Mercury's Rising

Ahhh…Summer in the desert. For many people, summer means family vacations, pool parties, and fireworks. For Las Vegans, it means scorching steering wheels, high electric bills from the A/C, and visitors who had heard the rumors, but can’t believe that it actually gets this hot here. It’s the desert; we get a little extra love from the sun. Sometimes a little too much love. The mercury is headed north again this week, which is why Steinberg Diagnostic reminds you to stay healthy, hydrated, and safe. Here are some tips for the summer months:1.Stay hydratedIt’s simple. Our perspiration increases as the temperatures increase. Our body loses water daily through the skin, intestines, lungs, and urine. And with all the playing done in the summer, your body can expect increased water loss from the physical activity. It’s important to replace this water loss with adequate hydration. What does that mean for us? The Institute of Medicine reports that an adequate intake for men is about 13 cups of total beverages a day and about 9 cups for women. Of course, these determinations vary by weight and level of physical activity, but the most important lesson here is to keep a full water bottle close by.2. Put on that sunblockGrowing up, I had so many friends give every excuse not to put on sunscreen:“I don’t need it.”“I just don’t like the feeling of it.”“It’s so sticky.”Let me tell you why I put it on. Skin Cancer. It’s the most common form of cancer in the United States. The good news is that it is the most preventable. Damage from the sun’s UV Rays is its leading cause and all you have to do to keep yourself protected is follow the example of this little guy:Ahhh…Summer in the desert. For many people, summer means family vacations, pool parties, and fireworks. For Las Vegans, it means scorching steering wheels, high electric bills from the A/C, and visitors who had heard the rumors, but can’t believe that it actually gets this hot here. It’s the desert; we get a little extra love from the sun. Sometimes a little too much love. The mercury is headed north again this week, which is why Steinberg Diagnostic reminds you to stay healthy, hydrated, and safe. Here are some tips for the summer months:1.Stay hydratedIt’s simple. Our perspiration increases as the temperatures increase. Our body loses water daily through the skin, intestines, lungs, and urine. And with all the playing done in the summer, your body can expect increased water loss from the physical activity. It’s important to replace this water loss with adequate hydration. What does that mean for us? The Institute of Medicine reports that an adequate intake for men is about 13 cups of total beverages a day and about 9 cups for women. Of course, these determinations vary by weight and level of physical activity, but the most important lesson here is to keep a full water bottle close by.2. Put on that sunblockGrowing up, I had so many friends give every excuse not to put on sunscreen:“I don’t need it.”“I just don’t like the feeling of it.”“It’s so sticky.”Let me tell you why I put it on. Skin Cancer. It’s the most common form of cancer in the United States. The good news is that it is the most preventable. Damage from the sun’s UV Rays is its leading cause and all you have to do to keep yourself protected is follow the example of this little guy: