5 Summer Health Tips
Easy tips that will help to prioritise your health
Whether you’re traveling this summer or enjoying the warmer weather at home, it’s essential that you prioritise your health. Following these easy tips can protect you from illness and injury:
1 – Sun Cream It can be tempting (especially in Ireland!) to run outdoors as soon as the sun makes an appearance. But whether you’re on the west coast of Ireland or the islands of Greece, you are at risk of sunburn if you don’t apply sunscreen regularly while you are exposed to UV light. Sunburn causes an increased risk of skin cancer and over time can result in skin that looks leathery and aged.
If you have been sunburnt, assess the degree of severity. Severe burns may need medical attention. Otherwise, make sure to focus on hydration, apply after-sun lotion, and avoid products that may irritate your skin.
2 – Hydrate As the weather warms up and you take to the outdoors, it becomes even more important to stay hydrated. Especially if you are traveling to a place with higher temperatures where sweat is needed to cool your body down, a higher water intake can keep you feeling lively and prevent sickness by dehydration.
As a rule of thumb: drink water before you feel thirsty and avoid caffeinated or alcoholic drinks. If your urine is clear or pale yellow, you are probably well-hydrated.
3 – Insect Repellent Buzzing insects seem to multiply as the days grow longer. While Irish bugs aren’t known for carrying deadly diseases, bug bites can be painful and irritate your skin.
Using insect repellent is particularly important if you are traveling to other countries, some of which do have diseases spread by bugs (such as malaria). In certain countries, you may need to take extra precautions by getting vaccinated beforehand.
4 – Avoid Food Poisoning There’s nothing like a BBQ on a rare sunny evening, but make sure the meat is cooked all the way through and hasn’t been sitting out. Warm weather allows bacteria to multiply easier.
If you are unsure of the food and water quality when traveling abroad, drink bottled water, avoid ice, don’t eat raw meat, and be cautious of dairy (including ice cream!), as it goes off easily. Most food poisoning incidents last 24 hours, so even if you are unlucky while traveling, hopefully you can recover sufficiently to enjoy the rest of your trip!
5 – Be Prepared Summer is the time for adventures. This can mean traveling to a country you’ve never been to before, or going on a long hike in the Wicklow mountains. Whatever cliff walk, music festival, or road trip you have planned this summer, make sure to read up on your activity beforehand and go prepared with the tools you’ll need to stay safe, healthy, and happy.
If you need to see a doctor this summer while in Ireland, Webdoctor.ie is here for you. Book a video consultation today.
Useful links:
– Avoid food poisoning.
– Sunscreen, hydration, bugs.
– Travel Health Tips.