Reference; 2022-07-27; https://mbp-japan.com/jijico/articles/32295/
Translated and modified by CFJA
What should be done on a daily basis to avoid heat stroke?
While a body temperature of 36.6°C to 37°C is a prerequisite, it is important to properly judge one’s physical condition and to check appetite, bowel movements, which is at least once a day, and urination frequency, which is about 5 to 6 times a day, to determine whether one is in good health as a standard. If you are unable to urinate properly or have hard stools, or if you are not sweating even though it is hot, suspect a decrease in fluid intake. Immediate rehydration of 500 ml to 1 L of water will avert the danger of dehydration. Measure your body temperature and if it is above 37°C, try to lower your body temperature.
In order to maintain good health, you should
- Exercise: 5 minutes of exercise every day and at least 1 hour of exercise once a week.
- Sleep: Sleep for 7.5 to 8 hours every day.
- Rest: Take a 5 min to 10 min break after an hour of work or any activity.
- Diet: Eat at regular hours and refrain from eating and drinking after 10 pm
#The above are basic guidelines to lead a regular life.
When the temperature rises during the day, those who are indoors should avoid direct sunlight, especially in the morning, and seek shade to avoid a rapid rise in body temperature. If you are sweating profusely it is important to be careful. It is also important to drink water frequently. Regular ventilation in your house to take in fresh air is also necessary, and frequent ventilation for about 5 minutes every 30 minutes is recommended. Breathe deeply and take in oxygen so that your body can work properly. If you feel your body temperature rising, take a shower with about 33°C water. The best time of day to take a bath is around 2pm when the outdoor temperature is the highest.
An important thing to think of when we think of children is that babies are unable to rehydrate themselves. When crying, if the skin on the belly returns flat immediately after being pinched, the baby is not dehydrated, but if it does not return flat for more than 3 seconds, the baby is dehydrated. In this case, the baby needs to be rehydrated immediately. If the baby is breastfeeding, breast milk is the best to replenish fluids. In recent years, oral rehydration solutions for infants are sold, so it is convenient to have it ready in case of an emergency.
Often in hot weather people try to cool the body through many ways. But it is important to be careful not to overcool the body. Although it is tempting to consume cold food and drinks such as beer, iced drinks, cold noodles, ice cream, etc., one should be careful not to excessively lower body temperature as it will reduce gastrointestinal functions. The recommended air conditioning temperature is not cooler than 28°C. Overcooling the body and lowering the body temperature decreases the activity of white blood cells. Decreased immunity leads to an increase in viruses in the body and more susceptibility to illness. In our clinical experience, people who are drinking cold beer every night after their bath have a lowered immune system and many people have developed COVID-19 and shingles virus infections as a result of their lowered immunity. Although heat stroke countermeasures are necessary, proper temperature maintenance must be implemented because a weakened immune system can induce a variety of illnesses.
Oftentimes many people can forget to drink enough water during the daytime so they drink additional fluids at nighttime. The challenge here is that it causes fatigue of the internal organs. Our internal organs need rest everyday from 10pm to 5am. So it is actually not recommended to hydrate just before going to bed. Some people keep water next to their bed and drink every time they wake up during the night, this can lead to decreased kidney and heart function, so people with underlying medical conditions should be careful about hydrating at night.
In order to minimize sweating at night, efforts should be made using a fan or opening a window to prevent a rise in body temperature. And a simple solution that many do not consider in examining the material of pajamas to maintain a comfortable body temperature, etc.
When people who suffer from heat stroke and are transported to the emergency room they may increase their hydration and cool the body but they continue to feel ill after being discharged from the hospital, and it can take more than a year for them to recover their physical strength. The body has been very depleted and acupuncture and moxibustion treatment is effective for those who experience symptoms that interfere with daily life, such as lethargy and headaches. Please consider receiving acupuncture and moxibustion treatment when recovering from heat stroke.