Manchester Memorial Hospital | Healthy Connections | Summer 2018

2 Manchester Memorial Hospital • Summer 2018 Hot weather workouts Stay safe when temps soar Fruit forward Add cubed melon or fresh or frozen berries. Add slices of orange, lemon or lime, or squeeze in some juice. One cool combo: Lime and cucumber Herbal infusion Fresh herbs, like basil and mint leaves, add unique and flavorful notes. One sweet pairing: Mint and watermelon Break the ice Make flavored ice cubes with 100 percent fruit juice, unsweetened tea or chopped fruit. Sources: American Diabetes Association; American Institute for Cancer Research Go H 2 O! If plain water doesn’t entice you, how about giving it a refreshing change? Here are some naturally healthy flavor enhancers—and you can also have fun experimenting with what you have on hand. Stay hydrated with these tasty twists on water Sunscreen smarts Whether you work or play outdoors, you owe it to your skin to first do this: Take a moment to put on some sunscreen, no matter the forecast. Sunscreen isn’t just for sweltering summer days when you’re more likely to get a painful burn. Even in fall and winter, the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays—which can cause early wrinkles, age spots and skin cancer—can harm unprotected skin. 3 things to look for So what kinds of sunscreen work best? Here are three must-haves: Broad-spectrum protection. These products guard against both UVA and UVB rays, which damage skin in different ways. Without broad-spectrum on the label, you could be getting only sunburn protection. SPF (sun-protection factor) 30 or higher. These products screen out 97 per- cent of UVB rays—a level of protection dermatologists recommend. Water resistant. These sunscreens can resist water—for instance, while you swim—for up to 40 minutes (water resis- tant) or 80 minutes (very water resistant). To help get the most out of your sun- screen, follow these rules: ❯ ❯ Apply it about 15 minutes before going outside. ❯ ❯ Use enough—a palm-sized amount should cover your hands, arms, legs, ears, neck and other exposed skin. Use a sun- screen lip balm for your lips. ❯ ❯ Reapply every two hours, or sooner if you swim or get very sweaty. Sunscreen can break down or wash off. Finally, you shouldn’t rely on sunscreen alone to protect your skin. Wearing a long- sleeved shirt, a wide hat and sunglasses, and avoiding direct sunlight whenever possible should also be part of your outdoor plans. Sources: American Academy of Dermatology; American Cancer Society Y OUR CAR ISN’T the only thing that can overheat in hot weather. Your body can as well— especially when exercising. But that doesn’t mean you have to stay indoors. There are ways you can beat the heat and still get in a healthy workout under the sun. When you exercise in hot weather, you cool off by sweating, which causes you to lose body fluids. If you don’t replace these fluids, you can become dehydrated. Your body may then have difficulty sweating and cooling down. This can lead to heat injury, reports the American Acad- emy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. There are several types of heat injuries, ranging from moderate problems—like heat cramps and heat exhaustion—to medical emergencies, like heat stroke. Keep your cool Heat injuries are preventable if you take steps to protect yourself when exercising in hot weather. To reduce your risk: ● ● Stay hydrated: Drink fluids before, during and after exercise ● ● Reduce the intensity of your workout ● ● Try to exercise outside early in the morning or after sunset ● ● Don’t overdo it—take frequent breaks Summer safety