We've finally had some weather worthy of sitting in a beer garden, so here comes Captain Bringdown to ruin your fun.
While parts of the UK have been sweltering in 35C+ temperatures, the temptation has been real when it comes to sitting in the sun for a few after-work drinks, weekend barbecues and/or boozy picnics. However, health experts reckon that mixing alcohol and sunshine is a seriously bad idea. Sorry about that.
Dr. Josef Thundiyil, from Orlando Regional Medical Centre, told the Epoch Times that as alcohol is a diuretic, it actually drains fluids from the body - which isn't good at the best of times, but when you're already sweating more it can be even worse.
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He said: "People think of alcohol as a thirst-quencher because it comes in a refreshing, cold liquid. But in hot weather, you're already losing fluids through sweat and through exercise."
We all know that drinking alcohol causes us to piss more - 'breaking the seal' - but that's not just because you're taking on more fluids, booze 'turns off' a hormone that helps to regulate fluid levels in your body.
Dr Thundiyill continued: "You end up peeing out more than you take in. Once you start drinking alcohol, you shut that hormone off, so it's not as simple as making up for it by drinking more water.
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"You're going to continue to urinate more than you normally would if you hadn't been drinking alcohol."
According to the news outlet, estimates suggest that those who imbibe alcohol will lose a third more liquid than they drink, so for every three pints you have, you'll lose four pints of liquid.
As well as alcohol, too much caffeine can also be bad news for your body during the heat, as it also acts as a diuretic.
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That's not the only problem, either - drinking in the sun can also make you unaware of burning or the effects of dehydration or heatstroke.
Senior A&E consultant Mr Abbasi said: "People need to be aware that drinking too much alcohol and sitting in the warm sun for long periods can cause dehydration and a range of unpleasant symptoms. There is also an increase in accidents causing injury when alcohol is involved."
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There are some things you can do to counteract the negative effects of the booze, such as alternating alcoholic drinks with water, making sure you're not sitting out directly in the sun too long and remembering to pace yourself.
All sound advice to make sure you don't make a tit of yourself, too.
Sources: NHS; The Epoch Times
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