Travel Advice – What You Need to Know About Cholera
Cholera can be dangerous for some people and so we recommend you visit our Travel Clinic for a Cholera Vaccination.
Very hot summers are something we’re not used to in the UK. The average temperature in July and August is usually between 64ºF to 69ºF (18ºC to 21ºC).
Compare that to Mediterranean countries like southern Spain or Italy, where summer temperatures average at 93ºF to 100 ºF (34ºC to 38ºC).
Our cooler summers are one of the reasons why in the UK, air conditioning isn’t often seen in residential houses or in shops and restaurants. Heating, yes, it’s everywhere, but cooling devices, not so much. And that’s why when a heatwave hits Britain, we aren’t prepared.
Many people find it hard to sleep, work, or do much at all in hot weather. It can also be a health risk for the elderly, babies and young children and people who work outdoors.
In this blog we’ll explain how the body copes with extreme heat and what you need to do to look after yourself.
When we get hot, the hairs on our skin lie flat to let heat out, our capillaries (tiny blood vessels) increase blood flow which helps heat loss and our sweat glands produce sweat which cools the skin.
The increased blood flow lowers your blood pressure, and your heart has to work harder to push blood around your body. Sweating means you lose salt and fluids which can lead to dehydration.
Avoid physical exercise between 11.00 am and 15.00 pm when the sun is strong. Stay in the shade as much as possible and use sunscreen on exposed skin. If you are indoors close the curtains or blinds to stop the sun from warming up rooms where the sun comes through. Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day.
Water plays an important role in how our body functions. It helps the digestive system, joints and muscles, stops our eyes from drying out and helps kidney function. It will also replace the fluid that’s lost through sweating.
Drinking plenty of water every day is a standard recommendation. The NHS recommend between six and eight glasses of fluid daily, but you need to be extra vigilant with your fluid intake during a heatwave and drink more. If you’re not keen on drinking water, you can choose other drinks. Also bear in mind that you shouldn’t wait until you are thirsty before you drink fluids. Thirst is often a sign that you are becoming dehydrated.
However, it’s wise not to increase your intake of caffeine because caffeinated drinks are diuretics which make you pee more often. This causes you to lose even more fluids. Alcohol too has the same effect and might also make it difficult to get a good night’s sleep.
Yes. If you have soup for lunch or supper, then this will help your hydration. A salad is also a good idea in hot weather as tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, celery and spinach contain water. And, if you love fruit then eating watermelon, apples, oranges and strawberries are also hydrating.
If you’ve been ill during the heatwave with a sickness and diarrhoea bug, then electrolytes or hydration powders should help to rehydrate you and bring your energy levels back to normal. Athletes and people who are exercising in hot weather might want to use them too.
The most common signs of dehydration are:
We stock electrolytes and hydration powders. We can also help you with sun cream protection and if the heat gives you a headache, talk to us about over-the-counter painkillers.
Lie them down with their feet slightly raised. Put cold packs under the armpits and around the neck area or sponge them down with cool water. Give them water or a hydration drink. They should recover within half an hour. If they don’t, then they might have heat stroke.
Heatstroke is a life-threatening condition, and you should phone for an ambulance immediately.
Cholera can be dangerous for some people and so we recommend you visit our Travel Clinic for a Cholera Vaccination.
Vitamin D plays a vital role in immunity and bone health, but although our body produces it naturally during the summer months, it is less efficient in the autumn and winter when we are covered up. Read our latest blog to find out how a lack of vitamin D can affect you and the supplements you are recommended to take.
