How to stay healthy and safe at the beach this summer

It’s time to hit the beach.

The days are longer, the sun’s out and the water’s warm (well, not frigid at least). It’s summer and life takes on a different pace here in the Northwest. We play outside more. We spend more time in the water. We crank up the tunes.

Below we’ve put together helpful tips to stay healthy and safe this summer.

Summer health

Ah, summer, those warm days of outdoor adventure and relaxation. Not to dampen your enthusiasm, but as you bask in the summerness of it all, there are some health issues — beyond sunburns — that spike at this time and are worth paying attention to. For you — and, if you’re a parent, for your kids as well — here are some concerns to keep in mind as you navigate the heat and the great outdoors.

Food poisoning. Illnesses caused by food-borne pathogens are common in the heat and humidity of summer, which encourages the growth of bacteria in food and elsewhere. Add the fact that a lot of us cook and eat outdoors in the summer without safeguards such as refrigeration, dishwashers and food thermometers, and you’ve got a recipe for food poisoning. To avoid food poisoning: Wash your hands with water or moistened towelettes; keep raw meats separate from other foods in the cooler and on prep surfaces; and keep cold foods cold.

Heat exhaustion and heat stroke. People of all ages are susceptible to heat-related illnesses. Heat exhaustion occurs when people are exposed to very high temperatures and don’t drink enough fluids. Heat stroke is another — and far more serious — matter. It develops when the body temperature rises to 106 degrees, and it is a life-threatening condition. People suffering heat stroke stop sweating and become confused. Heat stroke requires emergency medical attention. CDC advises stay cool and stay hydrated.

Heat rash. When it’s hot and humid, sweat glands can become blocked by excess perspiration, trapping sweat beneath the skin and causing a red, bumpy, prickly heat rash. It’s more common among babies, whose sweat glands are immature, and among people who aren’t accustomed to heat and humidity. Treatments include topical steroid cream (to calm the itch), calamine lotion or anhydrous lanolin, an over-the-counter balm that can help keep skin ducts from getting blocked.

Swimmer’s ear. You don’t have to go swimming to get swimmer’s ear, an infection of the skin of the ear canal. Moisture in the ear from the pool, ocean, a shower or even sweat helps set the stage for swimmer’s ear by promoting bacterial growth in the ear canal. When bacteria that normally live in even healthy ears find their way under the skin via a scratch or an irritated spot, they can spread and cause infection. A physician can prescribe eardrops containing antibiotics, but it’s easy to treat a mild case on your own with a 50-50 mixture of white vinegar and rubbing alcohol.

— The Washington Post

Summer safety

From the beach to the pool, drowning incidents can happen in any body of water. Safety precautions should be taken around all water environments. Wear a life jacket and be aware of the strength of the current. Here are a few tips on water safety courtesy of the U.S. Swim School Association:

Swim in the view of a lifeguard. At the beach, teach your children to swim in front of the lifeguard station. Most drowning’s occur at an unguarded beach. Also, the currents will naturally push you down the shore, so have a landmark such as the lifeguard station and return to that spot.

Be aware of ocean conditions. Pay attention to the colored flags located near the lifeguard. They will tell you if the water is dangerous, moderately rough or calm and they will also tell you if there is any aquatic life in the swimming area (jellyfish, sharks, etc.).

Enter the water feet first. Do not dive into the ocean, and test the depth before swimming. Doing this can help prevent serious neck or head injury.

Rip currents. They are powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water than can flow at speeds of up to eight feet-per-second. Teach your children about rip currents and how to swim out of them. The best thing to do when caught in a rip current is to not panic, swim parallel to the shoreline until you are out of the current, then swim diagonally back to shore.

— Herald news services