Heat: eat a balanced diet to recharge your mineral salts
1. Avoid going outside during the hottest hours of the day, between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., and settle in the coolest rooms of your home. However, if your apartment faces south and you have no cool rooms, spend 2 or 3 hours a day in a cool place, such as department stores, cinemas and any public places with air conditioning.
2. The body of seniors does not sweat enough so take a cool shower regularly, during the day, without drying yourself. And also refresh yourself with the help of a thermal water mist.
3. Protect yourself from the heat by closing shutters and windows during the day and opening them at night.
4. Drink regularly and without waiting to be thirsty. Adopt, for example, the principle of chrononutrition: a glass of water every hour until you reach 1.5 liters of water per day. If you do not like “plain” water, you can diversify this intake with tea, fresh coffee, syrup diluted in water, gazpachos, cold soups or watermelon or melon salads. On the other hand, alcoholic beverages, very sweet sodas and coffee should be avoided.
5. More than ever, try to have a balanced diet to recharge your body with mineral salts.
Heat: listen to your body
6. Pay attention to the slightest feeling of exhaustion. This “heat exhaustion” manifests itself mainly in older people as dizziness, weakness, fatigue, or as insomnia or unusual restlessness at night. It is necessary to rest in a cool place, drink water, fruit juice or an energy drink diluted with water. If the symptoms worsen or last more than an hour, it is essential to call a doctor.
7. Ask your doctor for advice if you are taking medication, especially if you are experiencing the usual symptoms. If you experience any of the following symptoms: great weakness, great fatigue, dizziness, vertigo, impaired consciousness, nausea, vomiting, muscle cramps, high body temperature, thirst and headache, call 15.
>> To read also: Sleep well when it’s hot
