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Staying healthy during the summer heat in Thailand
With temperatures staying at around 30 degrees and potentially soaring to 40 degrees over the next few months in Thailand, this could be a challenging time for some. There are numerous summer-related illnesses to watch out for, the most dangerous of all being heat stroke which in some cases can even lead to death. In this article, you’ll find tips to staying healthy during the summer heat in Thailand.
How to avoid summer-related illnesses
Staying healthy during the summer heat in Thaiand can be easy. Below you’ll find a list of the most common summer related illnesses, and what to do to avoid them.
Dehydration
Dehydration is one of the most common heat-related ailments. It’s a state when the human body loses more fluids than it consumes, making it hard to operate normally. Excessive sweating during hot weather is one major cause of dehydration. Some of the symptoms of dehydration include dizziness, dry mouth, increased thirst, fatigue, dark-colored urine, and decreased urine output.
How to avoid it:
- Drink plenty of water throughout the day: a minimum of 6 to 8 cups.
- Avoid drinking coffee and alcoholic beverages as those are linked to dehydration.
- Consume fruits and vegetables rich in water content: cucumbers, tomatoes, watermelons, strawberries.
Sunburn
Sunburn is skin damage caused by its exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays. You’ll know when you get a sunburn – your skin will turn red, it will start hurting, swelling, and you may even develop sunburn blisters. Other sunburn symptoms are similar to those of flu: fever, chills, nausea, a headache, weakness. Unprotected exposure to sun rays is linked to causing skin aging, DNA damage, and skin cancer. That’s why prevention of sunburn is crucial for staying healthy during the summer heat.
How to avoid it:
- Always wear SPF filter creams distributed evenly all over your body.
- Reapply sunscreen approximately every 2-3 hours, and after each time you swim.
- Wear long sleeve shirts and pants and seek shade when possible.
- Wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses with UV protection filters.
Food poisoning
This topic is especially important for Thailand. The popularity of Thai street food and abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables makes eating out hard to resist, but in reality, the sweltering summer heat allows bacteria to thrive, thus increasing the risk of food contamination. You’d probably want to avoid food poisoning as its symptoms are – to say the least – rather unpleasant: diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and fever.
How to avoid it:
- Consume only cooked meals, especially if you’re eating meat, poultry, and fish – this reduces your risk of eating Salmonella-contaminated food.
- Prevent cross-contamination by storing meat, poultry, and fish in separate bags from the rest of your groceries.
- Wash or peel all fruits and vegetables before consuming them.
- Keep your groceries refrigerated.
- Try to avoid consuming food from uncovered sources like street food stalls.
Heat exhaustion and heat stroke
Both heat exhaustion and heat stroke arise as a result of the body overheating. Heat exhaustion is not a severe ailment, and usually gets better when you cool down. However, it can turn into heat stroke, and when it does, you need to treat it as a medical emergency. Heat stroke results when the body temperature rises to 40 degrees Celsius or higher, and if untreated, it can lead to death. That’s why knowing the exact symptoms is crucial and can save yours or someone else’s life.
Symptoms of heat exhaustion
- A temperature of 38C or above
- Dizziness and confusion
- Excessive sweating and pale, clammy skin
- Fast breathing or pulse
- Intense thirst
If someone is showing signs of heat exhaustion they need to be cooled down:
- Give the sick person plenty of water to drink
- Move the person to a cool, shadowed place
- Let them lie down and raise their feet slightly
- Make cold compresses and if you can’t, wet their clothes and skin and fan them
Symptoms of heat stroke
- A body temperature of 40C or above
- Flushed, clammy skin
- Lack of sweating
- Loss of consciousness
- Rapid or shortness of breath
- A throbbing headache
- Vomiting
If you see someone exhibiting some of the above signs, immediately call 911 and take measures to cool them down before the ambulance arrives.
Staying healthy during the summer heat
The best way of staying healthy during the summer heat is to prevent heat-related illness. Pay particular attention to babies, children, and older people as they are more prone to heat-related illness and can suffer more and develop symptoms faster than adults.
Eat and drink smart
Our physical thirst is not always the best indicator of how dehydrated we are. In fact, the color of our urine can show if we’re dehydrated more accurately (the darker, the more dehydrated we are). It’s essential to make it a habit of drinking plenty of fluids during summer. Our bodies sweat more in sweltering heat and lose more fluids because of it. Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages at all costs, since they are highly dehydrating.
Don’t consume heavy meals loaded with carbs and protein, as they take more time and energy to digest, which requires the body to produce more body heat. Try eating spicy food instead, as the cooling effect of sweating outweighs the added heat.
Wear cool clothes
Light colors reflect sunlight and heat, while dark colors can attract it and retain the heat; that’s why it’s better to wear bright colors in the summer. During scorching temperatures, the fabric you wear has a significant impact on how you feel. Cotton and linen are breathable materials, meaning they absorb sweat and encourage ventilation, making you and your skin cooler. Make sure you have plenty of loose clothes in your summer wardrobe, as tight ones may affect your circulation and, in effect, not allow your skin to cool itself.
Look for shade
Stay in the shade or air-conditioned places as much as possible, especially during the hottest time of the day, which is from 11 am up until 3 pm. Get cold showers throughout the day, and make sure to shut the window shutters down to prevent your apartment from overheating. Wear a hat and sunglasses to further protect your skin and overall health from the summer heat.
Be extra careful when exercising or working outside
Staying healthy during the summer heat requires good preparation and a good dose of common sense, too. It is not advisable to exercise or work outdoors during the hottest time of the day. If it’s unavoidable, make sure to drink plenty of water with electrolytes, wear a hat or cap, and take mini breaks in the shade often. Do not overexert yourself and if you feel unwell, seek cooler shelter immediately.
Final advice
As the saying goes, forewarned is forearmed, it is smarter to be safe rather than suffer the consequences of an unforeseen accident. While the chances of something going wrong are generally pretty slim, you never know when you or a member of your family will need emergency care for a heat-related or other illness. Should the worst happen, you’ll want to focus on getting well again without worrying about bank-breakingly expensive medical bills.
Securing the right health insurance is one of the ways you can protect yourself and your family while residing in Thailand as an expat. To learn more about healthcare in Thailand, and to have a free chat with Pacific Prime Thailand’s insurance advisors, contact us today.
When she isn’t writing, you are most likely to find Elwira in search of the perfect plant-based burger or enjoying Hong Kong’s great outdoors either at the beach or from the boat - the closer to the sea, the better!
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