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Or sign-in if you have an account.Hydrating and bringing body temperature down are crucial during heat waves. Photo by Ina FASSBENDER /AFP/FileHistory professor Ethan Borden Krizman was in high school when he collapsed 20 years ago at a race, suffering from heat stroke, but he says he remembers it well.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorAnd the current heat wave in Europe has brought it all swirling back.“I started getting tunnel vision, and I could feel my body weakening, and I collapsed, like just I completely blacked out,” he told AFP, recounting how he was evacuated just short of the finish line in 95F (35C) heat that day in California while vomiting nonstop.Krizman says he can feel himself “getting on edge” when he sees news alerts about extreme heat across Europe, where scores of deaths attributed to the heat have been reported.Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again“I can feel my heart (rate) elevating,” he said.Krizman says that ever since his brush with heat stroke, his tolerance for extreme heat has significantly diminished.While children under the age of five and the elderly are most at risk in heat waves, teens and healthy adults can also suffer serious symptoms that can ultimately be fatal when exposed to high temperatures, especially when engaging in physical activity.At the time, Krizman was a competitive runner, logging about 70 miles (more than 110 kilometres) a week.“I wasn’t an Olympic-level athlete, but I was probably more physically fit than 90 plus percent of the population,” he said. “I had been hydrating all day long.”Human ‘threshold’ for heat “Do your best to stay out of the heat during the peak hours of the day, and know where you can go to potentially cool off,” Krizman advises. Photo by Gal ROMA, Paz PIZARRO, Sophie RAMIS, Jonathan WALTER /AFPThe number of deaths linked to extreme temperatures increased in the United States from 1999 to 2023, with an acceleration seen in the last seven years of that period, according to a study published in the American Medical Association’s JAMA in 2024.And heat waves now cause more deaths in the country than hurricanes or floods.In 2018, University of Maryland football player Jordan McNair died at the age of 19 from complications related to extreme exhaustion and heatstroke.Medical resident Evan Dishion died while on a hike with friends in Arizona in 2022.“Even a doctor who runs marathons and is 32 years old can die of a heatstroke,” his widow Amy Dishion told AFP.Since her husband died, when their daughter was just three months old, Amy has fought to raise awareness about the dangers of extreme heat.“As human beings, our bodies have a threshold of what we can survive in,” she said, lamenting that decision makers routinely ignore this fact.Krizman shares that view, noting that many athletic competitions take place even when temperatures soar.“Is it really worth risking a teenage kid’s life to go out there and play a sport when it’s 100 plus degrees out?” he said.He urged everyone to “take it seriously. Don’t assume that ‘Oh, it’s just hot and I’ll be okay.'”Krizman offered easy-to-follow advice: stay hydrated, make sure you have eaten and limit physical activity.“Do your best to stay out of the heat during the peak hours of the day, and know where you can go to potentially cool off,” he added.Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our newsletters here. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.