{"id":11219,"date":"2025-04-16T08:59:16","date_gmt":"2025-04-16T14:59:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=11219"},"modified":"2025-07-22T12:35:13","modified_gmt":"2025-07-22T18:35:13","slug":"get-out-there-summer-safety-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/get-out-there-summer-safety-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Summer safety in Colorado: Hydration, health and hazards to watch for"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>
\"Kid
Photo: Getty Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Everybody knows you need sunscreen in Colorado, but other dangers lurk out there this summer that could be more serious than a bad case of sunburn.<\/p>\n

Mandy Hartman<\/a> has seen it all. A physician assistant at UCHealth Thornton Urgent Care<\/a>, and a former microbiologist who worked for the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control (CDC), she has lived and worked in Northern Colorado for most of her life.<\/p>\n

Hartman has extensive experience with family medicine, urgent care, and pediatrics and is especially interested in infectious disease, travel and wilderness medicine. She has degrees from Colorado State University (in microbiology) and\u00a0from Philadelphia University (in PA studies). She\u2019s also an adjunctive assistant faculty member in the University of Northern Colorado Nurse Practitioner Program.<\/p>\n

Here are some things that might impact your health this summer:<\/p>\n

Mosquito-borne illness<\/strong><\/h2>\n

About 90% of cases of West Nile virus<\/a> will be found in July and August, \u201cbecause that\u2019s when people are outside, because the days are longer, incidence rates are the highest in the vector population, \u00a0and it\u2019s peak mosquito season,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Although most young and healthy people who are infected \u201cexperience no symptoms, or mild ones,\u201d for others it can include fever, stiff neck or joint pain, nausea, vomiting and rash.<\/p>\n

Symptoms are lots worse \u2013 even fatal \u2013 if a patient is elderly, going through chemotherapy or immunocompromised in some state.<\/p>\n

Others may never know they got the virus, or not contract it at all.

Learn more<\/a> about West Nile, dengue and zika viruses and vaccines<\/div>\n

\u201cWe have good antibodies against it, for the most part,\u201d Hartman said. There\u2019s no vaccine for it, \u201cbut as a population, we are developing a natural immunity to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The best defense<\/a> is to wear insect repellent (preferably with DEET) and to cover up, especially at dawn and dusk. If you don\u2019t want to wear insect repellent, try lemon oil, she suggested.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s particularly repulsive to them,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe only reason mosquitoes bite you is because they want to have babies. They need that blood to help them do that,\u201d although she doesn\u2019t think that will incite a lot of empathy for the pesky insects.<\/p>\n

The Zika virus<\/a> is not much of a current concern for active transmission in Colorado, she added.<\/p>\n

Tick-borne illness<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cWe hear a lot about\u00a0Lyme disease<\/a>, but this is mostly found in the Northeast, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, but they are not major transmissible diseases in Colorado.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

We don\u2019t see much Lyme disease in Colorado, she said, because our tick, the deer tick \u201ccannot carry Lyme disease because the ticks are too little \u2013 literally.

Read: The truth about ticks in Colorado<\/a><\/div>\n

\u201cIn Colorado, Colorado tick fever is more common,\u201d she said. \u201cIt affects about five people each year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Symptoms are flu-like \u2013 sore throat, migraine-level headache and fever, with onset usually 3-5 days after they are infected.<\/p>\n

To prevent tick bites, wear long pants and sleeves when hiking and walking around grassy areas. Take a shower after being in a tick area, and remove any critters you find on your body. Insect repellent does very little to deter them, she said.<\/p>\n

If you do get a tick embedded in your skin, remove it by grasping as close to the mouth parts as possible and pulling straight back.<\/p>\n

\u2018\u201dIf any of the embedded tick remains, it may cause a serious infection. \u201c<\/p>\n

If you can\u2019t get it all, you may need to visit a physician for removal.<\/p>\n

Water-borne illness<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Giardia is probably the most common affliction of campers and hikers who are tempted to drink from those lovely, clear mountain streams.<\/p>\n

\"young<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t do it!\u201d she said. She had it once herself as a teenager and can highly recommend avoiding it. \u201cIt was just awful.\u201d<\/p>\n

These small bacteria live in water sources, such as streams, especially where deer are present, Hartman said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe main symptom is frothy, foamy diarrhea, but also can include cramping, bloating, fever and dehydration,\u2019\u2019 she said.<\/p>\n

Giardia can take a while to show up after it is ingested. \u201cIt can come, go, and get worse and better on its own. You might think you just ate something bad,\u201d Hartman said.<\/p>\n

It becomes more active if the host eats a high-fat diet, and it\u2019s especially hard on children. Also, it causes fairly serious dehydration.<\/p>\n

To prevent it, \u201cdon\u2019t drink from any wild source of water and even test well water if visiting somewhere unfamiliar,\u201d she suggested.

Traveling to Colorado? Here is what else you need to know before visiting<\/a>.<\/div>\n

And although boiling water before drinking will kill Giardia, it won\u2019t kill some other microbes or viruses that might be lurking out there.<\/p>\n

Filtration or iodine is a more effective control. Portable filtration systems \u2013 including a filtration straw \u2013 and iodine pellets are available for campers and back-country hikers.<\/p>\n

“Keep in mind, the incidence rate is likely higher for all of these diseases,\u201d she said, but only proper testing can confirm it. \u201cOnly the very sick make it to the doctor.”<\/p>\n

Lightning strikes<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Not a disease, but lightning strikes kill nearly a dozen Coloradans every year<\/a>, mostly in the warm months.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the most dangerous weather element in Colorado, killing at least 10 people a year \u2026 mostly golfers and hikers,\u201d Hartman said.<\/p>\n

If you see a storm brewing or lightning in the distance, \u201cthe best thing to do is to get inside a car or a substantial, fully enclosed building,\u201d she said. In addition, \u201cunplug all electronics and stay away from water and metal. If hiking or golfing, drop your hiking pole or golf club.\u201d<\/p>\n

High places are dangerous, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cStay away from the tallest trees and mountain tops, and try to get to a lower elevation if you\u2019re hiking,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

According to the Coloradoan<\/em> newspaper, \u201cColorado had the third-most lightning-strike fatalities of any state, with 17. Another 15 were injured, according to the National Weather Service.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you are with someone who is struck by lightning, Hartman said, \u201cdial 911, and perform CPR if they are unconscious. You need to restart the heart, shock them back alive, and usually that takes paramedics.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dehydration<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cWe are classified as high mountain desert here,\u201d Hartman said. \u201cDehydration can be an issue, and visitors are especially bothered by it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI recently talked to a nephrologist about it,\u201d she added. \u201cAnd he said to watch your urine\u201d as a tell-tale sign of dehydration. \u201cIt should be a light, lemony color.\u201d

Here are 5 reasons water is so important<\/a> to your health.<\/div>\n

The amount of water you need varies a lot, and depends on your activity, heat level, medications, salt intake and body size.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s different for everyone,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour body is always striving for homeostasis,\u201d she said, \u201cwhich is a delicate balance of potassium, sodium and H2O and other important chemicals. Aim for five 8-ounce glasses of water a day\u201d here in the mountain state. \u201cIf you increase your activity or heat level, drink more,\u201d she said, \u201cand also if you take medications, such as blood pressure medicine, that can dehydrate you.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you do get dehydrated, a quick cure is to drink an electrolyte solution, such as Pedialyte. You can make one quickly at home by mixing a solution recommended by the CDC: Dissolve 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt in a gallon of water. If you do use a commercial product, Harman said, \u201cavoid grape or red, or any artificial colors, because they can change the colors of stools or vomit to black or red, and that can be frightening!\u201d<\/p>\n

Most of these things won\u2019t happen to most people, but it\u2019s good to be prepared and to know the risks, symptoms and treatments.<\/p>\n

And, she added, \u201cdon\u2019t forget the sunscreen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sunburn isn\u2019t fun, either.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Everybody knows you need sunscreen in Colorado, but other dangers lurk out there this summer that could be more serious than a bad case of sunburn. Mandy Hartman has seen it all. A physician assistant at UCHealth Thornton Urgent Care, and a former microbiologist who worked for the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control (CDC), she […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":11220,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[2684,253,2474,162,4097,9187,228,4797,209,257],"class_list":["post-11219","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-healthy-living","tag-flu-season","tag-health-and-fitness","tag-hiking","tag-infectious-diseases","tag-preventive-care","tag-readysetco","tag-safety-tips","tag-seasonal-flu-treatment-and-flu-shots","tag-urgent-care","tag-virus-prevention"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nSummer safety in Colorado: Hydration, health and hazards to watch for - UCHealth Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A UCHealth family medicine provider offers Colorado summer safety advice to help you enjoy the summer while staying healthy and hydrated.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/get-out-there-summer-safety-tips\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Summer safety in Colorado: Hydration, health and hazards to watch for\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A UCHealth family medicine provider offers Colorado summer safety advice to help you enjoy the summer while staying healthy and hydrated.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/get-out-there-summer-safety-tips\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"UCHealth Today\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uchealthorg\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-04-16T14:59:16+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-07-22T18:35:13+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2017\/07\/21024453\/Summer-photo-boy-in-tent-sized.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Linda DuVal, for UCHealth\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@uchealth\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@uchealth\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Linda DuVal, for UCHealth\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/get-out-there-summer-safety-tips\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/get-out-there-summer-safety-tips\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Linda DuVal, for UCHealth\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/4f8630d1a32bfa51d40bf26aa4896808\"},\"headline\":\"Summer safety in Colorado: Hydration, health and hazards to watch for\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-04-16T14:59:16+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-22T18:35:13+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/get-out-there-summer-safety-tips\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1339,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.uchealth.org\\\/today\\\/get-out-there-summer-safety-tips\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/6\\\/2017\\\/07\\\/21024453\\\/Summer-photo-boy-in-tent-sized.webp\",\"keywords\":[\"flu season\",\"Health and fitness\",\"Hiking\",\"Infectious diseases\",\"Preventive care\",\"Ready. 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