Beat the Summer Heat! - NBC Right Now/KNDO/KNDU Tri-Cities, Yakima, WA |

NBCRightNow.com - With temperatures almost ten degrees above normal this time of year, it's very easy to get sick from the heat.

Experts say you need to prepare before you even go outside.

"Hydrating before you go out is so important because once you start feeling thirsty then you've already started the dehydration process," says Heather Hill, the Communicable Disease Program Supervisor with the Benton County Health District.  "So you want to not get to the point where you're feeling thirsty because that means you're already dehydrated."

Your choice of clothing is important too!  Darker colors absorb sunlight and the heat that radiates from your body.  Light colored, loose fitting clothing helps reflect sunlight and keeps you cool.

But what about the sun? What kind of sunscreen protects you the best?

"You need to block both UVA and UVB," says dermatologist Dr. Sidney Smith.  "In order to block UVB you need an SPF 30 or above, in order to block UVA you need one of three key ingredients; you need zinc, titanium or something called avobenzone.  If you follow those simple rules, you'll get the protection you need!"

For more information on different types of heat-related illnesses, the warning signs and how to treat them, click here.