It’s summertime again, and people are going outside and getting too much sun. How do you know when you’ve had too much sun? Well, for starters there’s the fact that your skin is bright red and blistering.
There are several ailments that can happen from too much sun. Heat Cramps, which are characterized by severe, sometimes disabling, cramps that typically begin suddenly in the hands, calves, or feet, and/or hard, tense muscles. Then there’s Heat Exhaustion, which can by recognized by any of the following symptoms: fatigue, nausea, headaches, excessive thirst, muscle aches and cramps, weakness, confusion or anxiety, drenching sweats (sometimes accompanied by cold, clammy skin), slowed or weakened heartbeat, dizziness, fainting, agitation. And then we come to Heat Stroke, which is also known as Sunstroke. Heat stroke is characterized by: nausea and vomiting, headache, dizziness or vertigo, fatigue, hot/flushed dry skin, rapid heart rate (160-180 beats per minute), decreased sweating, shortness of breath, decreased urination, blood in urine or stool, increased body temperature (104-106 degrees Fahrenheit), confusion, delirium, loss of consciousness, convulsions.
Heat Exhaustion requires immediate attention, but is generally not life-threatening. Heat Stroke, on the other hand, can be fatal or cause permanent brain damage. If someone has any of the following symptoms after being in the sun, they need immediate attention: confusion, anxiety, or loss of consciousness; very rapid or dramatically slowed heartbeat; rapid rise in body temperature that reaches 104 to 106 degrees Fahrenheit; Either drenching sweats accompanied by cold, clammy skin (which may indicate heat exhaustion); a marked decrease in sweating accompanied by hot, flushed, dry skin; any other heat-related symptom that is not alleviated by moving to a shady or air-conditioned area and administering fluids and salts.
So, now that we know the difference between Heat Cramps, Heat Exhaustion, Heat Stroke, how do we handle them naturally? For heat cramps, we would get out of the heat, get off our feet, and start consuming fluids. Gentle massage or firm pressure can alleviate spasms. An allopathic approach to heat cramps would be to escape the heat, and consume salty drinks or foods.
The primary allopathic treatment for heat exhaustion is to replace the lost fluids and salts, by drinking a salty sports beverage, salted tomato juice, cool bouillon, or water with salt added. The person should lie flat, or have their feet elevated above the head. A vitalistic approach to would be to get out of the heat, get off our feet, and start consuming fluids. Master Herbalist David Christopher recommends drinking grapefruit juice in a situation like this. Grapefruit juice will help replace minerals and electrolytes that have been lost. And it’s a whole food, not a sugary product like Gatorade. It would also be a good idea to take a lot of Vitalerbs.
For heat stroke, an allopath would not give any fluids, and would put the victim in a cold bath, or use ice packs to bring down the temperature until it normalizes. Generally, someone suffering from heat stroke ends up in a hospital hooked up to an IV.
So, it sounds like the best approach to treating heat cramps, exhaustion, or stroke, is to do your best to avoid it in the first place. If that’s not possible, get in the shade and start hydrating!
Copyright © 2004 Christopher Publications. All rights reserved.
There are several ailments that can happen from too much sun. Heat Cramps, which are characterized by severe, sometimes disabling, cramps that typically begin suddenly in the hands, calves, or feet, and/or hard, tense muscles. Then there’s Heat Exhaustion, which can by recognized by any of the following symptoms: fatigue, nausea, headaches, excessive thirst, muscle aches and cramps, weakness, confusion or anxiety, drenching sweats (sometimes accompanied by cold, clammy skin), slowed or weakened heartbeat, dizziness, fainting, agitation. And then we come to Heat Stroke, which is also known as Sunstroke. Heat stroke is characterized by: nausea and vomiting, headache, dizziness or vertigo, fatigue, hot/flushed dry skin, rapid heart rate (160-180 beats per minute), decreased sweating, shortness of breath, decreased urination, blood in urine or stool, increased body temperature (104-106 degrees Fahrenheit), confusion, delirium, loss of consciousness, convulsions.
Heat Exhaustion requires immediate attention, but is generally not life-threatening. Heat Stroke, on the other hand, can be fatal or cause permanent brain damage. If someone has any of the following symptoms after being in the sun, they need immediate attention: confusion, anxiety, or loss of consciousness; very rapid or dramatically slowed heartbeat; rapid rise in body temperature that reaches 104 to 106 degrees Fahrenheit; Either drenching sweats accompanied by cold, clammy skin (which may indicate heat exhaustion); a marked decrease in sweating accompanied by hot, flushed, dry skin; any other heat-related symptom that is not alleviated by moving to a shady or air-conditioned area and administering fluids and salts.
So, now that we know the difference between Heat Cramps, Heat Exhaustion, Heat Stroke, how do we handle them naturally? For heat cramps, we would get out of the heat, get off our feet, and start consuming fluids. Gentle massage or firm pressure can alleviate spasms. An allopathic approach to heat cramps would be to escape the heat, and consume salty drinks or foods.
The primary allopathic treatment for heat exhaustion is to replace the lost fluids and salts, by drinking a salty sports beverage, salted tomato juice, cool bouillon, or water with salt added. The person should lie flat, or have their feet elevated above the head. A vitalistic approach to would be to get out of the heat, get off our feet, and start consuming fluids. Master Herbalist David Christopher recommends drinking grapefruit juice in a situation like this. Grapefruit juice will help replace minerals and electrolytes that have been lost. And it’s a whole food, not a sugary product like Gatorade. It would also be a good idea to take a lot of Vitalerbs.
For heat stroke, an allopath would not give any fluids, and would put the victim in a cold bath, or use ice packs to bring down the temperature until it normalizes. Generally, someone suffering from heat stroke ends up in a hospital hooked up to an IV.
So, it sounds like the best approach to treating heat cramps, exhaustion, or stroke, is to do your best to avoid it in the first place. If that’s not possible, get in the shade and start hydrating!
Copyright © 2004 Christopher Publications. All rights reserved.
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