Tips for safer picnics

Summer is a wonderful season to spend time outdoors with your family, but very hot weather can be dangerous. Here are some tips to help beat the heat.

Avoid food poisoning at your picnic
A summer picnic is a prime time for foodborne illness because the organisms that make you sick thrive when it's warm. To help protect your family:

• Keep foods at the right temperature. Put frozen foods in a cooler with ice or gel packs, and don’t transport the cooler in your car's hot trunk. Display cold salads and desserts on ice to keep them cool, but don’t let perishables sit out for more than two hours — and just one hour if it's 90 degrees or hotter. When grilling, use a thermometer to test the internal temperatures of cooked foods.
• Avoid cross-contamination. Pack raw meat in leak-proof plastic bags. Get rid of leftover marinade after it has touched any raw meat. Be sure to use separate utensils and dishes for raw and cooked food. Rinse and dry fruits and veggies before snacking on them or adding them to salads.
• Keep it clean. Always wash your hands before touching food. Use hand sanitizer if soap and water aren't available.
• Recognize signs of food poisoning. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhea. If you suspect that you've eaten tainted food, try to drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration. If symptoms are severe or last for longer than three days, call your doctor.

Keep cool in hot weather
When it's extremely hot or humid, our body struggles to stay cool. This may lead to a serious heat-related illness. To avoid becoming overheated:

• Know your risk. Children younger than age 4, adults ages 65 and older, people who are overweight or have health conditions, and those who take certain medications may be more likely to develop heat-related illness.
• Keep cool. Spending at least two hours a day in air-conditioning reduces the risk for heat-related illness. If your home isn't air-conditioned, go to the mall, see a movie or go to the library.
• Use common sense with kids. Have them come inside for frequent breaks. And never leave a child or an older adult — or a pet — in a closed car. Temperatures can rise to fatal levels in minutes.

Dodge dehydration
When someone is overexposed to the sun and high temperatures, dehydration can occur. This is caused when the body loses water content and essential body salts. Children and people older than age 60 are particularly vulnerable to dehydration. Common dehydration symptoms include:

• Thirst
• Less frequent urination
• Dry skin
• Fatigue
• Light-headedness
• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Dry mouth and mucous membranes
• Increased heart rate and breathing

In cases of mild dehydration, rehydrate by drinking water. Avoid alcoholic, caffeinated and sugary beverages because they may make you more dehydrated.

For moderate or severe dehydration, intravenous fluids may be required. Medical care should be sought for anything other than very mild dehydration that doesn't respond to self-care.

To prevent dehydration, drink plenty of fluids and take a break every hour or so when being active in the heat or sun.