Even young and fit urged to skip runs and too many beers in heatwave

In the UK, ahead of England playing Panama in the World Cup on Saturday, people are being advised to drink plenty of fluids but not lots of alcohol in this punishing heat, to avoid dehydration. Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it makes you pee more, while the hot weather also makes us sweat lots. "This dehydration double whammy makes it even more important to drink plenty of water and stay as hydrated as possible throughout the day," says Alcohol Change UK. During the heatwave, the nights have been hot too, presenting its own challenge. It means the body cannot cool down as much in between the daytime heat spikes. Heat exhaustion can affect anyone, including fit and healthy people - especially if they have done strenuous exercise in high temperatures or been drinking alcohol in the sun all day. It can come on quickly, over minutes, or gradually, over hours. It can subsequently turn into heatstroke , external , which is a medical emergency. It means your body can no longer manage the heat and your core temperature is rising too high. There can be fast breathing or shortness of breath and collapse or unconsciousness. Get urgent medical help. People are being reminded that it's fine to take a couple of days off from exercising, given the hot weather. If you are going do something physical outdoors, dial it down, pace yourself and stick to times of the day when it is cooler, such as the very early morning or late evening, experts advise. …