Keep your cool!
April 4, 2006 | 12:00am
Summer spells fun. It brings to mind frolicking on the beach, vacationing at idyllic mountain resorts, backyard barbecues and picnics, partying and chilling out with friends, and enjoying an appetizing variety of food delights. It’s a great time for an adventure in the great outdoors and a precious chance to bond with family, lovers, and friends.
But summer also brings with it the discomfort of sweltering temperatures and other inconveniences. To survive the hot season, you must be ready to keep your cool. Here are some reminders and ideas to help you beat the heat and have the greatest time of your life:
• Drink plenty of water. Eat light meals and chilled fruits, and drink iced natural juices. Beware of too much sugar in commercially prepared drinks. Minimize meat and protein intake; they increase your body’s heat production. Avoid caffeine and alcoholic drinks; they raise the body temperature.
• Take quick refreshing showers to hydrate your skin and hair. Spray a fine mist of cold water on your wrists, back of your ears, nape, and on your clothing to cool and refresh you. Refrigerate a face towel and carry it around. Pat it on the back of your neck, on your forehead, and anywhere that feels warm.
• Spray rubbing alcohol on your skin for a relaxing cooling effect. Soak your feet in a basin of cool water. Use aromatic oils of peppermint, eucalyptus, and camphor to refresh and cool the air. Mint shampoos and soaps have a wonderful cooling sensation on the scalp and body.
• Apply prickly heat powder on sensitive areas of your skin to prevent itchy heat rashes. Minimize use of strong colognes and perfumes. Heavy scents make you feel warm. To cool your mouth, brush your teeth with mint toothpaste or suck on menthol candy or chewing gum.
• Dress up in loose-fitting, light-colored clothes made of loosely woven natural fabrics that allow cross-ventilation.
• Keep a hand fan around; fanning yourself cools you instantly. It would help to get a short haircut and avoid stiff hairdos that use hairspray which trap heat on the scalp surface.
• When outdoors, use an umbrella or a wide brimmed hat to shelter yourself from the sun. Where the sun is strong, wear loose, long-sleeved shirts and dresses for good coverage. Bring a towel to wipe away perspiration and always carry an extra shirt to change into in case you get wet.
• When you are directly exposed to the sun, like during swimming and going to the beach, use a good sunblock to avoid sunburn, premature wrinkles, and skin cancer. Wear UV protection dark glasses to shield your eyes from the blinding summer sunlight.
• Change your heavy curtains and beddings into thin, light-colored ones to reflect the heat. Fill your house with plants; their evaporative effect cools the immediate surroundings. Install car window tints on your home windows that are exposed to direct sunlight.
• Fluorescent lamps are cooler compared to incandescent.
• Put a bowl of ice water in front of an oscillating fan to circulate hydrated air. Play a CD or record of environmental water sounds like gushing rivers, gurgling brooks and ocean waves. The ears trick the mind into lowering the body temperature. Play Christmas carols (but not loud enough for the neighbors to be bewildered!); the mind associates these with the cold season.
• When driving out of town, have your car checked up and serviced to avoid mechanical problems. Make sure your car air conditioner works well and have the proper tints on your windows. Bring along extra water for your radiator and monitor your gasoline supply. Be equipped in case of a flat tire. Stay away from dangerous and unsafe areas to avoid accidents and crime.
• When camping or sleeping outdoors, set up mosquito nets and spray your exposed skin with insect repellent. Bring a cooler to keep your drinks and foodstuff refrigerated. Completely put out any bonfires you have set up for the night to avoid devastating forest fires. Dispose of your litter, beer bottles, cans, and trash properly.
• When the heat at home gets unbearable, go malling or watch a movie. This will help you save on air-conditioning costs. Remember, too, that the hot season brings with it some gastrointestinal diseases; be careful about the foods you ingest. When allergies and skin problems arise, consult your doctor.
• But most of all, keep your cool and watch your temper. Don’t be hot-headed and avoid problems and stressful situations. Be cool, comfortable, and safe, and enjoy your summer!
For your comments, e-mail DeroSeminar@yahoo.com. Should you forward this article, please acknowledge The Philippine Star and the author and include this entire paragraph.
But summer also brings with it the discomfort of sweltering temperatures and other inconveniences. To survive the hot season, you must be ready to keep your cool. Here are some reminders and ideas to help you beat the heat and have the greatest time of your life:
• Take quick refreshing showers to hydrate your skin and hair. Spray a fine mist of cold water on your wrists, back of your ears, nape, and on your clothing to cool and refresh you. Refrigerate a face towel and carry it around. Pat it on the back of your neck, on your forehead, and anywhere that feels warm.
• Spray rubbing alcohol on your skin for a relaxing cooling effect. Soak your feet in a basin of cool water. Use aromatic oils of peppermint, eucalyptus, and camphor to refresh and cool the air. Mint shampoos and soaps have a wonderful cooling sensation on the scalp and body.
• Apply prickly heat powder on sensitive areas of your skin to prevent itchy heat rashes. Minimize use of strong colognes and perfumes. Heavy scents make you feel warm. To cool your mouth, brush your teeth with mint toothpaste or suck on menthol candy or chewing gum.
• Keep a hand fan around; fanning yourself cools you instantly. It would help to get a short haircut and avoid stiff hairdos that use hairspray which trap heat on the scalp surface.
• When outdoors, use an umbrella or a wide brimmed hat to shelter yourself from the sun. Where the sun is strong, wear loose, long-sleeved shirts and dresses for good coverage. Bring a towel to wipe away perspiration and always carry an extra shirt to change into in case you get wet.
• When you are directly exposed to the sun, like during swimming and going to the beach, use a good sunblock to avoid sunburn, premature wrinkles, and skin cancer. Wear UV protection dark glasses to shield your eyes from the blinding summer sunlight.
• Fluorescent lamps are cooler compared to incandescent.
• Put a bowl of ice water in front of an oscillating fan to circulate hydrated air. Play a CD or record of environmental water sounds like gushing rivers, gurgling brooks and ocean waves. The ears trick the mind into lowering the body temperature. Play Christmas carols (but not loud enough for the neighbors to be bewildered!); the mind associates these with the cold season.
• When camping or sleeping outdoors, set up mosquito nets and spray your exposed skin with insect repellent. Bring a cooler to keep your drinks and foodstuff refrigerated. Completely put out any bonfires you have set up for the night to avoid devastating forest fires. Dispose of your litter, beer bottles, cans, and trash properly.
• But most of all, keep your cool and watch your temper. Don’t be hot-headed and avoid problems and stressful situations. Be cool, comfortable, and safe, and enjoy your summer!
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