Summer Heat

According to the Center for Disease Control, heat kills more people than tornados, lightning and floods alone. And they are urging people to stay cool and hydrated this summer. Every year an average of over 600 deaths occur due to extreme heat in the United States. 40% of all heat-related deaths come from California, Arizona, and Texas.

Dehydration in Summer Heat

I learned first-hand how dangerous summer heat can be when I passed out from dehydration in the middle of a summer heatwave while out running. I thought I was drinking enough water before I left the house, but I wasn’t, especially in the middle of a heatwave. Since I didn’t have any way to carry water, I was trying to drink enough to last for a 30-40 minute run. I didn’t think it was that big of a deal, until I found myself passed out by the side of the road. Luckily a Good Samaritan took me to the hospital in time.

This is when I came up with the idea for the wrist water bottle. It supplies 11 ounces of ice cold water to keep you hydrated and it also lowers your body temperature because it’s on your wrist. Drinking a few sips of cold water every few minutes is enough to keep you cool and hydrated.

The summer heat can be especially hard on children and the elderly or anyone with a serious medical condition such as MS. People with MS need to always make sure they are keeping their body temperature down in order to prevent a flare-up of their symptoms. There are numerous cooling products for MS sufferers.

Other things you can do to cool down besides staying hydrated is to wear lightweight, breathable clothing such as cotton, linen, and silk. Keep the air conditioning on and limit your exposure to the outdoors to the early morning and later afternoon hours.

Summer heat is a perfect reason to get outside and get active as long as you avoid overdoing it and keep cool while you’re out there.