Extreme Heat - Rising Temperatures, Raising Your Health Risks

In the first episode of our extreme weather segment, we focus on extreme heat. Extreme heat adversely impacts our health, from increased respiratory and heart diseases, to heat stroke and heat stress.

Dr. Nielsen-Gammon of TAMU speaks about the extreme heat in Texas; and the interrelation of all extreme weather events. While extreme heat is prevalent around the world heat waves are qualified differently depending on where you live. In cities extreme heat is becoming a major issue, as the population raises and the concrete jungles expand the heat risks multiply.

Dr. John Balbus of NIEHS introduces the bodies natural air conditioner of sweat. Regardless of our bodies acclimation to heat, during extreme heat our body is over stressed and can’t cool us properly. When we move more blood to our skin to sweat our heart and lungs are further stressed causing serious health risk. Moreover, our mental health is negatively impacted during extreme heat, from aggravated mental health conditions, to elevated crime during heat waves the human body cannot handle extreme heat waves, just as the planet cannot either.

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