As Kern County struggles through its first major heat wave of the year, Bakersfield Dr. Raj Patel discussed how to prevent heat-related illnesses during his weekly segment on “The Richard Beene Show.”

Appearing on the June 23 segment, and in the wake of the death of local attorney Benjamin Greene, who died Tuesday after running in a 5-kilometer run when it was 109 degrees, Patel said it was well documented that long distance runners have had problems when it came to managing high heat and running.

“5K in unusual heat is a long distance,” said Patel to host Richard Beene, who suggested that the 3.1-mile run might not be a big deal for experienced runners.

Patel said that simply staying hydrated with water would not be enough in a high-heat event, and that those competing in a high-heat activity would need something more focused on replacing electrolytes.

“That’s a mistake often times, because you are sweating profusely in which you are losing sodium and other electrolytes,” Patel said. “Then your body is dehydrated. The most common culprit is when the sodium drops, and the potassium too, it results in leg cramps and unwell feeling.”