the outdoors. If you and your family are out and about, you want to be sure to not only drink enough water but also get electrolytes so you can continue to enjoy your summer activities without muscle cramps or feeling drained. Many sports drinks have electrolytes, but be sure to check the label if you are counting your calories. You can also find some flavored waters that have electrolytes with little to no calories.

Avoid Summer Heat Illness

Be aware of the hot and humid conditions this summer so that you don’t experience heat cramps, heat exhaustion, or heat stroke. To prevent any of these conditions, drink adequate amounts of fluid. Avoid being outside during the hottest parts of the day. The best time to do physical activity is when the sun is not so high in the sky. You can gauge this by making sure that your shadow is taller than you. If you believe someone is experiencing a heat stroke it is important to call 911 immediately.

Beat the Heat

The summer heat can take a major toll on one’s body. With a majority of the body being made up of water, it is important that an individual consumes adequate amounts of it a day. One of water’s main functions is to regulate body temperature and this happens through sweating. The more you sweat the more you need to hydrate. By staying hydrated you can maintain your performance and reduce the risk of heat illnesses. In 2004, the Food and Nutrition Board released new dietary reference intakes for water which stated that women need 91 ounces and men need 125 ounces. These recommendations can increase, however, in the summer when you are sweating. Signs of moderate dehydration are a dry mouth, sleepiness, thirst, decreased urine output, dry skin, and headaches. If you experience these symptoms, you should consider sports drinks that replace the salts and electrolytes that you may lose. Stay safe this summer, and beat the heat!