High schooler

Senior Summer Safety

By Rebecca Fending With summer well on its way, safety is the name of the season in more ways than one. Here are just a few ways you can keep yourself safe this summer:

Hurricane Season Tips

As the activity for this year is expected to be “above average” by experts, now more than ever it is important to include the following in your hurricane safety kit: • Water (one gallon per person per day for several days; for drinking and sanitation) • Food (at least a several-day supply of non-perishable food) • Battery-powered or hand-crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert • Flashlight • First aid kit • Extra batteries • Whistle (to signal for help) • Dust mask (to help filter contaminated air) • Plastic sheeting and duct tape (to shelter in place) • Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties (for personal sanitation) • Wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities) • Manual can opener (for food) • Local maps • Cell phone with chargers and a backup battery For more information, visit ready.gov/kit.

Summer Hydration

The best way to fight off summer heat is to stay hydrated and keep your electrolytes up, especially when sweating. This also helps avoid heatstroke and other heat-related conditions. Below are a few foods that help keep electrolytes and hydration in check: • Dairy: Milk and yogurt are excellent sources of calcium, making them a great workout recovery snack or drink. • Bananas: Bananas are known to be the king of all potassiumcontaining fruits and veggies. With about 422mg of potassium per banana, we can see why. • Coconut Water: For a quick energy and electrolyte boost during or after a workout, try coconut water. Coconut water contains about 600mg of potassium and 252mg of sodium per cup. • Watermelon: Watermelon is loaded with good-for-you nutrients like natural sugars, potassium and water. • Avocado: Avocados are loaded with potassium. In fact, just 1 avocado can contain approximately 975mg of potassium, that’s double that of a banana.

Sun Safety

Living in Florida, it’s a given that sunburns have an increased likelihood of occurring. Preventing a sunburn can include things such as physical coverings from the sun (clothes, hats, umbrellas, etc.), sunblock and limiting your time in the sun to just a few minutes. However, for postsunburn care, it’s best to stay hydrated in many ways: with water, hydrating topically with lotions and aloe, and minimizing inflammation with ibuprofen or other NSAIDs. No matter how you plan to enjoy the season, be sure to do so in a way that is safest for you!