Our Health during Extreme Heat

Extreme heat poses significant risks to human health, exacerbating existing conditions and leading to severe, sometimes fatal, health issues. As global temperatures rise due to climate change, understanding and mitigating the health impacts of extreme heat becomes increasingly critical.

When the body cannot cool itself effectively, its temperature can rise rapidly, leading to potentially fatal conditions. Heat can exacerbate chronic illnesses like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and asthma.

Vulnerable populations, including older adults, children, and those with pre-existing health conditions, are at higher risk.

Heat-Related Illnesses

Extreme heat can lead to a range of heat-related illnesses, including:

• Heat Exhaustion: Characterised by heavy sweating, weakness, dizziness, nausea, and fainting. It occurs when the body loses excessive amounts of water and salt through sweating.
• Heat Cramps: Painful muscle spasms that occur due to heavy sweating and loss of salt and water.
• Heat Rash: Skin irritation from excessive sweating.
• Heat Stroke: A severe condition where the body’s temperature regulation fails, leading to a rapid rise in body temperature, confusion, loss of consciousness, and potentially fatal outcomes if not treated promptly.

Food Safety in Extreme Heat

Food bought from stores and restaurants should be consume within four hours when kept outside in a cool environment.

However, during extreme hot weather, the food can get spoil more easily. Bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses, such as Salmonella and E. coli, grow more easily between 4-60°C. Therefore, it is crucial to keep food either hot (above 60°C) or cold (below 4°C) to prevent bacterial growth.

Advice for Staying Safe During Hot Weather

To stay safe during extreme heat, consider the following tips:

Stay Cool:

• Stay indoors and use air conditioning if possible.
• Avoid strenuous activities, especially during peak sun hours (11 AM to 3 PM).
• Wear lightweight, light-colored, and loose-fitting clothing.
• Take cool showers or baths to lower your body temperature.

Stay Hydrated:

• Drink plenty of fluids, even if you do not feel thirsty. Water is best. In normal weather, we advise individual to take at least 6-8 glasses of plain water in a day. In hot weather, you need to consume much more.
• Avoid alcohol, caffeine, and sugary drinks, as they can lead to dehydration.

Stay Informed:

• Keep updated with weather forecasts and heat alerts.
• Know the signs of heat-related illnesses, such as heavy sweating, weakness, dizziness, nausea, and muscle cramps.
• Know the colour and amount of urine, if the urine turns to dark yellow and in small amount, it indicates dehydration, and you need to drink plenty of water.

This article was written by Victor Hoe. The article was part of the interview by Ragananthini Vethasalam and is published in the Star Newspaper

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