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Your Health... The health risks of summer |
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Tuesday, 24 July 2007 |
By Alana Wendel, RN
Emergency Room Nurse,
Mercy Hospital
Skin Cancer : Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer. Over one million people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year. If caught early, skin cancer is usually treated easily. Skin cancer is more common in people who
*have spent lots of time in the sun or have been sunburned.
*have fair skin, hair and eyes.
*have a family member who has had skin cancer.
*are over the age of 50.
What you can do: Check yourself for skin cancer every few months, get a free skin cancer screening, wear LOTS of sunscreen, apply 30 minutes before sun exposure, then apply every 2 hours, but its best to avoid the sun when possible. Please note that the American Cancer Society recommends using a minimum SPF 15 or higher. (The higher the SPF number the more protection it offers).
Heat stroke: Heat stroke is a serious medical condition that can be life threatening. In heat stroke, the body’s core temperature rises. Much like a fever, extremely high body temps can lead to permanent damage. And this can happen to anyone of any age! Some signs of heat stroke include:
*confusion
*short, rapid breathing
*stopping sweating
*a fast pulse
What you can do: Call 911 if someone has these signs. To prevent heat stroke, drink plenty of water, try to stay out of the sun and don’t overexert when outside on hot days.
Food poisoning: Summer is full of picnics, and picnics bring food out into the open where it can stay warm too long. Avoid an outbreak of food poisoning this summer by following simple guidelines about food safety.
What you can do: 1) Keep cold foods cold during serving the meal. Do not let cold foods sit out for more than one hour. Any leftovers should be put back in the cooler right after they are served. The longer foods are held at unsafe temperatures the more likely that bacteria can grow and cause foodborne illness. 2) Keep hot foods hot during serving the meal. Cooked foods are just as perishable as raw foods, so once grilled foods are cooked do not let them sit out for more than one hour. Plan preparation so food is eaten shortly after it is cooked.
Eye Damage: Ultraviolet rays in sunlight can damage your eyes. If you are out in the sunlight in the summer, be sure to wear sunglasses that filter out UV light. Otherwise, your sunglasses are opening up your pupils by making things darker, which actually lets in more UV rays, not less.
What can you do: Be sure your sunglasses filter out 100% of UV light and be sure to wear them, especially around water which can reflect a tremendous amount of light to your eyes.
Driving accidents: Driving accidents are the number one killer for young people.
What you can do: Never drink and drive. Keep summer road trips to a reasonable length. Never drive after midnight.
Drowning: Each year over 3000 people drown in pool-related accidents. More than 650 drown in boating accidents. For each child under 14 that drowns, another five suffer from near drowning.
What you can do: Prevent these summer tragedies through supervision, proper pool safety and enforcing rules around the water.
Dehydration: Dehydration can happen quickly in the summer heat.
What you can do: Have water handy whenever you will be in the heat. Don’t forget about children, too. They may not ask for water. Have them take frequent WATER breaks!
Bug bites: Bug bites can be annoying and itchy. They can also be serious if they bring an infectious disease like West Nile or Lyme disease.
What you can do: Prevent bug bites and infection this summer by avoiding buggy situations, using a good bug repellent and wearing long pants and sleeves when in buggy areas.
Have fun this summer, and be safe!
Information in this article was adapted from the website Longevity found at About.com.
The YOUR HEALTH column is sponsored by Mercy Hospital.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 20 December 2007 )
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