efferson County OHCE: The 83rd Annual OHCE State Meeting will be held at the Embassy Suites/Downtown, Oklahoma City, Sunday evening July 8 through Tuesday, July 10. Tara Brown, Jefferson County OHCE Advisor and others are planning to attend and will bring back educational materials and other information to share later.
JEFFERSON COUNTY FREE FAIR
Has been scheduled for Thursday, August 26 – noon Saturday, August 28. Indoor entries are due by 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, August 25. Baked items needing refrigeration may be brought in by 8 a.m. Thursday, August 26 morning – judging will take place Thursday, August 26. Bring your creativity in crafts, arts, baked items, canned items, dehydrated foods, refurbished clothing or furniture, photography, Vintage items, Quilts, home grown fruits and vegetables, etc. A fair book will be available prior to August. There will be a Pet Show, Best Pie Maker and Best Cookie Jar contests! Come join the fun!
Co-Parenting for Resilence: Divorce or separation is not an easy or favorable decision, especially when minor children are in the home. A class for divorcing or separating parents with minor children living in the home. My next class is scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday, August 14, 2018 (there will be no class in July). Pre-registration is required. Call Jefferson County OSU Extension Office at 580-228-2332 for registration information. This class is mandatory by law in Oklahoma and is also valuable for Grandparents and other relatives of minor children going through a divorce or separation.
Jefferson County Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service through Oklahoma State University offers researched-based programs and information. Call 580-228-2332 or come to 802 East D’ Street (Jefferson County Fairgrounds and visit with Leland McDaniel, Extension Educator, Agriculture/ 4/H Youth Development and Tara Brown, Extension Educator, Family and Consumer Sciences/4-H Youth Development for questions you may have relating to Agriculture and/or Family and Consumer Sciences and 4-H.
Hydration is essential, especially during summer months
Everyone looks forward to summer vacation and spending more time outdoors. However, Oklahoma’s extreme temperatures can easily put you at risk for dehydration.
It is very easy to underestimate how much water you need to drink to stay properly hydrated, especially when you are on the go on vacation, said Janice Hermann, Oklahoma State University nutrition specialist.
“When you’re on vacation, it’s easy to get caught up in sightseeing and other fun activities. For most people, thirst is typically the first indication of a need for water. Unfortunately, thirst lags behind the body’s need for water,” Hermann said. “It’s important to drink more water than what you think you need to avoid becoming dehydrated.”
Obviously, one sign of dehydration is a dry mouth, but there are other symptoms, too, and they need to be taken seriously. Other symptoms can include headache, flushed skin, weakness, dizziness, confusion, sluggishness, fainting and muscle cramps.
Although your main goal while on vacation is to have fun, it is important to drink plenty of water. Hermann has a few tips that will help make it easier to stay hydrated while on vacation.
“Carry a reusable water bottle that you can easily refill as you go about the day. If plain water is not your favorite, use unsweetened flavoring packets or natural flavorings, such as lemon or orange slices, to liven up the water,” she said. “Bottled water can be expensive, so carrying a reusable water bottle can save you a few dollars that can be spent on other fun things.”
For those traveling by plane, pack an empty reusable water bottle in your carry-on bag. Why take up space with an empty water bottle? Because airport regulations do not allow more than 3.4 ounces of liquid through security. Once you’ve cleared security, passengers can fill the water bottle before boarding the plane.
If you are traveling by car, pack a cooler with bottled water and some hydrating snacks such as cucumbers, celery, baby carrots, grapes, oranges or apples.
For those of you with a vacation destination that will be hot, and you will be spending a lot of time outdoors, staying hydrated is important. Hermann said you will need to drink more fluids to replace those lost through perspiration.
“The key is to consume fluids all throughout the day. Don’t wait until the end of the day,” she said. “Remember, thirst lags behind the body’s need for hydration.”
A hydration guide if you are going to participate in strenuous activity outdoors is 2 to 3 cups of fluid about two to three hours before the activity, plus an additional 1 cup of fluid about 10 to 20 minutes before the activity. Drinking small amounts of fluid, about one-half cup to a cup every 10 to 20 minutes during strenuous outdoor activity is also recommended.
After strenuous outside activity, fluid should be consumed to replace weight lost. A rule of thumb is 2 to 3 cups of fluid to replace one pound lost through perspiration.
“For activities lasting less than one hour, plain cool water is best for replacing body water because it can be quickly absorbed,” Hermann said. “For outdoor activities lasting more than one hour where perspiration occurs, water by itself may not be enough. Sports beverages containing electrolytes and 6 to 8 percent carbohydrate can replace electrolytes lost through perspiration and are rapidly absorbed. Beverages containing more than 8 percent carbohydrate, such as juices and soda, can slow down fluid absorption.”
Altitude can play a role in keeping yourself hydrated. For those planning a trip to the mountains, you will need to drink fluids more often. This is because humidity is lower at higher altitudes causing perspiration to evaporate quickly, so you may not realize how much water you are losing. In addition, oxygen levels are lower, which makes you breathe faster and deeper, so you lose more fluids through respiration at higher altitudes than you do at lower altitudes.
“Be sure to look at the Nutrition Facts label on the beverages you choose,” she said. “The food label and ingredients list provide information about calories, carbohydrate, sodium and potassium to help you make better choices. Enjoy your vacation, but make sure staying hydrated is at the top of your ‘must-do’ list.”
Not only is there concern of needs to rehydrate due to the heat and humidity, there are reports of vomiting and or diarrhea illnesses going around. Be cautious to avoid dehydration.
Dehydration in Children
Be concerned if your child has an excessive loss of fluid by vomiting or diarrhea, or if the child refuses to eat or drink.
Signs of dehydration include:
•Sunken eyes
•Decreased frequency of urination or dry diapers
•Sunken soft spot on the front of the head in babies (called the fontanel)
•No tears when the child cries
•Dry or sticky mucous membranes (the lining of the mouth or tongue)
•Lethargy (less than normal activity)
•Irritability (more crying, fussiness with inconsolability)
Symptoms and Signs of Dehydration in Adults
The signs and symptoms of dehydration in adults range from minor to severe.
Mild to moderate dehydration may include the following:
•Increased thirst
•Dry mouth
•Tired or sleepy
•Decreased urine output
•Urine is low volume and more yellowish than normal
•Headache
•Dry skin
•Dizziness
•Few or no tears
The above symptoms may quickly worsen and indicate severe dehydration with signs and symptoms are developing; severe dehydration may include the following:
•Severely decreased urine output or no urine output. The urine, if any, produced is concentrated and a deep yellow or amber color.
•Dizziness or lightheadedness that does not allow the person to stand or walk normally.
•Blood pressure drops when the person tries to stand after lying down (low blood pressure or orthostatic hypotension)
•Rapid heart rate
•Fever
•Poor skin elasticity (skin slowly sinks back to its normal position when pinched)
•Lethargy, confusion, or coma
•Seizure
•Shock
