Healthy Summer Tips

TIPS FOR A SAFE, HEALTHY SUMMER

With summer just around the corner, here is some advice to help protect Ohioans from some of the dangers associated with summer. These include, the sun’s ultraviolet radiation, heat-related stress, West Nile virus, ticks, food-borne illness and fireworks.

Ultraviolet Radiation

Protecting yourself from the dangers of the sun’s ultraviolet radiation is important year-round, but it is especially key during the summer months when more of our skin is exposed and we are spending more time outdoors.

Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States; it accounts for about half of all cancers in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, about 53,600 new cases of skin cancer were diagnosed last year.

Here are some helpful tips to protect yourself from the sun:

Wear protective clothing such as long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
Wear a wide-brimmed hat that shades your face, neck and ears.
Seek shade whenever possible.
Wear sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of 15 or higher as well as UVA and UVB protection.
Re-apply sunscreen regularly, especially after swimming, perspiring heavily or drying skin with a towel.
Wear sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays.
Avoid direct sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when the sun’s rays are strongest.

Heat-Related Stress

With heat, humidity and outdoor summertime activities on the rise, be on the lookout for signs of heat-related stress.

Some symptoms of heat exhaustion to watch out for are: heavy sweating; paleness; muscle cramps; tiredness; weakness; dizziness; headache; nausea or fainting.

People experiencing symptoms should be moved to a cool, shady or air-conditioned area and provided cool, non-alcoholic beverages.

Among those at highest risk for heat stroke or heat exhaustion are:

Infants and children up to 4 years of age.
People 65 and older.
People who are overweight.
People who overexert during work or exercise.
People who are ill or on certain medications.

To help prevent heat-related stress, drink plenty of fluids and avoid alcohol and caffeine; they can add to dehydration and increase the effects of heat illness. Also, avoid outdoor activities during the hottest parts of the day.

The best defense against heat-related problems is prevention. Urge friends, family and neighbors to monitor the very young, the chronically ill and the elderly for signs of heat stress.

Mosquitoes and Ticks

Along with heat and humidity comes mosquito season and ticks. In order to reduce your risk of West Nile virus infection avoid outdoor activities between dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most likely to be active; if you must be outside during these hours, cover up by wearing socks, shoes, long pants and long-sleeved shirts; wear light colors as these are least attractive to mosquitoes and makes it easier to see ticks; tuck pant bottoms into sock tops to keep ticks from getting under clothing; use mosquito repellent containing DEET, 30% for adults and 10% for children. Other mosquito-transmitted diseases in Ohio include LaCrosse encephalitis, Eastern Equine encephalitis and St. Louis encephalitis.

The most common tick-borne diseases are Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Lyme disease.

Try to eliminate potential mosquito breeding sites on your property. Remove any discarded tires, dispose of tin cans, empty pots and other similar containers; make sure roof gutters drain properly; clean and chlorinate swimming pools, outdoor saunas and hot tubs; drain water from pool covers; change water in bird baths weekly; turn over plastic pools and wheelbarrows when not in use and encourage neighbors to take these steps on their property as well.

E. Coli and Other Food Borne Illnesses

Warm weather is also a time when people fire up their grills and host backyard barbecues. It is especially important to be vigilant about food preparation during the summer months to help protect yourself from E. coli and other food borne illnesses. It is important to always wash your hands thoroughly before eating, preparing food and after contact with animals. Remember to wash fruits and vegetables well, only eat meat that has been cooked thoroughly and to use separate plates and utensils for raw meat and cooked meat.

The E. coli bacterium is blamed for some 73,000 infections and 61 deaths in the United States each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most infected people suffer from diarrhea, which is sometimes bloody, and abdominal cramps; the illness generally clears up in 5 – 10 days. In children younger than 5 and the elderly, E. coli 0157 can sometimes lead to kidney failure. This happens in about 2 to 7% of all infections.

Fireworks

Summer is also a time for celebrations. It is important to remember fireworks can be extremely dangerous, cause permanent injury and sometimes death. Each year, fireworks injure thousands of children. The eyes, face and / or hands are the body parts most often injured.

Important things to remember:

Fireworks are not toys.
Always leave fireworks to trained professionals. That means sparklers too; they can get as hot as 1,800 degrees.
Attend only public fireworks displays put on by trained professionals and stay back at least 500 feet from the launch area.