Upcoming heatwave? Here’s what you should do

40 ° C a record temperature for Belgium !

These extreme conditions can be harmful and dangerous for people at risk (elderly and children).
Our body tries to maintain the body temperature at 36.7 °C by setting up a sweating mechanism. Sweat (a mixture of water, salt and ions) on the skin evaporates using our energy and therefore decreases our temperature. By cons it makes us lose water and can eventually lead to dehydration !

Causes of dehydration can be various :

• burns
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• loss of sodium by the kidneys

That is why it is very important to drink a lot of water in case of strong heat.
But you have to recognize a dehydration, so it will be necessary to pay attention to these 4 different signs :

1. Thirst and dry tongue
2. persistent skin fold (when you pinch the skin under the clavicle, this fold remains marked)
3. low blood pressure when you stand with a high heart rate (fast pulse and dizziness)
4. a decrease of the volume of the eyeball

To avoid dehydration, do not hesitate to drink enough (2 liters per day instead of 1.5).
To avoid dehydration, you can also avoid diuretic foods.
Diuretics are substances that increase the functioning of the kidneys and increase the production of urine, so we lose water!

Diuretic foods to avoid :

• carrots
• zucchini
• broccoli
• asparagus
• fennel
• artichoke
• rosemary

If one day you are facing a dehydrated person you will be able to prepare some kind of medication !
Mix in a glass, water with salt and sugar and you're done!
This solution is called in the medical language ORS (oral rehydration solution).

This mixture will act in the intestines. In fact both, sugar and salt, are absorbed at the same time in the intestines. To balance the concentrations of solutes and ions (salt and sugar) between the inside and the outside of your intestines the water is absorbed naturally!
It is a miracle solution that everyone can do himself !

Of course if such situation happens I recommend you to visit asap your doctor for a check-up.

I hope you enjoy it and learned something today !
If you have any questions or suggestions feel free to share them with me.

Kiss
D.