bajaruby
Banned
Posts: 204
Registered: 6-8-2004
Member Is Offline
|
|
Desert Heat
Very Arid Desert Conditions
Working in desert our conditions requires planning and preparation. Your daily diet and how much viable fluid you consume plays a part in how well you
can function in the heat. Heavy meals can divert blood flow to the gut, reducing the body's ability to cool itself. So eat small light meals more
often instead of a single large meal. The breeze that cools you is also the breeze that dries you out. The fact that you feel cooler in a breeze
indicates that water is evaporating and needs to be replaced.
Plan on short days, starting as early as light allows. carry a light portable shelter and wear breathable cotton clothing. Drink plenty of water.
How Many Birthdays & Your Weight
How old you are has a profound effect on your susceptibility to heat related problems. After the age of 50 you are subject to increasing risk of over
heating. After age 65 your are more than twice as likely to suffer heat related problems as someone in their 30's. The larger you are the more at risk
you are too. The distance from your skin to your body center and the amount of fat insulating the core dramatically effect the body's ability to cool
itself.
Prevention:
Drink continuously, small amounts at a time are more quickly absorbed than bolting down two glasses at a time. Working outside you should consume up
to 8 liters per day in our Baja climate. Two liters per day is an absolute minimum for safety. Carbonated beverages and beer are not as effective at
replacing body fluids and the alcohol actually increases your dehydration. Plain water at room temperature is the most quickly absorbed for
re-hydration. Taking very cold beverages can be refreshing but actually closes the portals of absorption in your system and can lead to shock if you
are nearing a crisis point. Some experts recommend lightly salted beverages, fruit juice tints and the addition of potassium to balance salts lost in
sweating.
What you lose when sleeping is important too. Your lungs need to keep moist to properly process the oxygen into your system. During the night the
inhaling and exhaling of the dry Baja air can rob your body of a lot of fluids. Starting the day with juice or a large glass of water helps replace
these fluids. Coffee is just a bad idea during the hot weather, as a diuretic it robs your system of even more fluids.
Overdoing the alcoholic beverages even the night before can increase your risk of dehydration. Having done a great deal of mountaineering at high
altitudes, our rule of thumb was you should need to urinate at least every two hours. The clearer the urine, the better hydrated you should be.
Another rule of thumb is if your lips are dry, drink. Dry, cracked lips can be a sign of long term dehydration.
Clothing is important. Loose fitting, breathable clothing can help wick the moisture away from your body and increase the evaporative cooling.
Protecting your skin from the sun prevents solar heating of the skin which is trying to dissipate the heat and also prevents sunburn. Wearing a light
colored hat protects the face and keeps the brain case cooler. Take the time to erect a shade over a work area if possible. It may take a bit more
time but will pay-off before mid-day in Baja. Water-proof sunscreens may actually block pores in their effort to help cool the body.
What to Do
Immediately get out of the sun and seek shelter. Begin to reintroduce fluids to the system, cool water is the best. Drink it gently. Apply cooling
compresses to points of high blood flow like the neck, wrists and inner thighs. Covering the victim in waterproof material and dousing with water is
known to be successful in extreme cases. Rapid immersion in cold water of a victim in a critical state can be very dangerous, leading to stroke and
heart attack. Immersion of the wrists and ankles in pans of cold water is effective. Do not leave a person suffering from heat stroke or dehydration
alone. Anyone suffering visible effects should seek medical attention.
So after a little preparation, get out there and enjoy this warm Baja weather. Work slowly and deliberately, be willing to take breaks and know how to
listen to the warning signs your body will give. So enjoy!
Sources:
T H Huxley School of Environment
WebMD
American Medical Association Database
|
|
|
bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
Member Is Offline
|
|
Great advice and suggestions - we all need to remember all of them
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
|
|
MrBillM
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 21656
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Out and About
Member Is Offline
Mood: It's a Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah Day
|
|
Arid Desert Conditions ??
That certainly doesn't apply to any of us living near the coast. This time of the year you never see the humidity below 50 % and usually it's in the
65 - 90 % region.
|
|
|
bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
Member Is Offline
|
|
Even in the humid areas, we go thru about the same amount of water with our bodies trying to cool down. Instead of feeling a little cooler from all
the persperation, we just have rivers running off us. And for me, that's when the heat becomes uncomfortable.
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
|
|
MrBillM
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 21656
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Out and About
Member Is Offline
Mood: It's a Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah Day
|
|
Pouring Sweat
You've got that right. I'm up here in the High Desert right now and it's 110 deg, but comfortable (no sweat) because the humidity is around 30 %. In
Baja, it was only 98 - 100 but the humidity was 85 % and there wasn't a dry place on my body. All of my clothes were soaked through. That's
uncomfortable.
|
|
|
Skipjack Joe
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8084
Registered: 7-12-2004
Location: Bahia Asuncion
Member Is Offline
|
|
Water loss
I agree with BillM.
Loreto was unbearable this summer. Sweating continuously and not a breeze to help out. Vizcaino, on the other hand, was just as hot but downright
pleasant. Find a shadow and you're cool and dry.
I came to the conclusion that you need more fluids in the humid places to compensate for the water loss. More than the arid areas.
Skipjack
|
|
|
JZ
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9268
Registered: 10-3-2003
Member Is Offline
|
|
Definitely something to watch for. I'm in my 30's, in pretty good shape, have hung out days at a time in the 115 degee temps in Vegas with no
problems. I got hit with the the beginning of heat stroke while off shore in Loreto. It hits you very fast.
|
|
|
John M
Super Nomad
Posts: 1907
Registered: 9-3-2003
Location: California High Desert
Member Is Offline
|
|
Fluid intake
Bajaruby wrote:
"Some experts recommend lightly salted beverages, fruit juice tints and the addition of potassium to balance salts lost in sweating."
Gatorade or similar products help to replace minerals lost by sweating. Drinking excessive amounts of water only can
actually dilute the bodies salt and potassium reserves. You need to strike a balance.
John M.
|
|
|
yankeeirishman
Banned
Posts: 1070
Registered: 3-5-2004
Location: Kalifornia
Member Is Offline
|
|
| Quote: | Originally posted by John M
Bajaruby wrote:
"Some experts recommend lightly salted beverages, fruit juice tints and the addition of potassium to balance salts lost in sweating."
Gatorade or similar products help to replace minerals lost by sweating. Drinking excessive amounts of water only can
actually dilute the bodies salt and potassium reserves. You need to strike a balance.
John M. |
Now this is good advice! I have my crews do the samething here in Sacramento (which is 100+ for the last 8 days).
What control freaks there are here. Don\'t believe that post you just read!
|
|
|
bajalou
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4459
Registered: 3-11-2004
Location: South of the broder
Member Is Offline
|
|
Watter loss is about the same arid or humid - you just notice it more in the humid areas. The rule about peeing every couple hours is a good one - it
you don;t have to go every 2-3 hours, you're not taking in enough liquids. I also take Thermotabs, salt tablets with potassium. Can really feel the
difference after taking one if my body is short on salts. (I know, doctors say you don't need them - but they work!)
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
|
|
bajaruby
Banned
Posts: 204
Registered: 6-8-2004
Member Is Offline
|
|
Shoot, I never pee when I am working or playing in the heat.
I drink lots of water even when in the water. I got the start of heat stroke when I was only in my 20's. So I have to really be careful. On a
resent trip to the local river here, I almost got in to trouble. Just how much water is enough?
|
|
|
John M
Super Nomad
Posts: 1907
Registered: 9-3-2003
Location: California High Desert
Member Is Offline
|
|
How much to drink?
Heat, humidity, conditioning, and individual tolerance to these should help to determine how much to drink. Again I strongly support the notion that
water alone isn't sufficient on a long term basis.
Recognized sports nutritionist Nancy Clark has this to say on the subject, Question: "How do I know whether I'm drinking enough fluids to replace
sweat losses?"
Answer: "The simplest way to tell if you are adequately replacing sweat loss is to check the color and quantity of your urine. If very dark and scanty
it is concentrated with metabolic wastes and you need to drink more fluids. When your urine is pale yellow your body has returned to its normal water
balance. Volume is a better indicator than color is."
I live in the high-desert of California and do a lot of long-distance running, even through the summer months. We pay a lot of attention to how much
we drink. Of course this is during periods of strenuous exercise, but we consume as much as 30 ounces of a combination of water and some sort of
Gatorade type product each hour. That amount just barely keeps us from falling behind too far. We supplement the fluids with other stuff along the way
but no need to get into those details for this thread.
Even the folks we run with that think they are immune from the effects of dehydration drink at least 20 ounces per hour during exercise.
Another fact is that your heart rate (pulse) will increase a minimum of 3 to 4 beats per minute with each 1 percent of dehydration. So before long
your ability to do whatever it is you are doing is comprimised by lack of fluids.
My edit: - the amount of fluid intake I mentioned 20-30 ounces per hour obviously pertains to those outside, and working or exercising over a
substantial period of time, not going out to get the newspaper and back inside an air conditioned house. The effects of high outside temperature are
real sneaky and can sting you if you aren't careful. It's all relative!
Enough for now (maybe too much information?)
John M.
[Edited on 7-20-2005 by John M]
|
|
|
bajajudy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6886
Registered: 10-4-2004
Location: San Jose del Cabo,BCS
Member Is Offline
|
|
I just heard that it was 125 in Needles Ca. recently. Anyone around that area.
It is 80 on my porch. very comfortable with a slight breeze, overcast skies
There is a product here called electrolit. I use it when anyone has diarrhea but it is also very good for any kind of dehydration. It also comes in
pedialit which is for kids(duh) and seems to be more readily available and can also help with dehydration.
Oh the coco flavor is the easiest to get down IMHO
|
|
|
yankeeirishman
Banned
Posts: 1070
Registered: 3-5-2004
Location: Kalifornia
Member Is Offline
|
|
I use it when anyone has diarrhea
| Quote: | Originally posted by bajajudy
I just heard that it was 125 in Needles Ca. recently. Anyone around that area.
It is 80 on my porch. very comfortable with a slight breeze, overcast skies
There is a product here called electrolit. I use it when anyone has diarrhea but it is also very good for any kind of dehydration. It also comes in
pedialit which is for kids(duh) and seems to be more readily available and can also help with dehydration.
Oh the coco flavor is the easiest to get down IMHO |
Will it work for some of these Nomad's postings? 
What control freaks there are here. Don\'t believe that post you just read!
|
|
|
jrbaja
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4863
Registered: 2-2-2003
Member Is Offline
|
|
Excellent information John
A younger friend of mine experienced it when we were in Sonora. He got kind of delerious -er, and lost his strength. Really weird as we were doing pretty much the same things all day.
Anyways, after giving him lot's of water for about an hour, he was back on his feet and ready for action.
Point to this is, it can happen to anybody!
|
|
|
eetdrt88
Senior Nomad
Posts: 986
Registered: 2-20-2005
Location: Az/Ca/Baja
Member Is Offline
|
|
actually Pacifico works quite well...
| Quote: | Originally posted by John M
Bajaruby wrote:
"Some experts recommend lightly salted beverages, fruit juice tints and the addition of potassium to balance salts lost in sweating."
Gatorade or similar products help to replace minerals lost by sweating. Drinking excessive amounts of water only can
actually dilute the bodies salt and potassium reserves. You need to strike a balance.
John M. |
with some agua thrown is as well
|
|
|
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
