2 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday A ugust 13, 2003 Health tips to keep you safe this summer a t l ArgusAutomotiveLtd. a i Serving Oakville for over 25 years · AC · Brakes · Suspension · Tires · Transmission · Engines · Tune Ups · Computerized Diagnostics · Exhaust Complete Car Care to Foreign & Domestic "AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE WITH A DIFFERENCE" OPENING SPECIAL Interior detail and FREE exterior hand wash! $29.99 CHECK US OUT ONLINE AT www.argusautom otive.com t's mid-summer, and by now you've proba bly run into at least one warm weather health problem. Heat stress, sunburn, ticks, and poison ivy can be more than just irritating. In extreme cases, some o f these summer mal adies can be fatal. But here are some simple ways to protect yourself, and treatments to use if you're affected. Heat stress results from the body's inability to adjust to a temperature increase. Seniors or those on certain medications are especially susceptible because their bodies don't respond quickly to heat and they don't perspire as readily. At first, heat stress makes you feel unusually hot and uncomfortable. Next, you may experi ence weakness, rapid heartbeat, nausea, mental changes, cramps, or chest pain. This stress on your body could lead to a medical emergency such as heart failure or a stroke, so get help right away. Defend yourself against heat stress by spend ing the hottest times o f the day in the shade or in places with air conditioning. Don't do strenuous work or sports in extreme heat, and drink lots of water before you feel thirsty. When you're hot. head for the water. Cool water removes heat from your skin 25 times faster than cool air. Spending time in the sun can do more than make you hot-- it can give you skin cancer. Young children, anyone with fair skin, and those taking certain medications like birth control or antibi otics are most susceptible to sun-related prob lems. But even those who tan well aren't immune. The deeper the tan, the more damage that's been I done. Sunscreens with a high sun protection factor (SPF) can lessen sun damage but they don't block out all the ultraviolet rays that can cause skin can cer and wrinkles. A sunscreen with an SPF o f 15 would let you stay unbumed 15 times longer than if you had no protection. If you have to be in the sun during its strongest tim es-10a.m . to 3 p .m .in addition to a high SPF sunscreen, wear a haf and protective clothing. If you do get a bum, try a soothing over-thecounter product w ith ingredients such as camphor or menthol. Petroleum jelly and cocoa butter will help lessen the dryness and peeling later. If your bum results in blisters, seek medical attention. .The sun isn't the only thing to watch out for in the summer. Insects and plants can bring on their own health problems. Almost 10,000 new cases o f Lyme disease, an illness carried by deer ticks, are reported every year, mostly in the midAtlantic states and in Wisconsin. Because these ticks can be very small, you may not even know you've been bitten. , , At least two weeks after being infected, a rash resem bling a red-and-w hite bull's-eye may appear, along with flu-like symptoms. Several weeks to several years later, arthritis usually develops in the knees and other joints. Some peo ple also experience irregular heartbeats and prob lems with the nervous system. Once the disease has been diagnosed, an intense treatment o f antibiotics can cure 95 per cent o f patients. You can help prevent Lyme dis ease by staying out of woodsy and grassy areas where ticks thrive. Most people are allergic to poison ivy, oak and sumac. When you touch these plants or a person, object or pet that has the plants' oil on it, your skin will break out in hours or days with itchy blisters. Poison oak's leaves are shaped like oak leaves but are. like poison ivy. grouped in threes. Poison sumac is usually found around uninhabited ares like swamps. It's distinguished from its harmless, twin, the sumac tree, by its green, not red. berries. C ontrary to popular thought, poison ivy lesions don't spread when they drain or ooze. The lesions usually clear up in a few days by them selves. but you can help the process by using cold compresses or boric acid to relieve the inflamrrpition. Calamine lotion will also help relieve the itching and help dry the spots up. See your doc tor if your case is severe. Safety and storage tips to ensure safety on the lake (NA PS)-Recreational boating is on every one's list o f favorite leisure activities. W hether you'll be fishing, water-skiing or ju st cruising, you can minim ize risk and maxim ize fun on your next outing with these safety and storage tips from the experts. A nxious To G et U nd erw ay ? Before you set sail, check to see if all nec essary equipm ent is on board and in good working order. Prepare a "what i f ' checklist and review with all passengers. Secure vital gear like the radio, flashlight or cellular phone in sight but out o f the w eath er. Mount them in an easily accessible area below deck w ith special velcro industrial strength tape. The sturdy, w aterproof tape keeps cushions in place, too. Neatly tuck away stray gear that can shift around and cause a safety hazard. Secure a rolled-up awning, sm other a sail on the boom or deck, or bundle and store unwieldy fishing rods with m ulti-use straps. Make sure your craft is equipped with enough fenders to protect the hull when dock ing. Secure with m arine-grade Velcro Fender Straps. Rem em ber to keep all fenders inboard once you start cruising. Even on the sunniest days, experienced THE m r D OCTOR'S ^O FFIC E f O akville Town Centre 1 280 North Service Rd. W. Will be temporarily closed August 1 ·31 While we construct our new clinic Patients requiring service during August are welcome to attend our clinic at 1011 Upper Middle Road 905-849-7007 Please watch for our Grand re-opening sailors prepare for sudden shifts in the weather. Pack rain gear, warm sweaters and sleeping bags, com pressed for easy storage with Velcro Cinch Straps. 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