We may have the hottest day in Toronto on record. As much as we like making history, sometimes being cautious is the smarter thing to do. While I cannot be close to some of you to mother you and boss you around, I feel the need to impart a few safety tips:
How to survive the heat wave
Water, water, water, water, water
Did I mention to drink water? At minimum 2 litres.
Don’t go chasing waterfalls…
The public pool is a great place to cool off, however if you are not a strong swimmer make sure you are wearing flotation devices and swim with friends, making sure the pool you choose has a lifeguard. Be careful swimming in lakes and rivers; natural currents and waves can pull you under the surface of the water quickly and can prove hazardous. Many have lost their lives in the past several days when not wearing a life jacket – please, be safe.
Remineralize
As much as we like to hydrate, we cannot forget to put back in the minerals we lose from our sweat. Potassium, sodium, and magnesium are a few of very essential minerals that we need to have adequate heart functioning and cellular functioning at very basic levels. Examples of remineralizing materials include Gatorade (as much as it is high in sugar, it does have basic minerals), or vitamin water with higher potassium and magnesium. Mineral water such as Gerolsteiner is carbonated and has all the minerals you need. Refreshing.
Stay indoors when you can
If you do not have an occupation where you have to be outdoors (and if so, please rehydrate and remineralize), stay indoors. No exercising outside. We have gyms with air conditioning.
Take care everyone. A few more days, and we’ll be back to seasonal weather. Don’t forget the sunscreen!