It’s HOT! There is no escaping it in most of our country this summer, as well as in many other parts of the world. How to stay cool is not just a question of comfort. It can also be the difference between life and death. So here are some suggestions to help stay cooler in this heat.
Number one, in my opinion, is to be aware of how your neighbors are doing. Many of us live near people who are frail, elderly, or in ill health. The heat can be a killer. There are also those who simply cannot afford to run their air conditioner or fans. Be a good neighbor and keep an eye on them. And offer to help in whatever you are able.
Key to keeping yourself healthy in the heat is to stay hydrated. Drink, drink, drink. Water is the best but small amounts of juice or other cool drinks can be a nice change of pace. Stay away from alcoholic, sugary, carbonated, or hot drinks. However, there are those who suggest that a hot drink is actually beneficial because it makes the body produce sweat. And sweating is part of our body’s natural cooling system. One way to get children (and some adults) to drink more water is to float fruit, like blueberries or lemon, in it. Or freeze small pieces of fruit in ice cube trays for cooling off those glasses of water.
If you exercise outside, do it early in the morning or late in the day when it is naturally cooler. And don’t push too hard. The heat can kill.
Stay out of the sun. Keep to the shade as much as possible.
Wear a hat to help shade your face and neck.
Wear lightweight and light-colored fabrics during the summer. (Does this remind you of your grandparents? They knew how to survive the dog days of summer without air conditioning.)
Eat light meals, especially those that can be served cold. If you can do cooking during the early or late hours of the day, it will be less likely that your house will get overly hot. A hot house makes the air conditioner work harder and longer, making your energy bills more expensive. Grilling outside is one way to cook without heating up the house.
Go to the public pool or splash park. If you cannot do that, get the kids a kiddy pool.
If you work outside, take frequent breaks to allow your body to adjust to the heat. If you can, save large chores till cooler times of the day.
If you, or someone with you, is getting too hot, a simple way to get the body’s temperature down is to run cool water over their wrists. If that is impractical, use an ice pack or cold, wet washcloth, on the wrists and behind the neck.
Learn the signs of heat stroke and heat exhaustion and get anyone who you suspect is in peril to the doctor immediately.
I think the best advice is to use common sense. Stay out of the heat, if you can, and stay aware of yourself and others. 
Needless to say, that includes pets, yours as well as those that belong to others. Wild animals have just as much trouble surviving during extreme weather.
Put out containers of water for the birds and other creatures that live near us but do not belong to us.
How do you stay cool during the hot months of summer? I would love to hear about them.
