Emergency response teams and officials throughout Suffolk County have begun to announce safety measures in the wake of the first potential heat wave of the Summer. But you don’t have to turn on the TV to tell it’s hotter than Dante’s Sixth circle of hell. Lucky for you, there are a few tricks to staying cool in the heat. We studied and research the very best expert advice to summarize the very tips to stay cool in hot weather.
Avoid drinking alcohol, anything with caffeine (including iced coffee) which is a natural diuretic as well as beverages high in sugar. Stick with water, coconut water and gatorade if you’re not sure what to stay hydrated with. Also, you want to keep drinking water throughout the day to best prevent dehydration. Tip: download a free app to remind you when to have a sip, like the 4 ½ star rated Waterlogged available via iTunes.
Avoid wearing anything that will add to heating up your body. Jewelry and watches in the sun will heat much faster, causing unbearable burns and embarrassing tan lines. Wear light colored linen or breathable cotton clothing and footwear with mesh ventilation or open exposure like sandals. Most drug store chains will carry cooling towels, which can come in handy if you’re expecting to be outdoors for a long portion of the day. If you have any cooling athletic apparel like sweat-activated cooling T-shirts or shorts, wear them outdoors.
Keep ice packs in a cooler and apply them to the body’s pulse point (ankles, elbows, groin, neck, behind the knees and wrists) for an instant cool down. Splashing cold water or ice cubes on these points will also have the same effect. Also, submerging your feet in cold water will have an optimum effect in cooling your body down as all your nerve endings and multiple pressure points lead down to your feet.
Ice cream might seem to cool you down, but it actually will heat the body’s core up. Avoid fatty ice cream and reach for frozen fruit pops. Any frozen treat that is low in fat and fructose will help keep your body cool in the long run. Natural sugars from fruit and honey won’t speed up the body’s metabolism, which heats you up fast. You want to allow your body to process foods easily, keeping you cool in hot weather. CLICK HERE for a few healthy recipes.
Eat foods that will naturally cool the body’s core. Have a berry salad for breakfast or include a banana with your favorite morning meal. Coconut and melons like honeydew, cantaloupe and watermelon are sweet enough to snack on throughout the day and will keep you cool from within. Salads with dark leafy greens (romaine lettuce, spinach and kale) are ideal for lunch as they assist in purging toxins from the body and are made up of 80-90% water. Add spicy peppers, cucumbers, mushrooms and avocados to your salad which will keep your body cool while maintaining the body’s required nutrients. Note: spicy peppers will trigger your body’s natural cooling mechanism, which makes you sweat more. Spicy peppers won’t make you feel cool from within. But if you love eating heat, they are safe to include in your Summer diet. Sushi is the perfect dinner for heat waves. Order anything with seaweed (nori) on the menu and you’ll feel nourished and fueled with a natural boost of energy.
Your pets will feel the heat even more so than you will. Imagine sitting outdoors in a wool blanket for a period of time, if you want to put yourself in your four-legged friends paws. While it’s best to run/walk your dog early in the morning or later on in the evening, they will still cry to go outside during the day. Do not keep them in the peak sun hours (12-6pm Summer hours in NY) for more than 20 minute intervals. For Dogs: watch for excessive panting and drooling as signs of heat exhaustion. Heat stroke symptoms include the above as well as bloodshot eyes. The sure test is to pull your dog’s excess skin gently upward. If it doesn’t fold back into place at a normal reflex rate, your dog is in trouble. Keep Dogs cool by wetting their paws and belly first. If you have a kiddie pool for them, try digging a ditch for the pool so it stays cool in the sun. Also, if you cannot avoid walking your dog on hot concrete, put booties on their paws. If you do not have booties or your dog becomes aggressive when wearing them, walk them on the grass between the street and sidewalk. (NOTE: If you can’t cool your dog off within 10 minutes of heat stroke symptoms, please rush him/her to the vet)
Cats are one of Mother Nature’s smartest of creatures. While they tend to enjoy the heat, they are not exempt from heat stroke. Symptoms include drooling, fever, lethargy, panting, vomiting and the may even collapse. If you have a strictly outdoor cat, you can help keep them safe by digging a bed in the ground underneath a tree that stays shaded during peak sun hours. Freeze a decent size bowl of water overnight and leave it out all day so your cat can remain hydrated and drink cool water. If you have an overhang patio or a part of the yard that stays cool under shade all day, leave your cat treats in that location to promote a safe environment with incentives to stay there.
NOTE: Heat stroke is fatal in both cats and dogs. It’s vital that you get your cat to the Vet as soon as you suspect heat stroke. If you see a stray animal or suspect inhumane treatment of an animal in the summer heat, please call the Smithtown Animal Shelter at (631) 360-7575 or the Suffolk County SPCA at (631) 382-7722
Check on elderly neighbors. Stop by the homes of older relatives and senior citizens in your neighborhood to make sure they are okay. Bring them a cooling snack like a fruit salad if you need an excuse that won’t patronize them. Ask if you can do their grocery shopping for them or perhaps bring them an extra fan. Remember that our older generations have survived extremes including a great depression, war and plenty of Summers without central air. Do your part to restore karmic balance within your surroundings and be kind to the elderly!