9 minute read
SUMMER HEALTH
Too much SUN?
The top side effects of too much sun sound strange until you understand the biology behind them and how the body is trying to onsider these as signs that you have spent too much time in direct sun or that your body is not coping with the heat, says dermatologist Dr Matete Mathobela. SWOLLEN HANDS AND FEET What is it? Heat oedema c AVOIDING protect itself. Thando Pato chats to the experts
Symptoms The sudden swelling of the hands and discomfort associated with this are caused by your veins expanding in the body’s effort to keep itself cool. However, what happens summer food poisoning at the same time with heat oedema is that the blood vessels are struggling to pump blood back to the heart, so additional fluids produced by the body are pulled to the limbs, resulting in the swelling. Dietician Ashleigh Caradas says the key to avoiding food poisoning this summer is ensuring that you have good bacterial fl ora. “With good bacterial fl ora, you are less likely to get sick from contaminated foods because your body will be able to fi ght the poisons off,” she says. To ensure you have a healthy gut, she advises taking probiotics and sticking to a high-fi bre, low-sugar diet. PAINFUL MUSCLE SPASMS What is it? Heat cramps Symptoms Muscles intermittently spasm or jerk involuntarily. This is a result of a loss of fluids and most importantly sodium, which can be diminished through excessive sweating. Heat cramps mostly affect the abdomen, back, arms or legs. “It’s not foolproof, but the better your system is, the lower your chances of food poisoning.” But while probiotics (which you can get over the counter) offer some protection, here is a list of things Caradas recommends you should probably avoid if you are buying street food or joining friends for a picnic: • Undercooked chicken. Poultry (eggs included) has all sorts of bacteria, from E. coli to salmonella, that can be dangerous to humans. Ensure that any chicken you have not prepared yourself is cooked thoroughly. FEELING UNSTEADY OR FAINT What is it? Heat syncope Symptoms Sudden dizziness, feeling faint and sometimes fainting experienced after standing for too long or standing up too fast from a sitting position. What happens is that heat causes the blood vessels to dilate, so body fluid moves to the legs, which causes low blood pressure and the associated unsteady feeling. • • • Salads. Raw vegetables are not a signifi cant source of contamination, but the risk lies in the water they were washed in during preparation. Skinned fruit. Avoid buying fruit peeled by someone else like watermelon or pineapple, as it is susceptible to contamination. Sushi. Avoid travelling long distances with freshly prepared sushi or buying some that has been sitting on the shelf for most of the day. Sushi needs to be refrigerated and is best eaten at cool temperatures.
EXCESSIVE THIRST, DIZZINESS, NAUSEA AND VOMITING
What is it? Heat exhaustion Symptoms The sudden onset of heat cramps, heat oedema, nausea, vomiting, fever, headache, extreme weakness, irritability and possibly fainting are signs of heat exhaustion. These symptoms are likely to occur when your body is overheated, dehydrated and lacking in electrolytes. “With good bacterial flora, you are less likely to get sick from contaminated foods because your body will be able to fight the poisons off.” – Ashleigh Caradas
SUNBURN remedies
Too much time in the sun can damage the skin and lead to redness, swelling, blisters, ulcers and pain in the affected area. Dr Matete Mathobela says, “Sunburn is evident within three to five hours after exposure, peaking 12 to 24 hours later. After 72 hours, the effects should start disappearing.” This is, however, dependent on the degree of sun damage to the skin. There are three grades of sunburn, says Mathobela: first degree (flushed red skin); second degree (flushed red skin and blisters); and third degree (flushed red skin, blisters and ulcers). For second- and third-degree sunburn, she advises that you immediately seek medical help.
Mathobela points to a few home remedies for first-degree burns that you can use to soothe your symptoms. Start by drinking lots of water and, if you are in pain, taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories. Then consider one of the following methods to alleviate inflammation and manage pain: • A cool bath or shower using gentle moisturising soap • Taking a bath with oat milk or lavender and chamomile essential oils • Regularly using cooling/soothing mist like Avène Thermal Spring Water on the affected area • Compressing the skin with cold water, water and baking soda, cold green tea or white/apple cider vinegar • Using moisturising repair creams or ointments, which you can get over the counter at your pharmacy, Clicks or Dis-Chem.
FAST FACT: Sunburn accelerates skin aging and is a leading cause in the majority of cases of basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. Source: skincancer.org
Allergy ALERT!
Dr Adrian Morris from the Allergy Clinic says allergies are triggered when the body mistakenly feels under attack and responds to the “poison” with severe hypersensitivity. “This can result in a life-threatening reaction as the body releases destructive chemicals that can lead to swelling, itching, rashes, low blood pressure, and in extreme cases throat closure and breathing difficulties,” explains Morris.
Common types of allergies include the following:
HAY FEVER
Spring and summer are peak seasons for hay fever due to the high pollen count in the air. Morris says symptoms of hay fever include itching of the nose, eyes, ears and throat, repetitive bouts of sneezing and watery eyes.
Essential treatment for hay fever includes the regular use of non-sedating antihistamines throughout the pollen season, cromones such as sodium cromoglycate eye and nose drops, and nasal steroids and decongestants.
For more extreme cases a medical professional may consider prescribing a cortisol spray.
FOOD ALLERGY
Food allergies result in the body having an extreme reaction to food it deems poisonous. Treatment for this may involve emergency adrenaline injections and medical resuscitation. It’s important to note that some food allergies may have delayed reactions. Once you have had a reaction, the course of treatment going forward is to avoid that food/food group entirely.
FOOD INTOLERANCE
This, says Morris, is when the body reacts to food due to enzyme deficiencies and other mechanisms that mimic real allergic reactions. Food intolerances are tricky because the body can tolerate the substance in small doses, but eating the food over time can cause adverse reactions. Depending on your intolerance, there are tests that you can take through a medical professional to ascertain if you do indeed have a food intolerance.
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