how to protect your health This summer
There's no reason why the summer should interfere with your plans. Think ahead and be sensible

How ready are you for June? It's already 42ºC and rising. While we don't see that as enough reason to stop having fun outside �we recommend you follow us to Ibri in this issue �you've got to be careful if you want to continue enjoying yourself. If you're out in the sun a lot and you don't replace lost fluids, you'll be in danger of suffering from heat exhaustion.

Of course, at the heart of all this is being sensible about getting out into the sun, and carrying enough water. Don't forget to wear a hat or headcloth, use sunscreen and protect your eyes with sunglasses. But most important of all, don't leave home without enough water to meet any eventuality. A journey that would have taken a few hours could turn into an overnight trip if something goes wrong. And you might have to walk back to the nearest point of civilisation if your car breaks down. Plan ahead �the downside is that you'll just have extra water left over once you return safely.

Water management
Drinking sufficient quantities of water is extremely essential to avoid dehydration and to prevent heat exhaustion and heat stroke. You will need to carry as much water as needed for the entire task.

Thirst is not a reliable guide for one's need for water. If you drink only after you get thirsty, you'll be drinking only two-thirds your daily requirement.

As a very general guide, you should drink half a litre for every hour spent walking in temperatures below 38ºC. For temperatures above that, you will need at least a litre per hour.

If in remote areas, remember that you will have to carry all your water yourself �you are unlikely to find any en-route, and you should not depend on this.

If trekking, you might have to limit the distance you cover by the amount of water you can carry. Keep in mind that every litre of water translates into another kilo you have to carry.

Failure to drink enough water will result in dehydration, which will lead to tiredness and headaches, and accelerate the onset of heat exhaustion.

The most telling sign of dehydration is the darkening colour of urine. Other signs that you have not drunk enough are cramps and nausea.

Prevent salt loss
Salt loss could also affect you as you spend more and more time outdoors and sweat in the summer heat. Severe salt loss could even result in a temporary blackout -�something you would want to avoid while negotiating a steep and narrow mountain trail.

The solution is to carry rehydration salts. They are available almost everywhere. While some can be bought in powdered form, that require them to be mixed with water to make a rehydration solution, others come in ready-to-drink solution form. On long treks it is advisable to carry the powdered form since they tend to last longer and will eliminate the need to carry extra bottles apart from the water that you already have to carry with you.

Eat and drink healthy
Clichéd as it may sound, eating a healthy and balanced diet that includes sufficient greens is also essential to survive the summer heat. Junk food is best avoided in summer. Instead, your meals should have a healthy quotient of fruits and greens.
Also avoid alcoholic beverages and drinks that contain caffeine and large amounts of sugar. Such beverages will rob the body of its highly essential supply of fluids and dehydrate you. Try fresh fruit juices instead. Fresh lime water, with some additional salt, can be a great refresher. It also helps in reinstilling lost salts.

Beverages or drinks that are too cold, though very pleasant after a walk or a stroll in the summer heat, might lead to stomach cramps. Our advice would be to stick to liquids that are at room temperature to avoid such a predicament. Follow these simple guidelines and you’ll have a great summer ahead.