Heat Wave

• Slow down. Your body can't do its best in high temperatures and humidities; it might do its worst.
• Heed your body's early warnings that heat syndrome is on the way. Reduce your level of activity immediately and get to a cooler environment.
• Dress for summer. Lightweight, light colors reflect heat and sunlight and helps your thermoregulatory system maintain normal body temperature.
• Put less fuel on your inner fires. Foods (like proteins) that increase metabolic heat production also increase water loss.
• Don't dry out. Heat wave weather can wring you out before you know it. Drink plenty of water while the hot spell lasts.
• Stay salty. Unless you're on a salt-restricted diet, take an occasional salt water tablet or some salt solution when you've worked up a sweat.
• Avoid thermal shock. Acclimatize yourself gradually to warm weather. Treat yourself extra gently for those first critical two or three hot days.
• Vary your thermal environment. Physical stress increases with exposure time in heat wave weather. Try to get out of the heat for at least a few hours each day. If you can't do this at home, drop in on a cool store, restaurant, or theater--- anything to keep your exposure time down.
• Don't get too much sun. Sunburn makes the job of heat dissipation much more difficult.
• Know the heat syndrome symptoms and first aid.