Summer woes: Health experts warn against outbreak of possible illnesses

Children, elderly more prone to suffering from high temperatures

ISLAMABAD: As the summer season approaches doctors and health experts warn the public about the possible outbreak of summer diseases. Health expert Danish Wasim advised people to increase water intake and avoid direct contact with sunlight, utilizing a cap, umbrella or sunglasses.

Prevention methods need to be applied to protect oneself from these ailments. Long exposure to the sun and excessive sweating, wearing tight and dark clothes during the summer, eating fatty food and dependence on snacks and ready-made meals from restaurants could be the major cause for summer illnesses, he explained.

Wasim added that children and the elderly are more prone to suffering from heat strokes as they have a lower resistance to fight these diseases. Hence, they must avoid going outside during the peak time of the day when the temperature is especially high. He further added that if someone is to faint due to heat they must be taken inside in the air conditioning and given water to drink. Moreover, he recommended that people should drink more water, fresh juices and fruits to increase their immunity and resistance to this problem.



Health expert, Dr Ayesha Imran stated that labourers are one of the most vulnerable groups among all during the heat wave condition as their job requires them to work out doors most of the time. She emphasized that steps should be taken by the authorities for the health safety of labourers, especially during high-temperature seasons.

Experts have stated that sweating due to excessive heat causes fluids and mineral imbalance in the human body and results in low blood pressure, low sugar level, shivering, headaches and nausea.

They urged people to wash the parts of the body exposed to the heat with cold water when they sweat and to sprinkle talcum powder on sensitive areas of the body, especially in the case of children.

Furthermore, health experts cautioned that we need to avoid eating unhealthy food when the weather is particularly hot because high calorie content prompts the body to sweat more.

Instead, we should eat more fresh fruit which contains a high percentage of water, with low calorie content.

Medical experts advised people to wear good quality sunglasses with ultraviolet filter because the ultraviolet rays can badly damage the skin and the eyes. Moreover, they advised that during the summer, people should wear loose-fitting light-coloured cotton clothes.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 31^st, 2018.