Hydration to Avoid Dehydration
Hydration is always important especially in the summer months when we experience hot and humid weather as this is when we tend to lose a lot of our body fluids through sweat, but although we know that we should drink plenty of water, what are the benefits of hydration that we may not know about and how do you know if you are dehydrated?
Heat Exhaustion vs Heatstroke
Heat exhaustion and heatstroke are serious health conditions, but they can be avoided. Heat exhaustion isn’t usually a medical emergency if you can cool the person down within 30 minutes. However, it can develop into heatstroke if it gets worse.
Heat exhaustion happens when the body gets too hot and dehydrated and you can no longer sweat to cool yourself down and your body temperature can rise until it’s dangerously high. Some of the symptoms of heat exhaustion include: a high temperature; tiredness and weakness; dizziness; feeling or being sick; becoming very thirsty; fast breathing or heartbeat; muscle cramps; and clammy skin, paleness (on lighter skin tones), or excessive sweating.
Heatstroke or sun stroke also occurs when the body gets dangerously hot, however, it’s potentially life-threatening and should be treated as an emergency. Symptoms are similar to heat exhaustion at first, like sickness, dizziness, and extreme high temperature, but if you, or someone else, has not recovered after thirty minutes of being in a cool place and drinking fluids, then seek medical assistance.
So how do you stay hydrated? Start by drinking six–eight cups a day of fluid, particularly water which is a healthy and cheap option. Another good tip is to eat foods with high water contents like watermelon, cucumber, lettuce and tomatoes. If you engage in high density workouts and lose a lot of sweat, then electrolytes (minerals that conduct electricity when dissolved in water) could be crucial in managing your fluid balance. Try PE Nutrition Electrolyte Formula tablets available from Holland & Barrett which are made up of the 5 major electrolyte’s and helps to enhance your natural energy sources within the body to better your performance whilst aiding muscle contractions prolonging your exercise without premature muscle cramps. Alternatively, SiS Go Hydro Tablets Lemon tablets are designed to ensure you are effectively hydrated to produce your best performance.
Protect your Hair and Scalp
The scalp is often overlooked when it comes to protecting our bodies from the sun’s harmful UV rays. However, it needs to be protected during the summer and on sunnier days. Sunburn is damage to your skin caused by UV rays from the sun or a sunbed. Scalp sunburn is the same as any other type of sunburn. Symptoms of a sunburned head include: redness; soreness; hot skin; flaking and peeling after a few days.
There are several ways to protect your scalp, the easiest of which is to add sun cream application to your morning routine, especially on any exposed skin.
There are specific sun protection products you can use on the scalp to give an extra layer of protection or you can use ordinary sun cream – it’s up to you! Holland & Barrett SPF 15 Mineral Sunscreen provides immediate broad spectrum UVA & UVB protection once rubbed into the skin. You can also get sunscreen for your hair!
Staying Safe with Nut Allergies
If you or a member of your family suffers with nut allergies, then going on holiday can be a nightmare. If you are flying abroad, be aware that if the airline hands out bags of peanuts and each passenger opens their bags at roughly the same time, the peanut dust thrown into the air might be enough to trigger an allergic reaction. Contact the airline in advance to ask for a note to be added to your booking, alerting check-in staff, security and cabin crew of the allergy, and of your need to carry EpiPens – it’s also a good idea to have a spare set of these in case of emergencies.
Mosquito bites
These can bring misery to any holiday. The majority of mosquito bites simply cause a little discomfort and a small, red lump or swelling that itches. However, mosquito bites do affect different individuals in different ways, and some people experience more severe symptoms of swelling and itching than others. There are several natural remedies that you can try at home.
Clean the bite and apply surgical spirit to the wound with a cotton pad. Although you’ll experience a stinging sensation for a couple of seconds, that will subside, and due to the drying effect of the surgical spirit, the itching will too.
Honey is a natural antibacterial which has anti-inflammatory properties. However, don’t use honey if you intend to head back outside, as insects will be attracted to the sweetness.
Aloe vera gel, either bought or extracted from within an aloe vera leaf, has cooling properties which can reduce swelling. You can buy Holland & Barrett Aloe Vera Gel with 100% naturally derived ingredients to help soothe the mosquito bite, or try incognito Insect Repellent from Holland & Barrett which is a 100% natural anti-mosquito spray that provides protection from biting insects such as mosquitoes.
Basil leaves contain chemicals which work as a natural balm to resolve feelings of itchiness and skin discomfort. Make a rub with blended basil leaves and a neutral oil to soothe the skin.
Garlic has natural anti-inflammatory compounds. However, a minced garlic bulb on its own is too potent to accelerate healing and may exacerbate skin irritation. Combine minced garlic with a few drops of a neutral oil, such as Miaroma Lemon Pure Essential Oil from Holland & Barrett, to create a salve for mosquito bites.
