The Yale Doctor Who Treated War Zone Heat Casualties Has Summer Tips
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Cool It: When a Yale emergency medicine professor tells you to drink water the night before a hot day, that’s advice with some real weight behind it. As a retired Army colonel, David Della-Giustina treated heat casualties in Afghanistan and Iraq and has seen heat illness escalate fast. So getting ahead of dehydration before you’re even outside is his number one priority.
How To Do It: Once you’re spending time in the heat, be sure to take a rest as soon as you start feeling off. For example, a headache or a wave of nausea is your body telling you to find shade and get somewhere cool before things get worse. Rethinking your outfit also helps more than most people expect, since lightweight, loose-fitting long sleeves and pants block direct sun absorption better than bare skin.
The Benefits: Heat illness progresses quickly from mild overheating to heat stroke. But the early signals are easy to catch if you’re paying attention.
