It’s almost the unofficial end of summer with the upcoming Labor Day weekend. While we relax with our families and friends this weekend it’s important to keep safety and health on your mind. We have compiled a list of the top 5 health and wellness tips to share with our readers.
Remain active
Long weekends are a great opportunity to fit in a workout or other physical activity. Whether it’s a walk around the neighborhood or tackling chores at home, the more you can move, the more calories you will burn. Those who exercise not only experience an increase in physical stamina and weight loss but also a decrease in mental health issues such as anxiety. Legacy Medical Sales has various exercise products and equipment to choose from, shop here: https://legacymedicalsales.com/product-category/physical-therapy/exercise-equipment/
Stay hydrated
While it is commonly recommended that individuals drink at least eight eight-ounce glasses of water daily, it is especially important when participating in activities outdoors during the summer. Heat exhaustion and dehydration can occur quickly, so staying cool and drinking plenty of fluids can help keep your body from overheating. By the time you’re thirsty, you’re likely to have lost around 1 or 2 percent of your body’s fluid, so a key measure of dehydration is thirst. In addition to thirst, your urine color can indicate dehydration. When urine is dark, it’s a sign that it is more concentrated due to less fluid in your body. “It should look more like lemonade, less like apple juice,” says Luke Belval, director of research at the University of Connecticut’s Korey Stringer Institute, which focuses on safety in sports.
While water is ideal, sports drinks with electrolytes may also be useful for people participating in vigorous activities such as sports. Coffee, sodas, and juices are not recommended due to their high sugar content.
Avoid or limit alcohol consumption
Holiday weekends are notorious for an increase in traffic-related accidents. Do not let your alcohol consumption contribute to the statistics and, even worse, ruin your life.
Heavy alcohol consumption can have disastrous effects on your body, including liver ailments. In addition, when drinking alcohol outdoors in the summer heat, your body can quickly become dehydrated.
If you are going to consume alcoholic beverages, limit yourself and drink plenty of water. In addition, it is critical that you not drive. Having a designated driver or a loved one transport you will always be the safe route for both you and your community.
Avoid food poisoning
Grilling is an American pastime, and this Labor Day is no different. To prevent foodborne illnesses, always ensure your food is both prepared and stored properly. Food poisoning not only causes severe discomfort, inconvenience, and stomach trauma, but it also accounts for 48 million illnesses, 128,000 hospitalizations, and 3,000 deaths annually in the United States – and cases hit record highs as the weather warms up.
Do not leave uncooked meats out of refrigeration for too long and ensure they are thoroughly cooked, especially leaner meats like chicken.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration suggests that food should not be left out for more than an hour when outdoor temperatures are above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. In addition, food should not be left out for more than two hours at any time. Foods that require refrigeration should be placed in coolers with plenty of ice or freezing packs to hold a temperature of at least 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
UV Tips
You can’t talk about Labor Day weekend safety tips without talking about sunburns. Always use sunscreen when planning to spend time outdoors and apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going out in the sun. If you are getting in the water or sweating a lot, you will need to reapply sunscreen regularly throughout the day.
Most people think that an overcast day means they don’t need to worry about sunburn, but you can still get sunburn on cloudy days! Since children have thinner skin, they are more at risk for burns. It’s important to use sunscreen and keep children under one year out of direct sunlight. Legacy Medical Sales has your sunscreen needs covered, check out our selection here: https://legacymedicalsales.com/uv-and-sun-protection/?_ga=2.95682524.1337045692.1661814629-318800307.1640269232
Whether setting up your grill or making plans to hit the water keeping health and safety in mind doesn’t take much time. Make great Labor Day memories with your friends and family, not in the emergency room full of regret.