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Avoiding heat Stroke at Faire

Started by DonaCatalina, April 24, 2009, 08:29:39 AM

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0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

VIII

Super-hydrate during the week.  I start drinking more water starting on Wednesday.  During dehydration, if your body runs out of water, it starts sucking it out of your cells, which is highly damaging to your entire system.  Super-hydration 'plumps' your body down to the cellular level.
Former King Henry VIII
Renaissance Magazine Issue #66 Cover Boy

Robin Starveling

Definately drink a lot of water.  Definately eat something so you can retain that water.  Make sure not to drink too much water.  You can over hydrate, and from the people I've talked to who have done it, it's pretty painful too.  Listen to your body!

Dayna

cool: http://www.50degree.com/custom/index.cfm?ID=37974 

These are All Over Bristol thanks to a friend of mine who found them a few years ago.  Stuff one down your bodice and one on each side over your kidneys.  Even once they unthaw, they still pull heat off you.

Dayna
Dayna Thomas
Nixie's Mom
Bristol FoF Hench
Education Goddess...yeah, right
FoF Merchant Liason/Merchandizing Maven

brier patch charlie

I can tell you all, having a heat stroke is not fun. I had one two years ago in June of 07 while I was at my summer AT at Camp Robinson, and I spent 4 days in the hospital. And I had been drinking water, over a quart an hour, but due to the heat and high humidity, I was sweatting it out quicker than I was getting it in. Now I can not handle the heat if it's over 70 I'm hot and sweating like a field hand. I was very lucky, I didn't pass out and my kidneys didn't shut down, came close. Heat stroke is very real and you need to watch your self and others around you at fair if your going to be out in the heat.
This  why I would like to have fairs when the weather is cool or cold, just can't take the heat.
Charles Coleman

will paisley

Quote from: Master James on April 27, 2009, 03:07:02 PM
Being on cast at VARF and a member of court, its a daily battle to avoid being overheated.  I have however found something that works great in helping to keep one cool: http://www.50degree.com/custom/index.cfm?ID=37974  I wear a tall hat and simply own 2 of these little beauties with velcro on them and in the hat.  They can be recharged in ice water in about 10 minutes or so.  Put one in the hat and because its velcroed in it won't fall out or hit your head but its like your personal a/c in there.  Even on brutal days it stays cool for a while.  A typical day in the 80-95 degree day, it stays cool for about 2-3 hours.  On a brutal day of 95+ and that includes the 2 days we had last year at 110+, they lasted about an hour.  These are not the end all be all to avoid overheating but they sure do help and are easily hidden in the hat.

I am definitely going to have to look into those.  They look a lot less clumsy than the ice packs I've been using, which have to be refrozen to be of any use once they've melted.
Minstrel, Interrupted, Bard #400 (CD)
Faire Name: "Flo's Husband"
Yeoman-Purser of the Frigate Up Royally

blackflowers18

It should that they can be recharged in ice water in about 10 minutes or so.?



_________________
Ge mwf

Dayna

Yes, ice cold water, or water with a few ice cubes in it is enough to turn them solid again Very Quickly, I'd say not even 10 minutes, but I could be mistaken.  They're not so cold that they shock the body like a frozen gel pack does.  I've got several, and keep swapping them out throughout the day.

Dayna
Dayna Thomas
Nixie's Mom
Bristol FoF Hench
Education Goddess...yeah, right
FoF Merchant Liason/Merchandizing Maven

BazookaBaby

Forgive me if this has already been asked - can those packs be bought in a store or do they have to be purchased off the website? If you bought them in person, where did you find them at?

Thanks!

Stephanie C.

Dayna

Website only, I don't know of a store, but you could check the website.

Dayna
Dayna Thomas
Nixie's Mom
Bristol FoF Hench
Education Goddess...yeah, right
FoF Merchant Liason/Merchandizing Maven

Mistress Cherry

I managed to pass out my very first day as cast on the Ren Faire.

Getting stripped and covered in ice by half a dozen strangers while crying in a panic is NOT the best end to a day, I can tell you.

The biggest problem? I had no idea when it started. After it was over I realized I'd been behaving as though drunk since about noon, slurring my speech and all. By the end of the day I was freezing and felt awful. Thought I was coming down with something. "Well, maybe I haven't eaten enough today?" So I sat at a table and ate several handfuls of beef jerky. By the time anyone else asked me what was wrong I was way too far gone.

I had been drinking all day, but not enough. I was sweating under three layers (though I was peasantry so it wasn't like it was velvet), and aspirating way more water than I realized. If you are performing, the sheer act of projecting your voice will dehydrate you.

So, yeah, they covered me in ice and floated an orange in a cup of water and kept forcing me to drink more and more. The jerky came back up (a level of gross I never want to repeat), and I felt much better.

I didn't lose it again until the end of the season, when I had a laughing fit of embarrassment and my bodice was too tight.

You don't want this to be you. Trust me.

Leyla

Quote from: tcindie on April 24, 2009, 06:23:43 PM
I drink a mug or two of pickle juice interspersed with water all day on the scorchers.. the salt in the pickle brine ensures that you'll keep absorbing the water. It takes a little getting used to, but it's an easy solution :)

That sounds backwards. Drinking salt leads to dehydration.

KeeperoftheBar

Quote from: Leyla on May 31, 2009, 09:18:34 AM
Quote from: tcindie on April 24, 2009, 06:23:43 PM
I drink a mug or two of pickle juice interspersed with water all day on the scorchers.. the salt in the pickle brine ensures that you'll keep absorbing the water. It takes a little getting used to, but it's an easy solution :)

That sounds backwards. Drinking salt leads to dehydration.

No, I don't think that is right.  The salt helps you retain water.  One of the reasons that people with high blood pressure are to limit their salt and take diaretics.  This removes excess water from their tissure which lowers their blood pressure.  I know, within a half hour of taking my meds, I am looking for a privy.
Landshark # 97
Member, Phoenix Risen

Sitara

Quote from: Leyla on May 31, 2009, 09:18:34 AM
That sounds backwards. Drinking salt leads to dehydration.

Salt is an electrolyte though and when you sweat you become low on salt.
Beer wenches are the best wenches!

DT_Masters

First, a side item. At Scarborough 08, I suddenly found I had drop down and take it slow, take in more shows. Granted, it was hotter and more humid that day, but I grew up in tropics/deserts, so what was the sudden difference? Switching from 35 mm SLR to a DSLR. With the previous, every so often one has to seek shade to switch out the roll but with the latter......rather like shop till you drop.

The other thing is that I tend to go for sun protection over being in minimal to be cool. On oceanographic cruises/beach work, my comrades would be in tank tops and shorts while I was in full khaki. Although.......once that sun block goes on and the wind hits it, it's a nice cooling effect.

But there you go; try to find a character that would wear light colored fabrics instead of dark ones.....unless you have to be the King, of course.

Woodland Artisan

First, consult with your doctor if you have questions or concerns about this issue.  Only they have your personal medical background and experience to help you make decisions on what you should do to help your body in the heat.

I was an Athletic Trainer (sports medicine specialist) for several years working with highschool, major college and pro teams and one of our major responsibilities was keeping the athletes hydrated and performing to high levels in extreme heat and humidity for hours at a time.

http://www.rebuildii.com/hydration.html      Here's a short excerpt from an article on the issue that might shed some light on what's being discussed.  Lane (the writer of the paper that that excerpt drew from) and I were student trainers in college together.

Here are a couple of points regarding keeping your body cool(er) in the heat ...
- Stay out of the heat!  Yeah, a big "duh" statement but there is simply no better way.
- Water. Water. Water.
- NO Alcohol.  SAme goes for caffeine.  They both dehydrate in various ways.  The more alcohol you drink, the faster you loose fluids.
- Hydrate for the NEXT day.  Going to faire tomorrow?  Increase your (good) fluid intake today.  That is what will help you tomorrow.  Obviously, you still have to drink during your day at faire, too!
- Replace the fluids you lost today, tonight.  Just because you're not "in" faire, doesn't mean you stop taking in good fluids.  More heat-related problems occur the day AFTER than the day during.
- Simply replacing your sodium (salt) isn't enough.  There is NO magic potion, or pill that will keep you from having problems.  You MUST prepare ahead of time and work with YOUR body.

Stay safe out there.