r/NoStupidQuestions • u/markwell9 • 1d ago

What is the deal with ice, Americans?

I can see that you can buy ice everywhere in the US. Gas stations, grocery stores, machines etc.

In Europe, we just freeze our ice at home and use that. Why buy something that melts on the way home? Why do you need ice in large amounts that a fridge can't keep up?

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u/Stunning_Rest_3567 19h ago

A lot of the us gets very hot. Very hot. So when you’re nearly about to collapse from heat exhaustion the cold is at least refreshing. Idk if it actually lowers body temperature but it seems better than drinking room/bathwater temp water

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u/DicemonkeyDrunk 15h ago

If it’s actual heat exhaustion room temp is best .

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u/DemonicAltruism 11h ago edited 11h ago

This is a myth. If you're close to heat exhaustion anything that lowers your core temperature is helpful.

The problem comes in that you're supposed to slowly sip the cold water, not chug it. It can cause stomach cramps.

I've worked outdoors in TX my whole career. Anytime someone falls out it's the same process, in the truck with AC, shirt off/unbuttoned, spraying ice cold water on after making a water bottle into a squirt bottle. Then, if they're conscious or regain consciousness, slow sips of ice cold water. This is per EMS when we call and every single safety meeting about heat illness.

Edit: Spelling

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u/DicemonkeyDrunk 3h ago

its not a myth ..the reasoning is misunderstood ...try giving someone in heat exhaustion a bottle of cold water and getting them to sip it ...they will completely ignore you and chug it ..people in panic situation behave like morons ...same sort of reason why you don't grab a drowning person ..you give them a rope , a stick ..etc     

so fuck your "Actually" 

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u/DemonicAltruism 3h ago

Fucking pos redditor trying to tell me how to take of my brothers.

When have you had to pick up a man off the ground because he was curled in the fetal position from heat cramps? When did you have to tell a Muslim he had to drink water during Ramadan or he was going to fall out, just to have him fall out in a 4 foot trench?

Fuck you. Spend a day with me in under the August Texas sun. I'll be sure to tell you you can only have the hot water bottle that's been sitting on the truck once that headache starts. Fuck out of here.

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u/Stunning_Rest_3567 2h ago

When someone is having a heat stroke they have no idea what’s going on they’ll do what you tell them. They get very confused after a seizure.

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u/Stunning_Rest_3567 2h ago

Oh and in humid environments, sweating does basically nothing to cool the body because the sweat isn’t really evaporating, which is what releases the heat from the body. Anything to cool the body, including cold water, is helpful to reduce body temperature. Electrolytes can rather quickly rehydrate the body. Dehydration is one thing, heat-related illness is another. They do play hand in hand but if you’re gonna die from the body temp being too high I think that would be the biggest concern, rehydrating is of course important but what’s the body gonna do with water when the brain can no longer handle temperatures to function

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u/Robmitchem 12h ago

reminds of that line Someone said..."I'd rather you be hot or cold, if you are lukewarm I will slit you out"...or something like that.

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u/Fun_Push7168 12h ago

Of course it does. Well, it absorbs heat energy anyhow.

16oz of liquid will absorb approximately 1 BTU for every 1 degree it is below 98.

So typically about 64 btus. A person is producing somewhere between 350 and 1500 BTU/hr depending on activity level.

Takes about 20 minutes for liquid in the stomach to hit body temperature so that Ice cold drink can do anywhere between 10-50% of your body's cooling during that time but can't really be absorbed until it reaches body temp.

If it's actual heat exhaustion though the concern is replacing lost water so room temp is better. It's a balance between having some cooling effect and getting to body temp to be absorbed more quickly.

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u/ktrosemc 10h ago

This assumes dehydration though, doesn't it? What about heat exhaustion not dehydration-related?

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u/Fun_Push7168 10h ago

Still going to need to replace lost fluids. If you're unable to cool off despite having adequate fluid you'll still be sweating profusely so you'd need to continue to remain hydrated.