Beat the Heat in 10 Easy Steps:

Temperature is just going to keep rising as we head into summer.

1.Hydrate. This is the most important thing to remember and can literally save your life. Drink ice water, cold juices or non-caffeinated ice-tea. Avoid caffeine, dairy-based beverages or anything that is full of sugar, preservatives or colouring. Keep water on you at all times, this is especially important as we live in a city that is both hot and humid so it’s easier for us to dehydrate without adequate liquid replacement. 

2.Stay ahead of your thirst. This might seem obvious but you need to stay ahead of your thirst. Related to the above hydration tip, don’t wait until you are thirsty to take a sip, force yourself to drink and drink and drink. Often the body won’t signal you’re thirsty until you are actually dehydrated and during a heatwave and extreme heat conditions, this can be dangerous. 

3.Change your schedule People who are active during the day or work outdoors should limit the amount time they spend outside during peak heat hours (from 11am to 2pm). Move these activities to either early morning or evening and if you want to work out or do exercise, head to the gym or an air conditioned yoga class instead of heading outdoors. 

4.No alcohol or coffee. As a nation of coffee and beer-lovers this one will be challenging, but try to avoid caffeine and alcohol of any kind. A cold beer or iced latte might be refreshing but it will suck the moisture out of your insides rapidly and make it harder for you to replenish your essential liquids. 

5.Choose your attire carefully. Natural fibres, such as cotton, breathe better on the body. And oddly enough, keeping the sun off your skin provides more surface area for sweating, and so is actually cooler. If you’re outdoors, make sure you wear a cap or straw hat. 

6.Try to eat high water content foods to help your body out. Many fruits and vegetables, such as watermelon, rockmelon, honeydew, grapes, coconuts, cucumber and tomatoes contain 90 percent or higher water content by weight. Eating them in abundance will keep you hydrated. So don’t indulge in large, protein-rich meals as these can increase metabolic heat and warm the body. 

7.Use a water-filled spray bottle. This one is fun for young and old. Use a water-filled spray bottle, especially if you have filled it with ice cold water. When you are outside or feeling hot, simply mist yourself with refreshing spritzes of chilled water (remember to wear waterproof mascara if you do this at work). 

8.Check in on elderly people near you. Aged people have less tolerance to heat due to their age. They can also be taking medications that can dehydrate the body, meaning that some elderly patients may be even more vulnerable to the effects of hot temperatures. So stop by, make sure they are drinking enough water, and that they turn on their air conditioning or fans. 

9.Avoid extreme temperature changes. This one may surprise you but a cold shower immediately after coming in from very hot outdoor temperatures can actually result in hypothermia (particularly for elderly and very young children). 

10.Have a heatwave survival kit. Make sure it is prepped and packed before the summer temperatures really rise. Prepare your kit with all the following items and keep it in an easily accessible location. torch (with spare batteries), first aid kit and medications you need, a change of clothes, toiletry and sanitary supplies, special needs for infants, the aged and people with disabilities, water in sealed containers – 3 litres per person (for three days).