With a warning issued by the National Weather Service on Monday and Tuesday for area residents to watch out for the extreme heat, it is important to make sure one is exercising practices to ensure safety and health when working or spending time outside.

The most important thing to remember is to stay hydrated. Water is the most essential nutrient, the solvent for important biochemical reactions, supplying nutrients and removing waste. It is also essential for maintaining blood circulation throughout your body. It also maintains one’s body temperature, carrying heat away from internal organs before serious damage occurs, which can lead to heat stroke and even death. The heat travels through the bloodstream to the skin, causing one to sweat. As the sweat evaporates, it allows one to cool off and maintain a safe body temperature, optimal functioning and health.

With that said, daily water intake should be balanced with losses to maintain one’s total body water. Losing water can adversely affect one’s healthy functioning. Once someone starts to feel thirsty, they’ve probably lost about 1 percent of their body water and are dehydrated. With a 2 percent water loss, one could then feel fatigued and cardiovascular impairments. The need of one’s fluid intake differs, depending on sweat rate, the temperature of the environment, clothing, humidity and other factors.

According to the NWS, the combination of high temperatures and humidity are a dangerous combination, facilitating situations in which heat illnesses are likely to occur.

As extreme heat hits, it is important to drink enough water to prevent thirst and monitor fluid loss by checking the color of one’s urine. It should be pale yellow and not dark yellow, too smelly or cloudy. For short-duration, low-to-moderate intensity activity, it is good to drink water before, during and after exercise.

When exercising in extreme heat or for more than one hour, supplement water with sports drinks that contain electrolytes and six to eight percent carbohydrates. And even if one is just out in the extreme heat and not necessarily exercising, it is important to stay hydrated because sweating still occurs and the body loses water.

Summer is here in Beaufort County, and temperatures like that of Monday and Tuesday are likely to continue. Exercise precaution when subjecting oneself to heat and remember to stay hydrated, take frequent breaks when working in heat and pay close attention to early warning signs of heat illnesses like headaches, nausea, confusion, dizziness and fatigue, among other symptoms.