Dr Bryan Betty: Staying safe in summer

Summer is fun however it’s good to remember how to stay safe when it comes to things like sun, food, insects, and alcohol. Here’s what to watch out for and how to stay safe over the holidays.  

The number one thing to think about the sun – it makes us feel good but can cause harm!  

• Sunburn sets us up for skin cancer. Be especially careful with children!  
• Use SPF 30+ sunscreen, reapply every 2–3 hours and after swimming.  
• Wear hats, sunglasses, and protective clothing.  
• Remember: UV is highest between 10am and 4pm. 
• Stay hydrated. Heat exhaustion and heatstroke can develop quickly, especially in the elderly and small children.  

Keep food safe especially in the heat  

• We increase the risk of food poisoning over summer due to the heat, which encourages bacteria. 
• Keep food cold and covered – use chilly bins/ice packs.  
• Follow the 2-hour rule – avoid leaving food out in heat for more than 2 hours  
• Wash hands and utensils to prevent spread of germs. Cook meats thoroughly, especially poultry and BBQ foods.  
• Avoid cutting up meat/chicken on the same board as salad vegetables.  
• Watch for signs of food poisoning: nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fever – see your doctor.  

Watch out for insects, especially mosquitoes and sandflies 

• Avoid getting bitten – can be itchy and painful.  
• Use insect repellent in areas with sandflies or mosquitos and wear long sleeves/pants in bushy areas. 
• Watch out for allergic reactions: red inflamed skin around a bite, can be very itchy. 
• May need to see your pharmacist or doctor for treatment: anti-itch cream, antihistamines.  

Always drink alcohol in moderation  

• Alcohol increases dehydration. A good tip is to alternate drinks with water.  
• Avoid swimming, boating, or driving under the influence: impaired judgement raises accident risk. 
• Eat before and while drinking – pace yourself.  
• Watch for the heat and alcohol combination leading to faster exhaustion. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack team podcast
from News Talks.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
That'd be our resident doctor Brian Betty is here.

Speaker 3 (00:15):
Good morning, Oh Jack.

Speaker 2 (00:17):
Nice to be here here, Nice to be chanting you
to see you for the final time in twenty twenty five.

Speaker 3 (00:21):
Well, it's hard to believe, isn't it.

Speaker 2 (00:23):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know we say this every year,
but some things I always think are cliches for good reason,
you know, and this is one of them. I reckon, Hey,
it has already been a stinking hot start to summer.
I think we have. I think November was the hottest
November we've had on record, and you've got some tips

(00:44):
this morning about staying safe over summer. And the heat
is front of.

Speaker 3 (00:49):
Mind, absolutely absolutely, and the sun in particular, and just say,
the hottest November we've had and that's probably going to
continue through December. So look, I think with the sun,
the sun is fantastic, makes us feel better, Vitamin D
to the skin, which which actually helps all our bones,
and lots of benefits that we do need to be
careful and we do need to think about the basics

(01:11):
when it comes to the sun now, in particular sunburn,
and we need to be especially careful during the day
between those hours of ten am and four pm when
those UV rays are very very sort of intense, especially
over summer now in particular children. Children have very very

(01:31):
sensitive skin and they get burnt easily. And it's one
of the commonest things I see in the clinic and
at the after hours when I do after hours, as
parents bringing their children in. They've just been outside for
a bit too long and they come in with this
quite severe at times sunburn. So look, think about using sunscreen,
you know, every two to three hours, and after swimming,

(01:51):
we're hats, sunglasses and protective clothing. Think about those basics,
especially with your kids. Really really important, really important.

Speaker 2 (02:00):
That advice. It is the season of course for mosquitos
and other various biting insects.

Speaker 3 (02:05):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely so, yeah, we get bitten. So look,
you know we've got sandflies and mosquitoes are probably the
two biggest thing to note is mosquitos tend to come
out in the dawn or early hours or in the
early evening, where sand flies tend to be all day
and we tend to get sandplies around running water or rivers,
whereas mosquitos tend to be around sort of still water

(02:28):
and that's where they tend to breed. However, you know,
if they bite you, they're little bits of saliva that
goes into the skin can cause an allergic reaction and
a really really itchy bite. You know. Sandfly bites and
notorious mosquitos are the same and they can just drive
your nuts. So look, avoid getting bitten is really really
important if we go into those sand flow or moscato

(02:49):
type areas. So again, wearing insect repellent really important. If
you like natural products in lavender or tea tree oil
are the ones you want to use. And again, wearing
long clothes at those times where we might be exposed
to sand flies or mosquitoes is really really important. Sometimes

(03:10):
you can get quite an allergic reaction, get these very
rad itchy welts that come up. Look, itch cream from
the pharmacy is really good. Calamine lotion works well. If
it is really quite an intense reaction, then you may
need to see your doctor and have a chat about it.
We use steroid creams and other things and anti estamines
to try and control that. But avoid getting bitten is

(03:32):
probably the big one.

Speaker 2 (03:33):
Yeah, that is a big one. So too is the
message on alcohol and moderation at this time of year,
one that many of us I think it can benefit
from being reminded of.

Speaker 3 (03:44):
Yeah, look, look alcohol is that one I think all
things moderation and alcohol in particular. So what we do
know is alcohol can exacerbate worse in dehydration, especially in
the heat. So look, one of the little tips is
if you are drinking, alternate between an alcoholic beverage and
a glass of water. It just keeps your fluids up

(04:04):
and can actually help keep your hydra Obviously, the big
thing with alcohol it reduces our inhibition. It reduces our
checks or our inhibitions, and so we need to avoid
things like swimming in particular with alcohol is dangerous. So
people are into trouble all the time, jumping into the
water after they've been drinking. Boating or driving under the

(04:27):
influence obviously are things that we need to watch out
for because of that impaired judgment that can actually occur.
The other thing that's always good with alcohol, eat before
you drink, Okay, so it just slows that absorption of
olcohol can be really really use useful, And watch out
for heat and our coohol. Again, it can really exacerbate

(04:49):
heat exhaustion or all the symptoms of heat stroke. So
so yeah, alcohol is just one of those things you
do have to watch out for. Stay hydrated, eat if
you're drinking, and all things moderation.

Speaker 2 (05:00):
Love you work, Ryan, Thank you so much for everything
this year. We really appreciate it. I have a wonderful summer,
won't you.

Speaker 3 (05:06):
Yeah, same with you, Jack, and look, thanks very much.
I've really enjoyed this year.

Speaker 2 (05:09):
So good. That's doctor Brian Beattie with us for the
final time in twenty twenty five.

Speaker 1 (05:14):
For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame, listen live
to News Talks ed B from nine am Saturday, or
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