Summer Health Hazards
Effects in summer season on health can be quite bad experience, and you better get informed about all summer health hazards that might ruin your entire warm season.
It’s better to prevent rather than to cure.
E.Coli and beach
We all know this nasty bacteria can show up in food during summer time, but at the beach??
Researchers have agreed that being exposed to fecal contamination even on the most beautiful sandy shore is a real health risk.
They found that fecal bacterial levels in the sand were 10 to 100 times higher than in the surrounding water.
This is due to the fact that bacteria decay at a slower rate in the sand than in seawater, so the they accumulate in “biofilms” and in areas that the sun can’t reach.
Advise: To avoid potential infection, make sure to cover any cuts and also wash your hands frequently.
Eyeball Sunburns
Surprised?
Yes, eyeballs can get sunburns as well.
The condition is called photokeratitis, and it can happen in just a few hours of exposure to strong and unblocked sun with sunglasses.
The thing is that, if you don’t wear sunglasses on a regular basis, you’re putting yourself at an increased risk for developing cataracts, macular degeneration, or growths on your eye.
Advise:When sunny, always wear sunglasses
BBQ and Carcinogens
Yes, the best gatherings are always during BBQ, but you know what? Carcinogens are lurking from that deliciously prepared meat.
They are not only summer health problems, but BBQ falls into a category of summer health hazards.
According to one study, if you eat charred meat too frequently, you put at risk yourself of getting pancreatic cancer by 60 %, and regarding women in postmenopausal period, they are also at an increased risk of developing breast cancer.
If you want to reduce these risks, you better use spicy and alcohol based marinade, in order to decrease carcinogen creation.
Advise: Cook food at low temperature for a longer period, because HCA starts forming when grill hits 325 F(163 C).
Puncture Wounds by Walking Barefoot
We all LOVE to walk barefoot at summertime, but be careful. You may step on something sharp and cause possible infection.
This may require a tetanus shot within 48 hours if you haven’t had one in the past five years.
People with diabetes must be especially careful, because stepping into something sharp may introduce an infection that threatens the viability of their toes, foot, or even lower leg.
In case you have a foot neuropathy, never go barefoot and wear shoes with firm soles, because it is far better than risking amputation due to an infection related to a ‘silent’ and sneaky injury.
Surgical Site Infections
This is also included among many summer health hazards that can happen – surgical-site infections in the summer months.
Patients should always be alert about wound care, and should be especially aware that this could be an issue in the warmer weather .
Advise: Seek medical attention at the first sign of a possible infection.
Heat Health Problem
Don’t ignore the early signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke on a hot day, because you could be putting your life in danger.
The warning signs include:
- dizziness
- nausea
- vomiting
- headache
- sweating
- fatigue
In case you take certain medications, they could make you more vulnerable to the heat, including:
- antihistamines
- blood pressure
- heart medications
- diuretics
- laxatives
- antidepressants
- seizure medications
Advice: Don’t go out when it’s too hot!
Itch-inducing Plants
Poison ivy, oak and sumac are plants have been around forever and may cause itching sensations.
If you want to protect yourself, you should know what these problematic plants look like:
- Poison ivy and oak often have branches with three leaves
- Poison sumac can have clusters of seven to 13 leaves, as well as black spots that look like paint splatters
And if you’ve touched them?
According to a University of Michigan, rinse often, so that the soap or rubbing alcohol doesn’t dry on the skin and make the rash even worse. Use creek or stream water if you are outdoors.
- Do not scrub hard when you wash, not to irritate the skin
- Be careful to clean under the fingernails, where the oil can collect and spread easily
- Special products, such as Tecnu and Zanfel, are available to remove urushiol from your skin. A hand cleaner, such as Goop, also may help.
- If your pet was in a area where poison ivy, oak, or where sumac grows, wash your pet with water and a mild soap to make sure the oil doesn’t spread
Urushiol can remain active on clothing and other items for many months, especially in dry climates.
If these items are not cleaned properly, handling them can spread the urushiol to the skin and possibly cause a rash.
- Wash all clothing, shoes, and other items that had contact with the plant or with a person who touched the plant
- Clean surfaces such as camping gear, gardening tools, and sporting equipment
- Wear vinyl or cotton gloves when handling or washing items that have touched poison ivy. Thin rubber (latex) gloves offer no protection, because urushiol can penetrate rubber!
Advice: Stock up on knowledge about poisonous plats when going outdoors!
Flip-Flops
Believe it or not, flip-flops can turn out to be bad for your feet, joints, and muscles.
Since they usually don’t have any arch support, they can change the way you walk, causing you to take shorter steps and putting more stress on your body.
People who are overweight are at increased risk of developing health problems, including the painful foot condition plantar fasciitis.
Advise: Don’t drive wearing flip-flops as they can cause car accidents too.
Boating Accidents
These accidents also fall into a major category of summer health hazards.
When going boating, always wear a life jacket.
Do you know that almost 80 % of boating accidents involved drowning and 83 % of victims weren’t wearing a life jacket?
It is also VERY IMPORTANT that your boat driver is experienced, because all fatalities happen on boats on which the operator wasn’t certified in boating safety.
Advise: Don’t boat without a life jacket , and if you don’t have experience, seek for certified boat driver!
Sunburns
Even on a cloudy day, you can still get sunburns.
According to the Mayo Clinic, around 80 %of the sun’s UV rays can pass through clouds and to your unprotected skin.
And when it’s cloudy, hazy or cool, you’re more likely not only to forget your SPF, but you’re also more likely to stay outside unprotected for longer.
Read more : If you have sunburns you shouldn’t do this!
Heart Health
Normal summer temperatures shouldn’t increase the risk of heart attack, but things can get complicated for those who consume medications for blood pressure, or other heart medications.
When the temperature goes up, the body naturally cool itself by increasing blood flow to the skin to ‘let off some steam”.
Also note that blood pressure medications can block some of the bodily normal responses to heat, and can increase the risk of heat stroke and/or possible dehydration.
Therefore, you should be particularly careful about staying cool and hydrated during a hot day.
Drowning
Alcohol is often a huge factor for drowning among adults.
If you want to be safe – stay sober and make sure that older kids know the risks of drinking while near water.
Regarding younger children, home pools MUST have childproof fences to avoid accidental drownings.
Children should be taught of all the dangers of water. Teach them to swim, but make sure they wear inflatables if they can’t swim well, and always keep a close eye on them.
Advice: Don’t leave kids out of sight near water!
Spoiled Food
No.1 reason of summer health hazards is eating spoiled food.
According to the FDA, food shouldn’t stay in the so-called danger zone: between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit for more than two hours.
After 90 degrees, bacteria, mold, and yeast start forming on your food and release waste products and toxins.
Shark Attacks
According to the National Ocean Service, shark attacks are more prevalent to happen near the shore.They usually get trapped in front of a sandbar or between sandbars by low tide.
Be shark-smart!
Stay in the water by being close in groups while swimming during the day, and by not wearing brightly colored bathing suits and shiny jewelry, which may attract the wrong kind of shark attention.
Snake Bites
At summertime there’s a good chance to get bitten by a snake.
Snake and health experts, advise on staying alert when outdoors, wearing boots or closed-toe shoes, as well as keeping hands and feet out of crevices in rocks, wood piles, and high grass.
And above all, if you are bitten, get professional help quickly!
This is not the time to wait and sucking out the venom!
Bottom Line
There are many other summer health hazards such as:
- Antibiotic resistant infections
- Lyme disease
- Lightning
- Forgetting to put sunscreen
- Forgetting daily medications
- Post-pedicure infections
- UTI Infections
- Air-conditioner mold
- Grilling injuries
- Dry drowning
- Under-cooked food
- Skimping on sunscreen etc.
The list of possible summer health hazards can go on and on, but it’s crucial you’re well aware of these ones too.
Keeping yourself safe during summertime is VERY IMPORTANT, so educate yourself better on this issue.
At the end – we wish you a long, warm, safe and joyful summer!
The post 15 Summer Health Hazards You Shouldn’t Ignore appeared first on 1body1health.