Tips to Help You Avoid Heat Stroke This Summer

Living with a scorching heat wave and thinking you might have to skip your next FizzUp workout? Good news! You don’t have to. Read on to learn how you can avoid heat stroke and discover our top tips on how to stick to your workout plan no matter how hot it is!

What exactly is heat stroke?

When your body experiences heat stroke, it overheats and has a hard time regulating its temperature in order to cool itself down. If your body temperature goes above the normal 98.6°F (37°C), then you run the risk of experiencing heat stoke! This can lead to a range of fairly serious yet common symptoms such as dehydration, headache, nausea, sweating, dizziness, vomiting, extreme thirst, slurred speech, loss of consciousness, muscle cramps and blurred vision.

Untreated heat stroke can severely impact your health, so knowing how to quickly get medical help when it arises is vital.

Heat stroke can happen to anyone, no matter what your age. However, athletes, the elderly, children and people who are overweight run a higher risk of suffering from heat stroke than others, with children being the most affected.

Be sure not to confuse the term “heat stroke” with “heat exhaustion.” Heat exhaustion is a less severe form of overheating. Its symptoms include headache, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, high fever and sometimes faintness.

What to do in case of heat stroke

If you’re experiencing heat stroke or if you’re confronted with a person who is, you need to take certain precautions:

• Get to a cool or shaded area, preferably indoors with air conditioning.
• Cover yourself with damp clothes that have been soaked in lukewarm or cool water. Don’t use cold water because it can trigger thermal shock.
• Drink water (preferably salty water). Try sparkling water which typically is typically higher in sodium.
• Get medical attention immediately if your condition or the other person’s doesn’t improve.

But what about exercise?

If you’re hooked on your FizzUp workouts, don’t panic! A heat wave doesn’t have to keep you from exercising. Still, it’s important to take some precautions to ensure that your workout goes as smoothly as possible.

Work out when it’s cooler outside

In the morning, set your alarm clock earlier to get up and do your workout, or do it to relax after work at the end of the day. During the day, it’s best to do your workout inside where it’s cool or with a fan.

Drink plenty of water

Hydrating your body is all the more important when the temperature outside rises. If you’re thirsty, that means you’re already dehydrated! So remember to drink water even when you’re not thirsty.

Relatively clear (but not transparent) urine is a good indicator that you’ve been drinking enough water.

Wear the right clothes

Protect your skin by wearing the right clothes and accessories, such as shorts, ankle socks, a cap or hat and sunglasses. Shorts, t-shirts and tank tops let your skin to breathe. Wear light-colored clothing, as dark colors trap in the heat of the sun’s rays. And last but not least, don’t forget your sunscreen with high UVA protection.

Watch what you eat

Some foods make you more susceptible to heat stroke by favoring dehydration and making it harder for your body to digest food. To avoid this, limit your sugar, fat, alcohol and caffeine intake. However, you can indulge in water-rich fruits and vegetables such as lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, watermelon and strawberries.

Too hot for your FizzUp workout? Never! Now you know how to keep heat stroke at bay and stick to your workout plan even while you’re on vacation with FizzUp!