Firstly, NEVER leave your pet in the car. Not even for a minute. Not even with the car running and air conditioner on. On a warm day, temperatures inside a vehicle can rise rapidly to dangerous levels.
Things you can do to beat the heat:
- Choose loose, light-weight, and breathable fabrics like linen or cotton over synthetics.
- Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated.
- Tip: try freezing a bottle of water that can thaw into the perfect ice-cold beverage.
- Keep your core temperature down by eating smaller meals and choosing cooling foods like cucumbers, salads, vegetables and fruits.
- Plan outdoor exercise for cooler times of the day like early morning or late evening. If that’s not possible consider scaling down the length or intensity of your outdoor exercise
- Run through the sprinkler!
- Avoid drinking sugary or caffeinated beverages.
- Take breaks from the heat. If it gets too hot out, plan an indoor activity like visiting a museum or shopping mall to cool down.
According to the American academy of dermatology, there are several things you can do for sunburns:
- Take frequent cool baths or showers to help relieve the pain. As soon as you get out of the bathtub or shower, gently pat yourself dry, but leave a little water on your skin. Then, apply a moisturizer to help trap the water in your skin. This can help ease the dryness.
- Use a moisturizer that contains aloe vera or soy to help soothe sunburned skin. If a particular area feels especially uncomfortable, you may want to apply a hydrocortisone cream that you can buy without a prescription. Do not treat sunburn with “-caine” products (such as benzocaine), as these may irritate the skin or cause an allergic reaction.
- Consider taking aspirin or ibuprofen to help reduce any swelling, redness and discomfort.
- Drink extra water. A sunburn draws fluid to the skin’s surface and away from the rest of the body. Drinking extra water when you are sunburned helps prevent dehydration.
- If your skin blisters, allow the blisters to heal. Blistering skin means you have a second-degree sunburn. You should not pop the blisters, as blisters form to help your skin heal and protect you from infection.
- Take extra care to protect sunburned skin while it heals. Wear clothing that covers your skin when outdoors. Tightly-woven fabrics work best. When you hold the fabric up to a bright light, you shouldn’t see any light coming through.
Be safe and enjoy the fun of summer!