Evansville, Newburgh IN Real Estate Blog

Real Estate Blog

Tuesday, July 19 2011

Tips for Preventing Heat-Related Illness

The best defense is prevention. Here are some prevention tips:

Drink more fluids (nonalcoholic), regardless of your activity level. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink. Warning: If your doctor generally limits the amount of fluid you drink or has you on water pills, ask him how much you should drink while the weather is hot.

Don’t drink liquids that contain alcohol or large amounts of sugar–these actually cause you to lose more body fluid. Also, avoid very cold drinks, because they can cause stomach cramps.

Stay indoors and, if at all possible, stay in an air-conditioned place. If your home does not have air conditioning, go to the shopping mall or public library–even a few hours spent in air conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you go back into the heat. Call your local health department to see if there are any heat-relief shelters in your area.

Electric fans may provide comfort, but when the temperature is in the high 90s, fans will not prevent heat-related illness. Taking a cool shower or bath, or moving to an air-conditioned place is a much better way to cool off.

Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.

NEVER leave anyone in a closed, parked vehicle.

Although any one at any time can suffer from heat-related illness, some people are at greater risk than others. Check regularly on:

Infants and young children
People aged 65 or older
People who have a mental illness
Those who are physically ill, especially with heart disease or high blood pressure

Visit adults at risk at least twice a day and closely watch them for signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Infants and young children, of course, need much more frequent watching.

If you must be out in the heat:

Limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours.

Cut down on exercise. If you must exercise, drink two to four glasses of cool, nonalcoholic fluids each hour. A sports beverage can replace the salt and minerals you lose in sweat. Warning: If you are on a low-salt diet, talk with your doctor before drinking a sports beverage. Remember the warning in the first “tip” (above), too.

Try to rest often in shady areas.

Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat (also keeps you cooler) and sunglasses and by putting on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher (the most effective products say “broad spectrum” or “UVA/UVB protection” on their labels).

This information provided by NCEH's Health Studies Branch.

Posted by: Rolando Trentini AT 08:00 am | Permalink | 0 Comments | Email

Tuesday, October 13 2009

Chinese Drywall Is a Growing U.S. Problem

Thousands of lawsuits by Americans complaining that drywall imported from China is causing them health problems are awaiting action in federal and state courts. A consolidated class action will be heard beginning in January.

“There could be 60,000 to 100,000 homes that are worthless and have to be ripped completely down and rebuilt,” said Arnold Levin, a Philadelphia lawyer and co-chairman of the plaintiffs’ steering committee.

Later in October, the Consumer Product Safety Commission will release the results of its study to determine what’s wrong with the drywall and what mediation programs might work.

Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin, a German company with manufacturing plants in China that supplied about 20 percent of the Chinese drywall said its own tests showed the drywall didn’t cause health problems. Some experts believe that the reason that drywall seems to be causing respiratory problems and headaches is because American homes are built tighter than those in Asia, where the drywall was also sold.

Source: The New York Times, Leslie Wayne (10/07/2009) http://www.realtor.org/RMODaily.nsf/pages/News2009100905?OpenDocument

Posted by: Rolando Trentini AT 07:00 am | Permalink | 0 Comments | Email