We are right smack dab in the middle of summer and, yep, it sure does feel like it. Across the country it’s been heatwave upon heatwave. July 21, 2024 was possibly the hottest day on record. Less time has been spent outdoors with high temps draining people’s energies and threatening to cause dehydration.
As we try to manage our everyday lives during this excruciatingly hot summer, let’s not forget about our heart health. Heat can make your heart work harder and increase the rate and blood flow to help your body cool down.
Here are a few tips to keep your heart healthy this season.
Exercise indoors
You know what a gym has? Air conditioning. Exercise already makes the heart work harder and the heart rate up, so don’t stay in the heat and add more stress to it. Work out in an air-conditioned gym.
If you have to do it outdoors, make sure to exercise in the morning or evening when the temps are not as high.
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
Water is your friend. And regularly drinking it throughout the day will protect you from dehydration. During these hot conditions, try to avoid drinking anything with high sugar, caffeine or alcohol content.
Cool as a cucumber (or watermelon)
In addition to drinking, eating water-rich foods will help get you hydrated. Cucumbers, watermelons, and strawberries have over 90% of water content. Having to chop a humungous watermelon at an outdoor picnic doesn’t seem like a bad idea after all.
Sun’s out
One thing that can help prevent your body from staying cool is a nasty sunburn. Protect your skin from the sun and apply sunscreen before going outside. While you’re at it, how about adding a nice wide-brimmed hat to your outfit to protect your head?
Set your dress code for the season
Speaking of fashion – imagine feeling hot and sweaty while wearing tight clothes. The sweat just stays there in the surface of the body. No thank you. Instead wear light-colored, loose clothing with lightweight, breathable fabric.
Keep the pulse points cool
If you need to be outside for a length of time, consider bringing a cooler with an ice pack or cold compress with you. Then when feeling hot, apply on a pulse point of your body (neck, behind the knee, etc.).
The summer season is a great time for fun outdoor activities. But when it gets extremely hot, it can be detrimental to our health. Excessive heat adds more stress to a major organ in our body that keeps us alive. Do your heart a favor and protect it by keeping yourself cool as a watermelon.
