Heat wave forcing people with health conditions to hide indoors

Many New Brunswick residents are hitting the beach, pool or neighbourhood splash pad to beat the heat, but Amy Watson, 36, is hiding inside her air-conditioned home.

But hiding from the heat isn't a choice.

With a lung capacity of only 25 to 30 per cent, being outside in this week's heat could result in a medical emergency.

"When I walk outside it's like a truck sitting on my chest basically."

Watson was born with cystic fibrosis, a genetic disease that affects the entire body but primarily the lungs and digestive system.

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An accumulation of thick mucus in the lungs and digestive system makes it hard to breathe and to digest foods.

Simple tasks, like going out to pick up groceries, or checking the clothesline in the middle of the afternoon can cause breathing troubles.

'Like breathing soup'

Watson says that the humidity is what causes the breathing troubles.

"It's like you're trying to breathe soup," she said. "The air is so thick that you're trying to breathe and pull in that thick air."

Not being able to take a full breath along with the presence of thick mucus in the airways makes it extremely difficult to inhale the hot and heavy air.

"They just can't normally get a deep full lung of air due to the damage to their lungs," said Barbara Walls, director of health promotion at the New Brunswick Lung Association.

That means getting less oxygen than people with healthy lungs. Less oxygen causes the body to tire a lot easier and faster than the average person.

It's not just breathing  

Watson isn't just worrying about breathing in the scorching heat. She also has to worry about dehydration.

People with cystic fibrosis get dehydrated much faster than the average person. Those with the genetic disease also lose salt faster through their sweat.

"Not being able to regulate their temperature, and on top you put an environmental stress of heat and humidity. It's going to be very uncomfortable for them physically and to try and breathe," said Walls.  

Watson says she and others with cystic fibrosis have to stay constantly hydrated by drinking both water and sports drinks. She also eats foods with higher salt content to get back to normal levels.

What to do to keep cool?

Hiding away in her air-conditioned home and planning her day around cooler times, in mornings or evenings, are helping Watson get through the heat wave.

 "You have to evaluate if what you're doing is worth the risk to your health and usually it's not," she said.

The air is so thick that you're trying to breathe and pull in that thick air.- Amy Watson

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Walls said there are small things people with or without respiratory illnesses can do to feel good and stay cool during the heat wave.

One of her tips is to monitor the air quality in your city.

"Air quality can seriously impact how you're feeling," she said. "It can trigger asthma attacks and exacerbate symptoms of your lung disease."

Drinking water, wearing light and loose clothing and avoiding the outdoors between the hours of 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. are also good ways to avoid getting too hot.