Typically, summer is the time when families come together for reunions, travel to exotic locales, and adventurers take on the great outdoors. While states wrestle with reopening and trying to protect the health of the population, it’s anybody’s guess what this summer will look like.
Even though this is one of the most unusual summers in modern times, finding a way to enjoy life and maintain mental and physical health should still be a top priority. By staying aware of health problems caused by excessive heat and finding safer entertainment options, you can still make this a summer to remember by following a few tips for a happy and healthy summer.
Protect Your Kidneys
Summer is all about the sun. In addition to wearing sunscreen to protect against skin cancer and other damage, taking additional precautions in extreme heat can save you a trip to the E.R. Did you know the risk for kidney stones increases in the summer?
Many doctors see an increase in kidney stone patients when temperatures rise. Kidney stones also show up more often in southern parts of the country and regions close to the equator. The culprit seems to be dehydration.
The kidney filters your blood to remove toxins and other intruders that shouldn’t exist, and those toxins exit the body through urine. If you get dehydrated, your urine can become concentrated to the point where stones form. One of the best things you can do to help prevent kidney stones is to drink eight to 10 glasses of fluid a day. Avoiding the overly salty, processed foods and meats that tend to show up around summertime can also reduce the risks.
Seek the Shade
Don’t forget to take extra precautions when it comes to working, playing, and exercising in the heat. During the summer, doctors see a lot more illnesses related to hot temperatures. They range from heat exhaustion (being overtired from being out in the heat) to heat syncope. Heat syncope is fainting or dizziness that usually occurs with prolonged standing or sudden rising from a sitting or lying position. Contributing factors include dehydration and lack of acclimatization.
In more severe cases, people suffer from heat strokes, which can lead to coma, seizures, or death if not treated properly. Risks increase for the young and elderly, people on certain medications, and people who don’t have air conditioning. Taking breaks in the shade and staying hydrated can help prevent heat strokes as well.
Choose Safe Entertainment Options
Can we still have healthy summer parties and barbecues? The CDC recommends making some adjustments if you want to host a soiree. If having a virtual party doesn’t cut it for you, use the following precautions to increase safety.
- Limit groups to eight people or less.
- Wear cloth face coverings when not eating.
- Arrange seating to allow for six to eight feet of social distancing between people.
- Don’t share food or utensils.
- Clean bathrooms and other high traffic areas often.
- Clean and disinfect high touch items like doorknobs, light switches, and faucets regularly.
Travel Virtually
Travel restrictions and safety concerns have made summer travel precarious at best. It’s understandable why many don’t want to put themselves or their children in harm’s way to have a good time.
To help us avoid the summer doldrums, Google has put together a list of 10 museums around the world that offer virtual tours. New York, Paris, London, and Berlin are just a few of the stops included. Most wouldn’t have the opportunity to visit 10 of the world’s most breathtaking museums in one summer any other way. It’s a great way to immerse yourself in culture and encourage your children to do the same within the safety of your own home.
From the Luxury Travel Expert, to a host of other travel vloggers, online travel content abounds. It may not be as exciting as going yourself, but you may find some titillating locations you never considered before. Planning a future trip to an obscure destination with your friends and family can give you something to look forward to.
Take Care of Yourself
There’s no denying this summer will be memorable for reasons none of us expected, but practicing self-care is still important. Taking a 30-minute walk each day, meditating, and eating healthy foods are just a few ways to stay on track. Finding safe entertainment options may require a little more creativity, but learning new things and keeping a positive outlook for the future can do wonders for mental health.
