Heat exhaustion

[crowbuster]

I've always had a much better tolerance for heat than cold. Grew up in the deep south where it was hot and humid most of the time. In all the 24 years in the Army in places like Fort Bliss, Fort Irwin and the Middle East, where it literally will top 130 degrees in Summer, I never went down as a heat casualty. But here lately (the big 50th birthday seemed to trigger a lot of weaknesses) I seem to not be dealing with it as well as I used to.

Stay in the shade and drink a lot of cool (not ice cold) water. I've always heard that if you're eating a decent diet, you don't need to worry much about electrolyte replacement, but a Gatorade or similar now and then can't hurt. I kind of like the idea of the diluted tomato juice, think I'll give that a try.

Just the opposite for me rich. Always loved the cold, not so much the heat. I can put enough on to keep warm but not take off enough to cool down. I to have noticed more effects from the heat as I topped the 50. It's just tellin us to work smarter not harder. Some days I still struggle with that. HAHA

[Ballistics in Scotland]

the biggest killer on the trek west was getting sick from the heat and then losing more water from their system due to the flu like symptoms.
a glass of water with 2 tsp of sugar and 1/2 tsp of salt each day would have saved hundreds or thousands of lives on that trek.
the majority of the deaths occurred to the [harder working] men bringing their family's to Utah.
this caused an overly disproportionate amount of women that struggled to care for themselves and their children when they got to the wild wide open valleys.
this was the reason for polygamy being instituted, it was to save their lives and make things easier on everybody.

Mormon polygamy was instituted on the banks of the Mississippi, in Nauvoo Illinois, and persisted for a good many cool years in Salt Lake City. Some 20 to 25% of Mormon families practiced it, and many others had to practice bachelorhood. Missionaries concentrated on replenishing the supply of single females, and
were told by the leadership to stop picking the prettiest ones for themselves on the trip back.

Salt loss is indeed a health hazard, and adding a salt content to the liquids used in rehydration is worth doing. But salt content is slower to go wrong and slower to put right. Sugar is the fastest way of giving the body energy through food. But it is water that is really urgent in treating the heat illnesses.

[w5pv]

Plus one on the pickle juice.

[WRideout]

When my National Guard battalion trained at Dugway, Utah in 1988, the temperatures were not all that high, maybe in the high 80's but the humidity was so low it would suck the water right out of your body. We had a bath and laundry unit where I showered every three days. By the time I changed my uniform, the salt from perspiration had made them stiff, like starch. I was definitely trying to get enough salt in my diet. I turned my back when my driver tried to dig a hole once, and when turned around again, he was already down with heat exhaustion. You almost can't drink enough water in those circumstances.
Wayne

[Wayne Smith]

Nobody has mentioned our kidneys. The older we get the less efficient they are at cleaning the blood and, in extreme conditions like heat, the poisons buildup in the body. Heat stroke is the next step after heat exhaustion, when the brain is poisoned and part of it dies. Take care of yourselves, guys. We are not 20 any more!

[MrWolf]

Heh, I resemble that remark. I am almost three 20's. I cannot take the cold at all, give me heat anytime - with water of course and a fan. I don't like AC either. Can't breathe in it.

[William Yanda]

Careful there! Once subject to heat injury, you are more susceptible in the future. Electrolytes, hydration, rest and cool off are proper remedies.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I guess I should have logged in yesterday afternoon and read some of the responses and about salt and gatorade. because flu like symtoms never really ceased yesterday...maybe for a few hours before Bed and ate a little food, but then started in again...continuing til about an hour ago. This morning, I put a pot of coffee on, but after reading here I won't be drinking that now...I am now sipping some gatorade/water 50-50.

if your drinking Gatorade you need to cut it with water or it's too concentrated to really do a lot of good.
water before halfway through and after a bottle of that stuff will allow your body to actually absorb the nutrients and put them to use.
the biggest killer on the trek west was getting sick from the heat and then losing more water from their system due to the flu like symptoms.
a glass of water with 2 tsp of sugar and 1/2 tsp of salt each day would have saved hundreds or thousands of lives on that trek.
the majority of the deaths occurred to the [harder working] men bringing their family's to Utah.
this caused an overly disproportionate amount of women that struggled to care for themselves and their children when they got to the wild wide open valleys.
this was the reason for polygamy being instituted, it was to save their lives and make things easier on everybody.

[KAF]

When working in the foundry pouring iron, staying hydrated with water or anything with water in it, and take some citric acid tablets would get me thru the hot humid days. A wet towel around my neck helped too. You get plenty of salt and potassium in foods you eat, do not over do salt.

[popper]

Does not take high heat! My heart went to 160BPM and would not come down

My first episode ever with afib came after washing down some brick walls in 2002. HB of 200 and had to get electroverted - chems didn't do the job. Your head heats and cools pretty quick but the gut doesn't, permanent damage can occur. A pinch of salt in H2O will prevent the bloated feeling - Gatoraid stuff has too much salt & sugar. Popsicles work good as does the cool wet towel on the neck. Beer & caffeine are bad in over-heat state.

[leadman]

We have had over 25 days of temperature in excess of 110 degrees. Humidity is going up now but earlier in the summer it was very low at around 6%.
We have had at least 6 deaths and probably more here in the Phoenix area alone.
I am working on the motorhome for a planned trip to Michigan. Got outside at about 5:30 this morning and quit at 10:00 am, I'm whooped. After I recover some I'll put the tow dolly in my air conditioned garage to look it over.

[Polecat]

I'm 75 and have ended up in the hospital twice in the last four years for dehydration. when you get older things that you used to sluff off will sneak up on you. I try to be aware of any signs they can be very sneaky. Good luck

[MaryB]

I came in from working in the garden today and promptly drank a 16 oz cup of V8. It has the salt, potassium, magnesium etc to stave off muscle cramps. And I had pushed it and was so soggy I could wring out my tank top... didn't eat much for supper but feel better now, just tired and that is from working harder than I should with my broken body! But 4 rows of garden are prepped for the fall veggies to be planted soon as I have time. Start more lettuce, radishes, peas round two, spinach... I will have 2 1/2 more empty rows after I clean out the lettuce that is bolting... need ideas for what to put there that will grow in 2 months...

Over 30 years ago I read in a runner's magazine they recommended a mixture of half water and half canned tomato juice. That supposedly provided the sodium and potassium needed to replenish the electrolytes. I think I recall sugar was also not the best item in a rehydrating drink.

[nicholst55]

So many people are on this low/no sodium thing! The human body needs around 2000mg of sodium/day to function properly. Minimum is around 500. More when you are sweating a lot. I remember back during HS sports practices we were given salt pills!

I ended up in the ER about 4 years ago from dehydration working out in the front yard in the mid 80F's and bone dry humidity. Does not take high heat! My heart went to 160BPM and would not come down. Finally after pumping me full of a bunch of carp and saline, it came down to normal 65. They were ready to take me to the cath lab and burn out nerves in my heart!

Stay hydrated. WELL hydrated. And keep your electrolyte intake in mind. Do not drink just water.

At least with all that garlic, you know you were not bitten by a vampire!!!!!!

Feel better!

I had a similar experience three years ago, cutting grass on a 'mild' 90-degree day here in Yuma - with high humidity (for us, anyway). I ended up in the ER with atreal fibulation and flutter, although my heart beat did stabilize after the paramedics got two liters of fluids into me. I learned my lesson!

[Mauser48]

I know what you mean. I used to get sick from just short amounts of time in the heat. I have discovered that you have to drink a LOT of eater.DUH! Last weekend I went hunting and it was around 104° in the hottest part of the day I drank around 3 liters of water a day and I did fine. The day before I left to go hunting I drank that amount too so the next day I didn't need to make up for water I didn't drink the day before. It is good to have a little Gatorade too. Not too much because it had salt.

[MaryB]

Actually unless it grows with salt in it I do not get enough from food. I cook from scratch every meal using fresh or frozen veg I put up... I use very very few prepared foods

When working in the foundry pouring iron, staying hydrated with water or anything with water in it, and take some citric acid tablets would get me thru the hot humid days. A wet towel around my neck helped too. You get plenty of salt and potassium in foods you eat, do not over do salt.

[Teddy (punchie)]

Actually unless it grows with salt in it I do not get enough from food. I cook from scratch every meal using fresh or frozen veg I put up... I use very very few prepared foods

My doctor was checking my dad one day, as his doctor was out of town , same office. I take my dad as he had a stroke.

Any way doc talked about salt for him and said it can kill him he better watch out and listen, Robert let him have it.

So I was there and being his son and my doctor, he informed me as long as I eat one processed food a day that is enough salt. I ??? as he knows we bale hay, small squares 5,000 to 6,000 a year. In return make sure you balance your diet. Cal. Mag. Zinc, and take a good balance vitamins.

60 day green beans.

Turnips,

Others greens some will take the frost.

[MaryB]

Yeah days like today with 70% humidity... I could taste the salt in the sweat running off my face... and I am craving salt tonight so made popcorn. My body tells me what I need and I listen. If I am hungry for something salty I need something salty... in winter I tend to crave sweets more for the calories to fight MN cold...

[Col4570]

For 22 years my job involved working in high temperatures.Sealing live steam leaks.One time in the 1980s during a heat wave we had a particularly long day on a Power Plant Boiler Tops.The job was urgent so we worked through without a break for several hours.Driving home that evening I suddenly went dizzy followed by complete deafness.I pulled in to the roadside and could,nt hear a thing.I sat in the grass drank some bottled water and eventualy my sight came clear and I was able to hear again.I put it down to Heat Exhaustion.The following Day I was like a Zombie until my strength came back.

[shoot-n-lead]

For 22 years my job involved working in high temperatures.Sealing live steam leaks.One time in the 1980s during a heat wave we had a particularly long day on a Power Plant Boiler Tops.The job was urgent so we worked through without a break for several hours.Driving home that evening I suddenly went dizzy followed by complete deafness.I pulled in to the roadside and could,nt hear a thing.I sat in the grass drank some bottled water and eventualy my sight came clear and I was able to hear again.I put it down to Heat Exhaustion.The following Day I was like a Zombie until my strength came back.

I expect that was frightening and a teachable moment.