GARDEN GROVE

Now in the middle of the “dog days of summer,” officials from Universal Care in Garden Grove offer a few tips to help prevent heatstroke: Increase consumption of water, even if you don’t feel thirsty; limit the time spent in the sun between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.; wear loose clothing; keep blinds and drapes pulled closed during the day; cook and use appliances in the early morning or evening; and avoid alcohol and over-the-counter sleeping pills or drugs for motion sickness.

Peggy Payne, director of health education at Universal Care, says that while everyone is susceptible to heatstroke, the elderly and those with a history of heart or respiratory conditions are at a greater risk.