Be prepared to beat the heat
By: Maria McConville, MS,RDN,CPT*
It’s that time of year again…the days are long, and the heat is mounting. Being outdoors in the sunshine is tempting, but enjoyment can turn to heat illness without proper planning and protection.
Michelle Myjer, Registered Dietitian, Army Veteran, and Master Gardener, has been the unfortunate victim of repeated heat illness. She recently shared her experiences and some helpful tips to avoid heat-related complications.
Maria: Tell me about the first time you experienced heat illness. What happened and how did you deal with it?
Michelle: The first time I suffered heat illness was when I visited Philadelphia in the heat of the summer about 10 years ago. During my tour of the city, I became lightheaded and weak in the legs—and I got a headache.
I felt the full effects a few hours later when my headache became much worse. I stopped my activity and laid down since movement made me feel worse. Drinking water and eating crackers helped a bit. The next day I felt well enough to be active, but stayed out of the hot sun. That seemed to be the end of it. Little did I know, I’d experience heat illness again with even worse symptoms.
Maria: After your first bout of heat illness, did you think you were more likely to experience it again?
Michelle: I’ve since experienced heat illness at least four more times—each instance having relatively mild symptoms (similar to the first time). In some cases, my symptoms were more brutal, including severe vertigo and vomiting that lasted several hours. I can’t say for sure if having suffered heat illness once makes you more susceptible, but it’s certainly possible.
Maria: Do you think there’s a common thread to your heat-illness episodes?
Michelle: I live in northern California where the humidity is rather low and the heat isn’t typically oppressive. The common thread for me with my heat-illness episodes was being out in the heat and/or sun for four or more hours at a time. Or being in an environment with more humidity. On each occasion, it was hotter than what I’d been used to. Each time, I protected my head with a wide-brimmed hat and drank plenty of water. However, I didn’t eat anything while out in the heat.
Maria: As a registered dietitian, you understand the importance of nutrition. Based on your experiences, do you believe there’s a way to help prevent heat illness with eating and drinking habits?
Michelle: My most recent episode last July was very traumatic. I was so sick that I couldn't keep any liquid or solids down for over 6 hours. My daughter brought me to an urgent care clinic where I was told that my blood was hyponatremic (low in sodium). With that information, I now know that in addition to drinking water, I have to eat foods that contain salt when I’m outside for long periods of time in the heat. Another option is to supplement the water with some fruit juice and salt or drink a beverage that contains electrolytes. I learned that even though I didn't feel like I was sweating, I actually was. Water isn’t enough to keep your body safe when working for hours in the heat. In fact, one can drink too much water and dilute the blood of sodium which is likely what I had done.
Maria: What precautions do you take now to try to prevent heat illness?
Maria: If there was one thing you'd like those who have never experienced heat illness to know, what would it be?
Michelle: You might not feel thirsty or hungry or think you’re sweating, but you need to drink plenty of fluids and eat something salty when working in the heat and humidity. Heat illness is no joke, and preventing it is so much smarter than suffering through it.
Enjoy the summer activities, but don’t become a victim of heat exhaustion—or heat stroke—by being unprepared. Learn more by reading HPRC’s articles about heat illness and how to practice heat-acclimatization techniques. Make sure to check out the Army Public Health Center’s video about heat illness too.
About the Author
Maria McConville, of the Henry M. Jackson Foundation, is a Senior Nutrition Health Educator for the Consortium for Health and Military Performance (CHAMP) at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU).
Disclosure: *The opinions and assertions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of USU or DoD. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or policies of The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. Mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. The author has no financial interests or relationships to disclose.
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