Weekly Tips for Your Peak Fitness and Wellness

This Week's Tip: Stay Cool in Summer Heat

Summer is a fabulous time to enjoy getting active outdoors--just don’t let the heat sabotage your workout. Choose loose-fitting shorts and tees in light colors and breathable high-tech fabrics, such as Coolmax, which are designed to draw sweat away from the skin so it can evaporate. Don’t forget the sunscreen--in addition to the obvious reason, one study found it slightly reduces body temperature after 40 minutes of exercise. (See “Protect Yourself from the Sun,” for other sunshine tips.)

Limit activity between noon and 4 pm--early in the morning before things have had the chance to heat up is usually cooler than evening--and check the air quality index (see “Keep Our Fresh Air Clean.”) Realize humidity is more of a factor in how hot you feel rather than strictly the thermometer temperature since sweat doesn’t have much place to go when the air is already heavy with moisture.

Once you’re out there, choose a shady path instead of blacktop streets, which absorb sunlight. Drink lots of water (skip the head dunk, which does nothing to cool you down), or opt for a sports drink to replace electrolytes if you’ve been outside for hours. Finally, watch for signs of heat-related illness, such as dizziness, nausea, headache, and muscle cramps, and get help immediately.