Written By - The Nutria News - 05/24/2007
Link to Original Article here

It's that time of the year, again. Warm weather is setting in, and here in Louisiana, that means temperatures in triple digits with accompanying high humidity. Even normal outdoor work or recreational activities can bring on injury, illness, and death.

When working in a high heat environmnet, you should drink plenty of water, or one of the myriad of sports drinks now available to replace what you sweat out. You should take frequent breaks to cool off, though the boss may complain, if you work in a place that is OSHA regulated, then your risk analysis people will mandate that to management.

You should also limit your caffeine intake. This includes coffee, tea, or cola's. The effect of caffeine is to speed up your body. Your heart rate accelerates, and in hot weather, this can lead to arrythmia. You have to understand that your body is already working hard to cool you down, and by adding a stimulant, you work your heart even harder.

Another thing to avoid is alcohol. Now I like a cold brew as well as anyone, but in really hot weather, the alcohol displaces water in your tissue, accelerating the effects of alcohol. The best time to drink an "adult" beverage is when the work or play is done and you are kicking back and cooling off.

There are three stages of being debilitated by heat. First is heat exhaustion. You suddenly have no energy, you are soaking wet with perspiration. Take a break, drink as much liquid as you can. Again, water or something like Gatorade. Cool off. Put a damp rag or towel on your face and head.

Second is heat prostration. When you get to this stage, you will generally just fall down, or collapse. You need to immediately get in a cool place, down a lot of liquids, and keep drinking cool liquids til you can't anymore. You are probably done for the rest of the day.

Third is heat stroke. This is the one that can kill you. Generally speaking, whomever experiences this literally passes out and collapses. The body will twitch and jerk, and the possibility of severe organ or brain damage is good. Immediate transportation to an emergency room is necessary to stave off, or limit, permanent damage to organs or the brain, and/or death.

Personally, I have never experienced heat prostration or stroke, but I have experienced heat exhaustion. I have seen other people endure the other two. It is not a pretty sight, and is easily avoidable.

You should include in your daily diet, a good vitamin pill and a banana. Don't laugh. Bananas are a very healthy fruit, and they contain potassium, which you release when you perspire, and it needs to be replaced, and eating a banana a day will keep that mineral in balance.

We all have families and friends that we want to enjoy for a long time, so don't be "stubborn" or "macho" when it comes to working in the heat. Do what you have to do. If you don't, you may not be able to enjoy any other activities for a while, or foreve