It’s summer time
Animals of all kinds are susceptible to heat stress and heat stroke:
1. Where possible, keep animals indoors and ensure they have access to cool or even iced water.
2. Shade is key to keeping companion animals safe. Make sure they have access to shade all day, as shady spots can disappear as the sun moves
3. Provide adequate ventilation throughout the day
4. Do NOT leave animals in a car
5. Take water along when you walk your dog and make sure their paws are protected from extremely hot tar or beach sand.
1. Splash around at Ushaka Marine World
2. Hillcrest Paintball
3. Go biking at Giba Gorge
4. Take a trip on the Umgeni Steam Railway
5. Have a picnic at Durban Botanical Gardens
1. Consume loads of vegetable salads and fruit salads. Consuming fresh fruits, juices and veggies will clear your body from toxins and will also keep you hydrated. It is best to avoid oily, deep fried and spicy foods in the summer because they will tend to accumulate oil on your skin.
2. Make your training fun. The weather is wonderful this time of the year; make the most of it and train outdoors. Go somewhere different and try something new!
3. Stay hydrated. Most people know it’s important to get plenty water, but struggle to get into the habit of drinking water throughout the day. Keep a water bottle in the car, on your desk and next to your bed as a constant reminder to drink up!
4. Limit your intake of alcohol, or at least balance it with a regular intake of other fluids and enough food. While you are having fun and celebrating the festive times, your body is working hard to keep you healthy. It can’t do that without the correct fuel in the form of food.
5. Make sure you keep up your dental hygiene routine when on holiday, especially since this is the time when you are more likely to be eating food that could stick to the surfaces of your teeth and damage them. Drink water about an hour after eating to help neutralise the effect of excess food in your mouth and assist with digestion.
1. Wear sunscreen everyday. Ensure it provides broad-spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB rays, SPF 30 or greater, and is water-resistant and reapply it as directed and especially after swimming. If your skin does burn there are a ton of home remedies you can use to help, like vinegar, black tea, witch hazel, vanilla extract and oatmeal, but be sure to keep out of the sun to prevent further damage to already sensitive skin.
2. Brush up on your first aid. All that outdoor fun is likely to lead to an injury or two this summer, so prepare yourself accordingly. Learn to recognize the signs of drowning, polish your CPR skills, and build a basic first aid kit for the road
3. Stay away from stings and bites. With lovely, warm weather comes evil, pesky bugs. Unfortunately, bright colors and floral prints of the summer colors tend to attract bees and wasps, as do those sweet sticky faces and hands. If you are going to a park or area that you know will have a high concentration of bugs, bees and wasps, stick to clothing with muted light, solid colors. If you or your child is stung, don’t pull out the stinger with fingers or tweezers. Scrape gently with a credit card to push the stinger out in the direction in which it entered. Once the stinger is out, make a paste out of baking soda and water, or a 0.5 percent hydrocortisone cream can provide relief.
4. Swim smart for safety. Never allow anyone to swim alone, especially in large bodies of water like dams and the ocean but even in swimming pools, always have a a swim buddy if there isn’t a lifeguard present. Do not trust a child’s life to another child. Have young children or inexperienced swimmers wear life jackets around water, but do not rely on life jackets alone. Establish rules for your family and enforce them without fail. Safety covers and pool alarms should be added as additional layers of protection. Teach children to always ask permission to go near water! If you are around water and your child is missing ALWAYS check the water first. Seconds can make the difference between life and death when someone is drowning.
5. Make sure you have emergency contact numbers in your phone with easy access so that in the event of an accident you can call the correct emergency services. A list close to hand for visitors in your home can literally save someone’s life.
1. Carry an emergency roadside assistance kit. Despite your best best-laid plans, you could still experience a vehicular break down during your road trip, or someone in your car could be injured. You could happen upon fellow motorists who require immediate assistance, as well. For these reasons, carrying an emergency roadside assistance kit is important. At a minimum, experts recommend having first-aid supplies, a hazard triangle or warning flares for when your car is stuck at the side of the road, a can of tire sealant, jumper cables, a flashlight with fresh batteries and a pair of gloves. If you’re traveling off-road or in lightly populated areas, it is also wise to carry warm clothing, food and water. High visibility jackets are also a very good idea especially if you will be travelling at night.
2. Get the AC checked to ensure it is working. Having air-conditioning sin your car is key to retaining your sanity during a summer road trip. Few things are as disappointing on a summer road trip as an aircon that isn’t working. Get it inspected before departure.
3. Basic maintenance is important to prevent breakdowns. The last thing you want during your summer road trip is a vehicle breakdown, get it inspected and at a minimum, you need to change the oil and oil filter, top off your washer fluid, make sure your tires have enough tread and be sure the tires are set to the proper tire pressure. If it’s been several years, you also will want to get new wiper blades, flush the coolant system and perhaps replace the engine’s belts and hoses.
4. Get new tyres. A car’s tyres are the connection between the road users and the road, and so are the single most important contributors to vehicle safety. Before taking a long trip it is important to inspect them for wear or damage. If they are worn due to age, tire pressure neglect or a bad alignment, you’ll need to replace them. This is expensive, but it could save your life. While you are at it, check the condition of your spare and that your car’s jack and wheel spanner are in the car.
5. Check the lights before setting off on your summer road trip, to make sure all your car’s lights and indicators work. They’re all important, and checking them is takes more than one person, so ask for help as you cycle through the headlights, taillights, brake lights, turn signals, hazard flashers and reversing lights. Remember that if you are towing a caravan or trailer, to check that those lights are also connected and working as they should.
1. Wash your face at least 4 times a day with a mild cleanser. Avoid cream based cleansers (unless you have very dry skin!) because they tend to leave your skin oily. Use a gel based scrub at least twice a week to get rid of the tan and dead skin cells. The exfoliation will help to keep your face look smooth and clear.
2. Oil your hair and let the oil soak in for just about an hour before you shampoo. After you shampoo, ensure that you deep condition your hair at least twice a week to keep your hair healthy and free from dirt
3. Exfoliate your skin on your before applying any self-tanning or treatment products to any part of your body to ensure smoother, long lasting results and minimal wastage. Concentrate especially on dry areas such as elbows and heels which often have a build up of dry dead skin-cells.
4. Keep a roll-on treatment for spots and blemishes in your handbag and use it rather than picking or squeezing any pimples that might pop-up. This will not only prevent further scaring and infection but help the spot heal faster.
5. Make sure you remove all traces of make-up every single night before bed. Not only does this help prevent staining bed-sheets, but it allows your skin the time to recover from the day and regenerate itself during your sleeping hours.
